Reference no: EM134009759

Design Network Infrastructure

Assessment Item 1:

Introduction

You will submit work in tutorial activities during the study period. This is an individual assessment. The following are laboratory activities that you are to perform and submit weekly.

Tutorial 1: Setting Up TheOpenEM for Endpoint Management

Step 1: Download and Install TheOpenEM on Windows Server

Download TheOpenEM Software:
Visit the official website: TheOpenEM
Navigate to the Downloads section and download the Server-side application (Toems) and Client agent application (Toec) MSI installers for your Windows Server.

Install the Server-side Application (Toems):
Prepare Windows Server: Ensure your Windows Server has IIS installed and configured. You can install IIS via the Windows Server Manager.
Run the Installer: Double-click the downloaded MSI file for Toems. Follow the on-screen instructions to install the Server-side application.
During installation, configure the IIS settings as prompted by the installation wizard.

After installation, start the Toems service and ensure the server is accessible via the network. Knowledge of Data Communication And Networking is useful for configuring communication between servers and endpoints.

Install the Client Agent Application (Toec) on Endpoints:
For each endpoint (e.g., virtual machines or physical devices), download the Toec MSI file from the TheOpenEM website.
Install the Client Agent (Toec) on each endpoint. This can be done via:
Group Policy (GPO) for mass deployment across multiple devices.
Command-line (CMD) or manual installation for individual devices.
The client agents will automatically install and begin communicating with the server.

Step 2: Configure TheOpenEM Server and Client Communication

Verify the Client-to-Server Communication:
After the client agent is installed, ensure that each endpoint checks in with the server every 60 minutes (default interval).
Check the server logs to confirm that each endpoint is successfully reporting back to the server.

Configure Policies:
On the server dashboard (Toems), navigate to the Policies section.
Create new policies for endpoints (e.g., software deployment, updates, security checks).
Assign Policies to specific endpoints or groups based on your needs.

Force Endpoint Check-In:
If you need to apply policies immediately, navigate to the Endpoint Management section in Toems.
Select the endpoint(s) you want to target and click on Force Check-In to manually trigger communication between the client and server.

Step 3: Create Reports and Monitor Endpoint Status

Generate Reports:
From the server dashboard, navigate to the Reports section.
Generate reports on device inventory, compliance, and endpoint health.
Export reports in PDF or CSV formats for analysis.

Monitor Endpoint Health:
View detailed endpoint status (e.g., online/offline, policy compliance).
Ensure endpoints are running the latest software updates and patches.

Step 4: Answer the Following Questions (Report Questions)

Q1: Explain how you can configure the Endpoint Management System and justify why this is critical in modern IT.

Discuss how the server-side application (Toems) and client-side agents (Toec) are configured to manage endpoints.
Explain the importance of endpoint management in ensuring security, efficiency, and compliance in an organization's IT infrastructure.

Q2: Explain what else needs to be done to ensure Endpoint Management is possible (Agents, Firewall rules, etc.).

Detail the additional steps needed to ensure proper endpoint management, including:
Configuring firewall rules to allow communication between the server and endpoints.
Installing and managing agents on endpoints.
Ensuring network security protocols (HTTP/HTTPS) are in place.

Tutorial - 2

As application security becomes increasingly crucial in the digital world, managing user identities and access effectively is essential for any app handling protected data. Unauthorized access can lead to costly financial penalties, which makes Identity and Access Management (IAM) tools indispensable.

Keycloak supports major authentication protocols-OpenID Connect, OAuth 2.0, and SAML 2.0-and provides robust Single Sign-On (SSO) capabilities. It features a user-friendly web-based Admin Console that simplifies configuration and management, including user roles, permissions, and identity brokering.

A standout feature is Keycloak's ability to integrate with external user databases like LDAP and Active Directory, making it especially useful for organizations with existing identity systems. It also supports social identity providers such as Google, Facebook, and Twitter, and offers deep customization of user-facing pages using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

Keycloak is available in three major distributions: a standalone server, a Docker image, and a Kubernetes/OpenShift Operator, catering to various deployment preferences. Integration is straightforward, especially in the Java ecosystem through frameworks like Spring Boot, Quarkus, and Micronaut, with community libraries also available for Python, Scala, and C#.

