Securing FNU's Network: A Comprehensive Plan

This assignment is about creating a secure network plan for Fiji National University (FNU) to ensure business continuity in case of any risk or threat. The plan includes implementing network security policies, installing firewalls and DMZ configuration, and migrating data to the cloud. It also involves identifying potential risks such as data loss, hardware and software failure, and compatibility issues. To mitigate these risks, a pre-plan is prepared for safe migration of data, backups are taken, and strong security mechanisms are implemented. The plan also includes network redesign, where all campuses and locations will be connected to a cloud network with separate wireless networks for regular and distance education students. Finally, the plan concludes by emphasizing the importance of implementing necessary security measures to protect the network from unauthorized access.

Assignment
On
Case Study:-
FNU University
Submitted by:-
Name:-
Registration No:-
Date:-
Contents
1

Insight of FNU University...............................................................................................................2
Scope:-.............................................................................................................................................3
Assumptions....................................................................................................................................4
Project Objectives............................................................................................................................5
Network Security Policies...............................................................................................................5
Resources for implementation of recommended system.................................................................6
Risk and Mitigation Plan.................................................................................................................7
Security implementation:-...............................................................................................................9
Conclusion:-.....................................................................................................................................9
References.....................................................................................................................................10
Insight of FNU University
FNU University is one of educational institute for Higher education like-graduation and post-
graduation. Apart from regular education it also offers vocational course and distance education.
The university network is not up to date with the latest technology that’s why students, staffs and
other concerned member of college is getting disturbance in accessing smooth network. Student
get problem in submitting assignment as well as staffs get problem in grading student. Due to
these students results and marks are disturbing. Distance education students are also facing
problem in accessing documents online. We will discuss the possible threats and disaster in FNU
as well as we will redesign the network which has latest equipment’s to provide smooth network
to all.
2

Scope:-
There is a complex infrastructure at FNU now which needs to be changed and updated as soon as
possible. Due to current issues university cannot imagine their sustainable growth as well as the
current network could not handle increased work load. The expected rise of number of students
and staffs is 50 % which can be problematic with current network. There is network distortion
because of huge traffic in network at a time, there is a need to adopt the latest technology to
provide flexible network to all. The scope in this assignment is to develop disaster recovery plan
and business continuity plan so that uninterrupted service can be provided to all. During the
updating period every section of university will be disturbed like student will not be able to
access course material. That’s why there is a need of fast updating of devices.
The customized service which users will get from this network design is,
1. Email Service
Every students or staffs related to university will get email communication they can easily
communicate with their tutor, administrator, and instructor. As soon as student post query
they will get immediate reply, no matter they are regular student or they are doing distance
education.
2. Online interface
Everyone will get online user interface where they can do any action which is required for
education. Suppose any student want to enroll in any course or they want to submit their
assignment they can directly do from the online web portal. They can access course material
online as well as staffs can review students’ performance from the same web portal.
3. Availability of online library
3

Everyone will get an online library where they can access books, course materials, research
papers, or anything required for their education. There is no need of maintaining physical library,
because they can access everything online. The only condition is that there should be flexible
service without any downtime and that is possible with the new network setup.
4. Establishment of Student Information database
The student database will have all necessary details of students which can be accessed by
authorized person anytime. Every section of university can directly access to student database
if they have security key or of they have permission from higher authority. Firewall and
protection rule can help secure university database and portal.
Assumptions
1. Increased number of data can be a problem with the current network. It can be
handled easily with new design because database tool can be used to store data in
structured pattern.
2. It should be able to complete user request in least possible time. The university
committee should be working positively to complete the fund for this new proposal.
3. IT experts and designer team should work effectively to implement this new network
in least possible time. BYOD policy can help to improve education system. They
should be aware from current challenges and the solution to overcome from these
challenges.
4. Stakeholders should work positively to support this implementation plan because
without their approval it will be very difficult to handle this task.
4

