Information System Administration, Research Paper Example

1. System Administration and Security

Active directory is an essential component which provides efficient and effective network administration along with security. As per (Mcsa/mcse 70-294 exam cram: Planning, implementing, and maintaining A microsoft windows server 2003 active directory infrastructure, 2/E2007), active directory facilitates the IT administrator to establish a secure structure that aligns the requirements of the organization.

1.1 Information System Actions for Security and Management

For limiting access to one or all staff, Configuration will be conducted in the “Active directory users and computers” console in the following steps:

• (Greenblatt, 2002) Click Start menuàAdministrative Tools, à Active Directory Users and Computers.
• In the console, click user account (Greenblatt, 2002)
• Performa a function of Right-click on the user accounts tab, and then click Properties (Greenblatt, 2002).
• Click on the Account tab followed with Logon Hours (Greenblatt, 2002).
• Click on the All tab for selecting all the items followed by a tab called as Logon Denied.
• Select the time blocks as per the requirements to allow the specific user to log on to the domain, and then click Logon Permitted (Greenblatt, 2002).
• A status line provides the options to edit logon times including days of the week, and timings.

1.1.1 User Login Restriction

Active Directory Users and ComputersàPropertiesàAccounts

• Click the logon workstations dialog box by clicking the Log On To tab.
• Enter the name of a required workstation. Click Add. Replicate this procedure to identify additional workstations as per the organizations requirements.

2. User Restriction on Workstation

User restriction is possible by applying group policy capabilities in Windows 2003 Domain; Users can be prevented from logging on to different domains rather than their home domain. In the target domain new ‘domain wide group policy object’ is created and activates by activating “Deny logon locally” to the resource of domain user accounts. The check should be enabled for the option “Deny logon locally” 

2.1 Configuring mandatory file access

Mandatory file access is implemented by configuring the User’s Environment Settings.

• Active Directory Users and Computersà User’s Properties à Profile tab.
• Click option named as local path. Insert the path to the home directory in the related field. Example C:\ abc corp \ %UserName%.

2.2 Password Settings

The password policy will be applied in the Active directory users and computers console. These five elements related to password policy apply on each user created.

• Enforce password history, (As per organization requirement)
• Maximum password age, (Maximum 30 days)
• Minimum password age, (As per organization requirement)
• Minimum password length (10 Characters)
• Passwords must meet complexity requirements (As per organization requirement)

2.3 Account Lockout Settings

Access the group policy console which is required for account lockout configuration. On the right hand side expand the security optionsàexpand computer configurationsà select Windows settings à click security settingsà click local Policiesà select security options. By double clicking properties of automatically log off users when login time expires opens a dialog for defining policy. Clicks define this policy setting and click on enabled tab. In this way policy restriction which enforces for logon hours is activated.

References

Greenblatt, B. (2002). Building LDAP-enabled applications with microsoft’s active directory and novell’s NDS Prentice Hall PTR.

Mcsa/mcse 70-294 exam cram: Planning, implementing, and maintaining A microsoft windows server 2003 active directory infrastructure, 2/E (2007). Pearson Education.