NETWORK SECURITY FOR CONVERGED NETWORKS WITH CISCO ROUTERS AND SWITCHES

Network Security for converged Networks with Cisco Routers and Switches

[Dominique Mangoubi]

[Limerick Institute of Technology]CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

Outline of the Study

The outline of this study is to promote sustainable and secure network using Cisco routers and switches. To provide a basis for developing a strategy, it is necessary to realize the place and the importance of security with Cisco routers and switches.

Background of the research

In recent years, the patch management is a centerpiece of security measures. Providers have much more to offer more security holes and patches normally and coordinated. Microsoft, for example, patches are done once a month. This enables IT staff to prepare and deploy patches with less disruption to the service.

On the other hand, the attackers are constantly shrinking the time between discovery of vulnerability and the release of targeted attacks against the vulnerability. In 2001, the Nimda worm, five months after the announcement of the vulnerability exploited released it. In 2003 Blaster just four weeks after the discovery of the vulnerability was published. In 2004, the Sasser worm that window received that was related to the Cisco routers and switches.

Problem Statement

This study examines the potential for promoting sustainable and secure network through Cisco routers and switches. There's a need for rapid patching of servers and workstations has been internalized by most operations teams. However, you cannot do for the network infrastructure we rely on routers. For many years routers and switches have worked as hardware devices that are rare, if ever considered necessary modernization. Routers and switches are expected to "just work" and most of the time they do. It has always sits at the heart of this network software running on devices, but as routers and switches do not have a user from a screen directly with them all day long, the software can be forgotten there was. From a security perspective, the biggest advantage for routers and switches are an ideal configuration of networks that got them safe. For example, an access control list on a router may block an SNMP entry from outside the network so it does not allow attackers to send SNMP requests to learn about your infrastructure.

Aims

The aim of the dissertation is to initially evaluate the role of cisco routers and switches and how they can perfectly secure converged networks without compromising the efficiency from different viruses.

Obejctives

In order to achieve this aim, this work will undertake the following objectives to evaluate the use of cisco Routers and Switches. The following are the objectives:

Describes the measure to assure the security of networks

Explain in detail in a concise fashion the principles of converged networks

Explain in detail a state of the art security configuration protocol for a converged network

Explain in detail a state of the art security monitoring systems for a converged network.

Discuss some case studies that are available in security for converged networks.

Significance

In July 2005, the world has a wake-up call at the Black Hat conference in Las Vegas. Mike Lynn, a security ...