Wingtip Toys - Assignment Example

? Wingtip Toys In the current speedy moving business world all companies or business organizations are doing their best to keep in touch with the ever changing technological features. In essence the ever changing computer networking configurations have been leading to several other advancements in the field of Information Technology (Stanek, 2010). Thus, the notion of keeping in touch with all the hardware and software changes all around the globe are the leading driving factors to organizations maintaining their day-to-day updates on Information Technology. One of the major software advancements that go hand in hand with changes in network configurations of several organizations is the Windows Server (Stair & Reynolds, 2012). Windows Server, a server-based operating system provided by the Microsoft Corporation. It offers a significant number of useful services to its targeted users. Among the major uses of Windows Server is the general feature of providing users with a front end where they can perform their daily activities as regards application management and surfing the Internet (Stair & Reynolds, 2012). Furthermore, Windows provides the capability for users to play games or make controls on online applications that are based on other servers usually over the satellite. Over the last few decades, Windows Server 2003 was the most widely used in performing the aforementioned activities all around the globe. However, due to the rapid advancing internetworking world and the urge to protect computer systems from ever sophisticating hacking technology, most users or business organizations is migrating from Windows Server 2003 to Windows Server 2008. This is to aid them in ensuring that they get a chance to enjoy the new capabilities and the set of more advanced network Security issues that are available in Windows Server 2008. It is aimed at offering Information Technology Professionals more capabilities of controlling the operating system server in addition to the network infrastructure of an organization. This is to further aid them in focusing on the critical business requirements of an organization (Stair & Reynolds, 2012). In general sense, people and business organizations migrate from one Windows Server platform to an advanced set of Windows Server platform with key emphasis laid on the features and capabilities that come along with the new one. The new one usually focuses on solving major problems that exist in the earlier versions. On the basis of the advancements in features and capabilities in Windows Server 8 Wingtip Toys aims to take a thorough analysis of the Strengths, Weaknesses, and Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) that form the fundamental aspects of this System software. For any network administrator, SWOT analysis of a new hardware or software acts as the focal point to determining the capability of the new feature to meet the expected network security standards in an organization and as per the globally accepted characteristic of a safe networking environment (Dulaney, 2011). As mentioned earlier, Windows Server 2008 is system software of which it will be expected to aid in smoothening the networking activities that go around in Wingtip Toys business organizations and specifically in its need to be connected over satellite based network servers. Thus, the notion of performing a thorough SWOT analysis by a network administrator is driven solely by the urge of maintaining a secure network environment for the organization (Dulaney, 2011). The (SWOT) Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats analysis is basically built on the idea of figuring out whether or not Windows Server 2008 is more feasible compared to Windows Server 2003. It is basically clear that since Wingtip Toys greatly makes use of the internet in the performance of daily activities, then network security is at the forefront in enhancing security of the hardware devices and Software applications that are used by its clients (Dulaney, 2011). Windows Server 2008 comes in as an upgrade to Windows Server 2003. This means it comes along with new features and capabilities that make it unique or preferred by most users and business organizations. However, it is essential to note that all advancements in technology further come along with some disadvantages and weaknesses that can result into a huge reduction in the performance of a certain networking system. In fact, Windows Server 2008 has same features as Windows Vista Server System (Stair & Reynolds, 2012). It is actually made clear that Windows Server 2008 provides a step further in the enabling of a safer and much more stable server to its users. To Wingtip Toys, this aspect of SWOT analysis is highly fundamental to ensuring that the business maintains the set out business goal or objective. In this sense, the following table provides in the set of Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats that are in Windows Server 2008 (Dulaney, 2011). SWOT ANALYSIS FOR WINDOWS SERVER 2008 Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats Ability to customize a network infrastructure to meet the ever-changing business requirements. It mostly needs administrators to be able to work in the command line environment which is so complex Provides room for configuring a network infrastructure based on business need