Network Infrastructure Planning - Research Paper Example

In a bid to reduce the cost of setting up new systems for each of the satellite branches, the company can opt to use New Technology File system (NTFS) permissions or Active Directory (AD) permissions (Abel, 2009). Whereas both permission systems would provide considerably reliable control of access of the files at the head office server, there are principle differences in their best use capabilities and modes of authentication control. Active Directory is a domain controller that authorizes and authenticates all computers and users in Windows domain type internetwork.

It assigns and enforces security policies for computers and installs or updates software on remote computers from the server. For example, a user logs into a computer in the satellite branches that is part of the Windows domain, the Active Directory examines the passwords and usernames submitted to discern whether the user is a normal user or system administrator. Active Directory employs the use of LDAP-Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (Computer Architecture Association, 2011). On the other hand, NTFS is a product of Microsoft Company that can be set to allow or deny users access to a particular data domain.

Using NTFS, users have the capacity to add, move, delete, and modify files and their associated directories. They can as well Read & Execute, Read and Write. NTFS includes Traverse Folder/Execute File gives users permission to navigate through folders and files to gain access to files and other folders. Traverse Folder Permission only takes place when user or group lacks Bypass Traverse Checking right in the Group Policy snap-in (Bruce & Smith, 2011). NTFS has Everyone Group that has permission for Bypass Checking user right.

These permission levels will enable the IT department at the head office of the fashion-ware company grant different degrees of access to computers and groups of various satellite branches. Computers and users identified to be of administrative role will have extensive permission to perform delete, modify and add functions in their respective files and folders stored in the main office servers. The main need of the company is to operate in different countries from a central office. It needs to keep a good record of sales transactions for its fashion-ware all over its expanse market.

The company will need to put in place application servers (servers designed and dedicated to running particular applications). The IT department will most specifically take great care in deciding which application server to consume the larger portion of ROM and RAM depending on its significance to the company. Windows Application Server and Appaserver are the application servers that are recommended for the use in the company (Bruce & Smith, 2011). These servers have an advantage of data and code security.

Integrity of codes and data is imperative given the company centralizes all its business logic on small number of server machines or one server at the head office to serve the entire global market. The application servers also enable the company to centralize its configurations (Fredrich, 2011). The use of Windows server and Appserver would enable the company to monitor the security of its data as all the data is stored centrally. The total cost of ownership of the company becomes less as the company does not have to install hardware infrastructure all over the satellite branches to run its businesses.

The major disadvantage with Windows application server