Connecting Networks Together
| |
Contents
As businesses grow networking demands
increase: Departments consolidate, partner relationships
become more integrated, and isolated networks need to be
connected. Companies might need to link a satellite office
to the company network. And it might become important to
create a new network for finance and protect the links to
prevent unauthorized access to data as well as improve
performance during month-end processes. The way
organizations use networks continues to evolve. For example,
companies are starting to benefit from connecting partner
information systems to better manage inventories.
To achieve these important networking
goals, companies require a range of tools to connect
networks together. Smaller businesses need to inexpensively
link field outposts. Larger companies need to maintain
complex and diverse networks that require advanced
capabilities. And many companies are examining how to use
the Internet to link company networks together while
encrypting communications and controlling what can be
accessed through the secured links.
The communications technologies in
Microsoft� Windows� 2000 make it possible to meet these
goals�creating links between internal and external
networks, while increasing privacy and working with other
standards-based network equipment. With Windows 2000 Server,
you can connect networks over private LAN and WAN interfaces
or through encrypted virtual private networking (VPN)
technologies.
Windows 2000 Server offers benefits for
businesses of all sizes by letting them:
 | Link remote branch offices to a private
network.
| | Connect inter-office networks.
| | Connect business partner networks.
| | Provide flexible connections with the
right level of security. |
Link Remote Branch Offices to a
Private Network
|
Back
to Top |
Small or large, many businesses have one
or more remote office locations where there is a network. By
connecting those networks together, companies can operate
more effectively. Employees who travel between offices can
get to their files and resources�the same files and
resources they use when connected in their home office.
Information flows better to streamline business processes.
Companies can use video conferencing tools for live
collaboration without traveling.
For example, a small restaurant chain
could link stores back to the headquarters network to
monitor sales and track inventory. This would allow the
chain to order and deliver the right supplies on time to
minimize overstock spoilage costs without running out of
required ingredients. Headquarters staff could also
communicate in real-time with store managers through e-mail
or video conferencing to keep operations running smoothly.
On a larger scale, a multinational
corporation could use Windows 2000 Routing and Remote Access
Services to link its domestic retail offices to the private
network over domestic leased lines. International offices
could be connected inexpensively and securely over the
Internet using Windows 2000 standards-based VPN technology.
This way the network infrastructure is optimized to meet
budget needs and provide the necessary connectivity for more
efficient business operations.
Smaller companies can often link offices
by running the routing service on servers used for other
purposes. This can help keep capital costs low. If the load
gets high, you can add links or CPUs to keep pace with
demand, or you can expand to a second server later.
Larger companies can also benefit from the
cost savings of using the routing services in their branch
offices. Because the routing service supports standard
protocols, it works with the special purpose routers that
exist in the corporate network.
As businesses grow, so do their networks.
To manage traffic congestion, minimize the impact of network
faults, and isolate sensitive departmental traffic,
companies can divide the network into �sub-nets� that
link together and form the backbone of the business. In
smaller-scale networks, it can be cost effective to do this
by running the routing services on existing servers running
Windows 2000 Server. In larger networks, Windows 2000 Server
can complement the special purpose routers in the core of
the campus network by providing connections to departmental
networks.
Companies are discovering that they can
work more efficiently with partners by connecting their
networks to conduct transactions in real time. This lets
teams across two or more companies collaborate more
effectively. Windows 2000 Server is an excellent platform
for creating these types of connections.
For example, a company may want to publish
a subset of business applications for partners to access
through secured dynamic Web pages. Or perhaps the inventory
database needs to be connected with the supplier�s systems
for just-in-time delivery, by linking the databases through
Microsoft SQL ServerTM-based queries. Or maybe
teams of contractors from different companies need to
collaborate by sharing files, printers, plotters, and video
conferencing tools.
Meeting these goals requires a system
capable of hosting secured Web pages, or a system that can
link networks with the security to control where traffic
goes and what can go inside them. This means support for
secure protocols, routing and firewall services, and an
extensible platform on which to build solutions.
Windows 2000 provides such a platform
through its open network protocol architecture, rich Web
publishing services, and integrated routing. Because of the
Active DirectorTM service, Windows 2000 is an
excellent platform for developing firewall solutions with
central management of firewall policies. These solutions
inspect the traffic to keep viruses out and monitor the
information that is being accessed. It includes the routing
services needed to link through clear and secure connections
with static routes and packet filters to control where
traffic goes. And the protocol stack includes open APIs that
let third parties deliver value-added management and
reporting tools. Finally, with Active Directory, you can
manage access controls to the services used by applying
centrally managed authentication and access control
policies.
Windows 2000 gives you the power to open
your networks for e-business without compromising the
security or control of your information.
Provide Flexible Connections with
the Right Security
|
Back
to Top |
Depending on the situation, there are two
major methods of connecting remote offices to the company
network. One way is to use dial-up or leased private lines.
Depending on distance, desired performance, cost and other
factors, these work well. In other cases, it might be more
cost effective to link these networks through the Internet.
Through its Routing and Remote Access Service, Windows 2000
Server provides full support to connect branch offices and
private networks using either method.
To move traffic between networks, the
system lets you define manually configured
"static" routes, or you can use the
standards-based routing protocols that are included. Windows
2000 Server supports RIP and SAP protocols for basic IP and
IPX routing, and it includes support for Open Shortest Path
First (OSPF) by Nortel Networks for enterprise routing. The
system adds support for IGMP version 2 so that multiple PCs
can share a single multicast video broadcast stream to
reduce traffic on the network link.
The operating system supports a variety of
network media including asynchronous transfer mode (ATM),
T1, frame relay, X.25, dial-up, ISDN, DSL, cable modem, and
satellite. This gives you the choice of the right connection
for your business. You can also choose the level of
communications protection to suite your security needs.
Where companies are confident of the link privacy,
communications between networks can be done in the clear.
When security is important and legacy protocols (such as IPX/SPX)
or multicast protocols (including important routing
protocols) are required, Windows 2000 Server connects
networks and encrypts traffic using Layer 2 Tunneling
Protocol (L2TP) with IPSec. If static routes with IP-only,
and unicast-only traffic are what you need, you can choose
IPSec Tunnel Mode alone.
With Windows 2000 Server, you have
everything you need to link offices together with the
security and control you require.
|
