RADIUS Implementation - Essay Example

RADIUS Implementation al Affiliation) Question One Harrington s that RADIUS not only offers security for business data and other sensitive information in a business environment, but also offers a more comprehensive communication system for user authentication purposes and fosters a secure server/client computer system. The most vital benefits of RADIUS as mentioned above is offering detailed security. This is achieved by enabling the information relating to the user to be stored in a singular host, especially in large business environments where security data and information is not located in one device, but in multiple devices, a situation that increases risk of intrusion.

By using RADIUS, every access and authentication to a company’s network applications are controlled by the RADIUS server, which serves as a functioning host (Harrington, 2005).As a systems administrator, one of my major duties is ensuring that the company’s network system is running smoothly and that any technical glitches are fixed immediately to prevent further delays in the execeution of tasks that may cause the company to lose money. Therefore the vast logging capabilities of RADIUS will be very beneficial in ensuring that I am able to ensure that the optimal conditions of the network system are maintained, courtesy of RADIUS’ capacity to map out an audit trail of the network system.

This will enable me to analyze logging files for billing and security purposes.There is growing need for improved security measures in order to restrict intrusion and restricted entry to a company’s network environment. This has led to the development of new viruses and other malicious programs and software aimed at disrupting company functions, thus requiring a system that can adapt to these changes. RADIUS offers a long lasting solution to the evolving network environment by adopting a server that utilizes modifiable stubs.

Simply, the RADIUS server adapts itself to an individual network and can expand to provide other security services.Question TwoAccording to Cache et al., the Network Policy Server found in Windows Server 2012 possesses some features that are compatible with RADIUS, especially in relation to the company’s network environment. One of the characteristics includes its ability to ensure the migration of NPS configuration settings for RADIUS servers and clients. The configuration settings capacity also extends to shared secrets which can be migrated the Network Policy Server (Cache, 2007).

Morimoto argues that the basic reasons for implementing RADIUS is in order for supporting authorization and authentication in the company’s network environment. Therefore, the NPS’ capacity to support authentication setting methodology in RADIUS is an added advantage. In addition, NPS facilitates SQL accounting by configuring accounting, connection description, maximum session settings and authentication (Morimoto, 2012).Question ThreeAs the systems administrator, I would consider using RADIUS templates primarily due to the cost and time saving benefits accrued when configuring the Network Policy Server (NPS) to multiple servers in the organization.

Furthermore, when a RADIUS template is configured correctly, the functionality of the NPS server is altered to facilitate communication between access servers on the organization’s network and consequently promotes system flexibility.Question FourIf there were no other restrictions or variables, I would not consider using password based techniques for authentication due to their weak security capabilities. Authentication measures based on passwords don’t offer strong security for network systems.

However, I would consider adopting certificate based authentication methods especially in relation to wireless connections used in the organization. Additionally, the choice of authentication method would not be hard to choose since the decision would be informed by the network access server configuration, network policy and the organization’s computer network running NPS.Reference ListCache, J., & Liu, V. (2007). Hacking exposed wireless: Wireless security secrets & solutions. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

Harrington, J. (2005). Network security a practical approach. Amsterdam: Elsevier.Morimoto, R. (2012). Windows Server 2012 unleashed. Indianapolis, IN: Sams.