Complexity in the command line can make it easier for a sophisticated hacker to penetrate a network Network Access Protection (NAP) aiding network administrators in enhancing more control. The current features in it (version) is not compartible with the .Net framework Administrators have more control to exert on unauthenticated users As soon as an administrator looses the details to enhancing NAP, the network can highly be interrupted by a third party BitLocker full disk encryption protecting system from unauthorized booting It does not have the AppleTalk protocol Ability to protect all the data contained in a disk from unauthorized access A hacker with details of the BitLocker can completely disrupt a network system Self healing NTFS System Does not provide management of the major control panel applets Due to the NTFS self healing-It provides automated protection of the data contained in a disk A third party software can be installed and without the key control panel features, it becomes hard to enhance security through control panel Improved Windows Firewall system The Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) is not available Provides room to easily block and allow data sent or received over internet Hijacking of firewall disables performance of most key features in the server An integrated Support for managing Active directories and User Groups Has no Desktop shell thus making several desktop features unavailable (such as Wallpaper) Ability to manage all active users and directories at a go Inactive users can impose great harm since the system considers them as dormant Secure sockets tunneling that aids in protecting Virtual private networks Microsoft Management Console in not available hence making it hard to maintain administrative controls Allows for organization data to be safely transferred through the virtual private network (VPN) Interference in the VPN can result into great losses to an organization Strong Web and Virtualization capabilities making it more reliable and flexible to several server infrastructure Several key roles and features are not available with Windows 2008 Server core Opportunity for data to be shared (relayed) safely and faster across virtual servers A fake virtual server can impose great harm to the performance of the organization network Clustering and Hot-add processor features improvise server availability and Integration Offers no support for the common post office protocol More server availability time enhancing performance Lack of (POP) impose a threat to the client as vital data can be unnoticeable sent to a hacker To migrate to Windows Server 2008, a significant number of requirements have to be put into close consideration. These include both technical and business oriented needs the server and the business platform will combine to provide the best requirements to aid in the daily operations of the company. Therefore, the migration plan for Wingtip Toys will be driven by the Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit. The toolkit will aid in provision of an inventory assessment of all resources needed and currently used (Stair & Reynolds, 2012). Then a report will be generated to provide an assessment of the IT infrastructure showing the total servers along with all system and application software in use (Stanek, 2010). On the business perspective of the migration plan, cost-effectiveness of the migration is a very important to be considered. The following are the steps to be followed in the migration plan. Step 1: Gathering requirements for the new network platform Step 2: Analysis and specification of data Step 3: Design of the expected network platform Step 4: Implementation of the design Step 5: Network modules testing Step 6: Integration of modules Step 7: Operation and maintenance An article by commaroundsweden is a significant example of a migration plan. The article focuses on three key recommendations that should be undertaken for a successful Information Technology migration plan with emphasis laid on users (Commaroundsweden, 2011). The content of the article is similar to aforementioned Wingtip Toy’s migration plan in that it takes into account the need for determining what a company really needs. It goes ahead to analyzing critical business operations and ends up in financial budget creation. The difference in it is that focuses solely on users. For Wingtip Toy’s migration plan, focus lies on users and the system configurability itself whereby it analyses the servers expected to be used, their hardware and software needs (Commaroundsweden, 2011). Wingtip Toys can gain in a lot benefit of benefits in upgrading its servers from Windows Server 2003 to Windows Server 2008. Firstly, the issue of security is always an exceptional subject to all organizations all around the globe. That is, the most significant benefit of Wingtip migration to Windows Server 2008 is based on the idea that the server platform provides a wide set of well established security mechanisms that will enhance the performance of the company. Due to its improved security features as compared Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008 guarantees that provided a network administrator maintains a set of well detailed network use policies, then, there are almost zero chances of any unauthorized access to company resources (Stanek, 2010). In this sense, when the