Project Objectives
The main project objective is to implement Business continuity plan and disaster recovery plan
in the university network.
1. Disaster recovery plan
It can help management and administration team of FNU to make a pre plan to handle any
predicted or unpredicted disaster. There should be back up network if any disaster happens in
FNU network. Suppose any threat activity occurs at college site or any risk occurred in main
database then that can affect the education system completely. If any sensitive data is being
exposed to the cyber world then it can cause huge loss for the company.
2. Business Continuity plan
A business continuity plan allows users to continue the ongoing work with back u support if any
type of risk occurs to the main server. Suppose any unethical activity happen in main network
then that can affect to cause students data. If any hacking activity happened in web portal then
they can modify the genuine data to some other form based on their requirements.
Network Security Policies
1. Any unauthorized user should not access college network.
2. There should not be any section of university unprotected. As well as access control plan
should be implemented in such manner that there should be security key for every small
and individual data.
3. No data should be left open access because any small ignorance in security policy can
cause to disturb complete network.
4. Firewall installation and DMZ configuration can help to secure main network from third
5

party.
5. Security in web access can help to secure the web portal of university.
Resources for implementation of recommended system
The project team will consist of some dedicated professional who can create the new network
with systematic approach. For example SDLC for network plan can help to follow each step in
systematic way. The team to carry out this implementation will consist of,
a. Project manager, who will take responsibility of complete project and they will be the
main people to finalize any decision.
b. Technical Head, who will be responsible for taking decisions related to technical
change and activity.
c. System Admin, who will take care to do end to end protection of computer system from
possible threats.
d. Accounts department will take care complete process related to payment, no matter it is
offline or online.
6

Risk and Mitigation Plan
Some possible risk identified in FNU for current changes are,
1. There can be situation of Data Loss, because bulk data needs to be migrated.
2. There can be hardware and software failure in accessing and operating such bulk data.
3. There can be compatibility issue with the new system.
To avoid such risk there is a use of mitigation plan which we will discuss here,
1. Make a pre plan ready for safe migration of data. For example cloud computing can be
great choice for everyone, as it gives vast virtual environment for the safe storage of data
without any loss.
2. Take back up of data before migration. If there is a backup of data that can be used for
retrieve important data in case of any type of failure.
3. Protect data with strong security mechanism so that it does not lose its importance.
7

Network Redesign
In the above diagram we have represented the flow of new setup. All the campuses and locations
including headquarter will be connected from cloud network. There are three major subsections
from cloud server and that is IT department, operation department and data center. Every
sections will be connected in a chain to supply data when user request for it. Wireless devices
can be connected from the wireless network generated by this setup. Regular and distance
education students will get the same online portal to access any data related to course with the
help of public internet. However they will have limited access based on their requirements. DMZ
configuration will help to secure network from third party users.
Every router will have DMZ configuration, to block the access of third party users to main
network. DMZ is also known as demilitarized zone which is the process of forwarding the port to
some secure topology or NAT. This will generate a separate wifi access to third party users so
that they cannot do any type of unauthorized attack to main network of FNU.
8

Security implementation:-
Security implementation is very necessary to protect network as well as IT assets from being
corrupted. Suppose any attack occurs at network it should steal confidential data. To make such
set up it is very important to use necessary security implications at server. There should be
WPA2 PSK security in all wireless networks which is somewhat difficult to break in comparison
to WES network. However all the campuses are in distant location so there is a need of secure
network transformation? Suppose there are three location of university which is nearby, then
wireless bridge can help them to do a wide range WAN setup and use of firewall server can help
to do secure network transformation.
Conclusion:-
In the above assignment we have discussed the current situation and problem at FNU. Further we
have discussed the possible risk and its solution in migration of old network to new network. We
have also discussed network security policy so that it can give an idea for every user to make
proper use of network. Safety and security has become the primary concern at FNU as well as it
was not capable of handling increased work load. A secure network plan has been presented to
create safe and secure environment at FNU as well as it can handle increased workload very
well.
9

References
(2018). Retrieved 19 April 2018, from https://www.tldp.org/HOWTO/Firewall-HOWTO-
2.html
Configuring a DMZ Network. (2018). Checkpoint.com. Retrieved 19 April 2018, from
https://www.checkpoint.com/smb/help/utm1/8.0/868.htm
Geier, E. (2018). How to Choose a Router for Your Business. PCWorld. Retrieved 19 April
2018, from
https://www.pcworld.com/article/249954/how_to_choose_a_router_for_your_business.
html
How Star, Bus, Ring & Mesh Topology Connect Computer Networks in Organizations - Video
& Lesson Transcript | Study.com. (2018). Study.com. Retrieved 19 April 2018, from
https://study.com/academy/lesson/how-star-topology-connects-computer-networks-in-
organizations.html
Securing Wireless Networks | US-CERT. (2018). Us-cert.gov. Retrieved 19 April 2018, from
https://www.us-cert.gov/ncas/tips/ST05-003
10

11