| Network security is an all or nothing approach. | | | | that can't run with the heightened security. Your |
| Companies today that only think of adding a firewall | | | | financial servers might be running a third-party |
| will be very supprised when they get hacked. Hacking | | | | accounting application that can't handle encrypted |
| can occur with the social hacking approach or phishing. | | | | network communication, for example. Third, it is my |
| Someone pretending to be an vendor or an employee | | | | opinion that many network administrators and |
| will get bits and pieces of data. | | | | companies have been trained to use servers in this |
| In depth security has become a requirement for every | | | | state and any form of heightened security at initial |
| company. Your network boundaries, firewalls, VPNs, | | | | installation could render the server useless. I have seen |
| mobile computers, desktops, servers, domain | | | | more than my fair share of network administrators |
| controllers, etc., all need to be considered when you | | | | become confused when some computers |
| are designing for a secure environment. It is important | | | | There are no default installed Windows servers that |
| to know what you get out of the box, as well as what | | | | will meet your security needs completely. Therefore, |
| options you have at your disposal to secure these | | | | you need to consider the most economical and |
| environments. When you consider a new installation of | | | | efficient methods for configuring these servers. Since |
| a Windows server, 2000 or Server 2003, you might | | | | security is not a narrow set of configurations, you |
| not be getting the security settings that you anticipate. | | | | need to use some mechanism that can handle a wide |
| Both of these operating systems' security will not be | | | | variety of settings. The security templates provide a |
| configured to meet your expectations or company | | | | broad, yet deep, capability of configuring security |
| security requirements. | | | | settings for your servers. With the variety of security |
| There are many reasons for the security of these | | | | configurations that come standard with the security |
| servers to be set for weaker security. First, with so | | | | templates, coupled with the ability to customize them, |
| many other operating systems that might need to | | | | you can get the majority of the security settings |
| communicate with them, they need to be set for the | | | | accomplished using only this one solution. Finally, by |
| "lowest common denominator" of security to ensure | | | | using any one of three methods to deploy your |
| compatibility. The security options that come with | | | | security templates, GPOs being the most efficient, you |
| Windows Server 2003 are not available on your | | | | can have your servers functioning in a secure manner |
| Windows NT 4.0 Workstations, for example. Second, | | | | quickly. |
| the servers might be running applications or services | | | | |