security of sending and retrieving information through the internet is well catered for, it is clear that the Wingtips will be undergoing a period consistent data Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability (CIA). The CIA features are vital to the performance of almost all businesses or companies. It will ensure that customers are satisfied with the services offered at Wingtip Toys. Customer satisfaction will pave way for more customers thus promoting day-to-day business goals for the company (Stanek, 2010). In addition, since all the Wingtip transaction all around the globe will be well monitored and protected from any unauthorized access, it will guarantee business continuity paving way to achievement of the set out business objective. In general, Windows Server 2008 will be beneficial to Wingtip Toys in that, improved security will attract more customers will be attracted, business transactions will always be under the notion of Atomicity Consistence Isolation and Durability (ACID) thus guaranteeing service delivery and business continuity. A considerable number of new features available in Windows Server 2008 make it the best option to optimizing the performance of Wingtip Toys. Among these features is the Hyper-V (Hypervisor virtualization Technology) that allows running several operating systems in virtual machines. This virtualization feature is essential in that it allows a network administrator maintain a logical separation necessary for the mail servers, services and other company applications (Stanek, 2010). It therefore saves Wingtip Toys the cost of running all those in separate computers in addition more security for the data processed. Secondly, Server Manager is a new feature that will contribute to the effectiveness of Wingtip Toys business of Manufacturing and selling Toys. This tool can be used by the Wingtip Toys’ Information Technology department to assign roles of maintaining inventory status, manufacturing needs and sales system data transfer monitoring. In essence, this feature will provide the company with up-to-date information on who is accountable for all sorts of transactions undergoing in manufacturing and selling of the toys (Stanek, 2010). Last but not least, the Terminal Services enhancement is a key feature that will aid Wingtip Toys in managing their client. It provides a client model for customer relationship management and employee management. This feature plays a significant in management of those system users who are at the terminal ends of the network configuration. To Wingtip Toys, this feature will play a huge role in ensuring that all data about Toys sent or received to those at the terminal ends is well captured and used to aid achievement of the business goal (Stair & Reynolds, 2012). The minimum hardware requirements for Windows Server 2008 are as follows. A processor should be of minimum 1Gigahertz (x86 processor) or 1.4 Gigahertz (x64 processor) with minimum Random Access Memory of 512 Megabytes. The available disk space should be at least 10 Gigabytes. A DVD Rom should be used with the following display peripherals; Standard Keyboard and mouse, and a Super Video Graphics Adapter. All the above hardware requirements are expected to cost a minimum of $500 (Dulaney, 2011). Inter-communication between employees and management is a highly vital strategy to guaranteeing optimal performance by Wingtip Toys Company. It is thereby vital that a secure network access to the company’s employees is established (Stanek, 2010). To achieve the above, a feature provided by the Windows Server 2008 will be put into close consideration and implemented. The feature is adoption of a virtual private network where all company data is going to be relayed through that specific network. Through the Virtual Private Network (VPN), only authorized users or employees with valid or authenticated login details will be allowed to relay information. Therefore, the VPN will guarantee that data sent to or received from employees is valid and free from any sort along the line interference by the common sophisticated hackers (Dulaney, 2011). It is vital to acknowledge that all through the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) analysis of the Windows Server 2008 a number of key data regarding to the system viability have been captured. The data captured has significantly proved that there are a number demerits or threats in using Windows Server 2008 (Dulaney, 2011). However a thorough analysis and comparison of the Strengths and merits of using the system have proved that it is highly feasible for Wingtip Toys to migrate to Windows Server 2008 as that will provide room for better performance by the company and meeting its set out business goal (Stair & Reynolds, 2012). References Commaroundsweden: 3 recommendations for successful migration, with emphasis on users (2011). Retrieved from http://comaround.wordpress.com/2011/03/11/3-recommendations-for-successful-migration-with-emphasis-on-users-tips-1-lay-the-foundation-in-the-migration-plan/ Dulaney, E. A. (2011). CompTIA security+ study guide: Exam SY0-301. Indianapolis, Ind: Wiley Pub Stair, R. M., & Reynolds, G. W. (2012). Principles of information systems. Australia: Course Technology Cengage Learning. Stanek, W. R. (2010). Windows server 2008: Administrator's pocket consultant. Redmond, Wash: Microsoft Press. Read More