Virtual Network Design: DHCP Server - Term Paper Example

Virtual Network Design: DHCP Server Introduction Virtual network is a system that composed of virtual machines that are usually configured to manage or process external or internal network resources. This system is often configured to function with a network adapter especially when using a physical computer or work without adapter when using virtual machines (Lowe, 2011). Different networks often respond to different machines in a specific manner (Simpson, and Novak, 2010). Connecting a network adapter to a physical computer requires a virtual machine to be connected or linked to a virtual network to which the physical adapter is connected. When the adapter is not used, the virtual machine connected to the virtual network forms part of the internal virtual machine (Oppenheimer, 2005). It is worth noting that the internal virtual machine networking usually consists of all other virtual machines connected to the virtual network that is configured to function without network adapter. In this case, every internal virtual machine network is isolated completely from other systems of internal virtual machine network. Fig. 1. An example of a virtual network design (VMnet virtual network design (Lowe, 2011)) It is worth noting that the Virtual Server supports a significant number of virtual networks; therefore, virtual network can serve many or unlimited virtual machines that are connected to it. Using the virtual DHCP Server The virtual Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) Server is usually part of the virtual network. It provides that IP address that it leases only to the virtual machine. The main advantage of the DHCP is that it can be used instead of configuring the virtual machine to a DHCP server since DHCP usually disable it by default. Therefore, if the virtual network is linked to the adapter of the physical network and the virtual DHCP server is activated, the DHCP server will be expected to isolate from the operating system of the host and all other virtual machines. Despite being isolated, the DHCP server will still assign unique IP addresses to the virtual machines and within a specified range. In the case above, the DHCP server is configured to only use for the IP address of 10.244.0.254 as the range within which the IP address range commences (Simpson, and Novak, 2010). Therefore, the system above is expected to assign the IP addresses ranging from 10.244.0.16 to 10.244.0.254 for all the virtual machines attached to the same DHCP’s network. Configuring Multiple Virtual Networks A single network adapter can be associated with multiple virtual networks. In this case, the created virtual network is associated with the physical network adapter within the virtual network system. This linking mode will enable linking numerous the 75 and 100 virtual machines to a system of virtual network. If the organization will need multiple virtual networks to be connected to its host operating system, then there will be needed to create additional virtual network (Daft, Murphy, and Willmott, 2010). This will be achieved through a repeated procedure (Oppenheimer, 2005). However, if the organization wants to configure the virtual machines without network connectivity, then the virtual machines will not be connected to the virtual network. It should be noted that the creation of the virtual network automatically configures a network file that is stored in the cloud. Moreover, the virtual network configuration automatically allows files, documents and settings, document sharing, and all users to access to share the folders in the virtual network. Therefore, only a few or a single central server will be used by all users who require the same information from the same source or server. How the virtualized system is expected to communicate with the Physical network It should be noted that the virtualized and physical networks usually have architectural resolution that places the physical network and clients at the bottom of the system and the virtualized machine and its related services at the top. In the case above, the systems connected to the right form the virtualized network and its related services. The communication of these systems is through a logical switch that connects the logical network through logical network definition. Virtual Machines   Portability of Virtual Networks Virtual networks are never portable; however, their configuration usually depends on the configuration as well as physical components of the hardware including the host operating system and type as well as the number of the network adapters. The configuration and of the host operating system and the physical hardware will be done differently across computers that support Virtual Server. This state of events makes the portability of the virtual server is unrealistic; therefore, all the required information in the cloud can only be accessed through a systematic channel. The Security of the Virtual Network Virtual networks can be configured to be isolated completely from other physical and virtual networks. However, if necessary, the configuration can lead to limited network isolation until the point of connection to the physical network. Network isolation Configuration of a virtual machine to have a completely isolated network requires assigning each virtual machine to only one internal virtual network. Therefore, if this property is needed, the virtual network will be configured not to use a physical network adapter (Oppenheimer, 2005). However, it should be noted that once a virtual network and physical network adapter are attached, the virtual network exposes the same security risks as it could have been on the adapter of the physical network. Network packet isolation Virtual machines never intercept network packets from the host operating system. Similarly, the host operating system will never intercept the network packets from a virtual machine. The virtual machine network services driver usually forces this isolation thereby determining whether a network packet is routed to the virtual machine or on the host operating system. ReferencesTop of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Daft, R. L., Murphy, J., & Willmott, H. (2010). Organization theory and design. Andover: South-Western Cengage Learning. Lowe, S. (2011). Mastering VMware vSphere5. Hoboken, N.J: Wiley. Oppenheimer, P. (2005). Top-Down Network Design, Second Edition. Cisco Press. Simpson, T. L., & Novak, J. (2010). Hands-on virtual computing. Boston, Mass: Course Technology/Cengage Learning. Read More