Why consider Keycloak? It's free, flexible, widely supported, and integrates well across technologies. However, it may not be ideal for small-scale apps with simple authentication needs or teams requiring guaranteed enterprise-level support and SLAs.

In summary, Keycloak is a powerful and cost-effective solution for identity and access management, particularly suitable for multi-application ecosystems and teams looking for open-source, extensible security infrastructure.

Keycloak Installation & Configuration - Introduction to Identity and Access Management

Step 1: Create and Configure a Virtual Machine
Open VirtualBox and create a new virtual machine.
Choose the OS type as Windows Server 2025.
Allocate at least 4GB RAM, 2 CPUs, and 40GB storage.
Start the VM and install Windows Server Evaluation.
Set your student name and ID as the desktop wallpaper for all screenshots.

Step 2: Install Java (OpenJDK)
Go to the official OpenJDK download page.
Download OpenJDK 23 Windows x64 ZIP build.
Extract the ZIP file to C:\Program Files\OpenJDK.

Set the JAVA_HOME environment variable:
Right-click This PC → Properties → Advanced system settings → Environment Variables.
Add a new variable:
Variable name: JAVA_HOME
Variable value: C:\Program Files\OpenJDK\jdk-23

Edit the Path variable under System variables and add %JAVA_HOME%\bin.

Open Command Prompt and type:
java -version
Ensure it shows the correct JDK version.

Step 3: Download and Install Keycloak
Visit the official Keycloak website.
Download the latest Keycloak ZIP (Quarkus Distribution).

Extract the ZIP archive to a location such as C:\keycloak.

Step 4: Initial Keycloak Configuration
Open Command Prompt and navigate to the Keycloak directory: cd C:\keycloak\bin
Start the Keycloak server: kc.bat start-dev

Step 5: Configure a Realm and User
In the Keycloak Admin Console, click on "Realm roles".
Click on Create role
Name it TestRealm.

Reflection Questions

Justify why an organization needs Identity Access Management (IAM).
Explain where you would install an IAM.
How would a VPN connect to an IAM?

Tutorial - 3

Import UCSPE into VirtualBox Steps:
Open VirtualBox
Go to File > Import Appliance
Select the downloaded .ova file
Click Next and then Import

Configure Virtual Machine Settings

After importing:
Select the UCSPE VM in VirtualBox
Click Settings
Adjust:
System > Motherboard: Increase Base Memory to at least 4096 MB
System > Processor: Enable 2 CPUs if available
Network > Adapter 1, 2 & 3: Set to Host-only Adapter

Start the UCS Emulator
Click Start to boot the UCSPE VM
Wait 3-5 minutes for the emulator to fully load
You will see a login screen with username and password displayed as ucspe.
Login and choose option "a" to show status to see the IP address

Access Cisco UCS Manager (GUI)
Open a web browser on your host system
Type the UCSPE IP from the VM screen (e.g., https://192.168.1.100)
Ignore the security warning, and proceed

Login with:
Username: admin
Password: password

Exploring UCS Manager
Key Tabs:
Equipment - View chassis, blades, interconnects
Servers - Manage service profiles
LAN/SAN - Virtual networking and storage configuration
Admin - User settings, backups, etc.

Practice Tasks

Task 1: View Hardware Inventory
Go to Equipment > Chassis
Click on Blade Server 1
View server details

Task 2: Add a New User
Go to Admin > User Management
Click Create User
Assign read-only or admin role

Task 3: Create a Basic Service Profile
Go to Servers > Service Profiles
Use the wizard to create a new profile
Attach it to a simulated blade

Tutorial - 4

MPLS Tutorial using Java-based OpenSimMPLS Tool

Introduction
OpenSimMPLS is a Java-based MPLS network simulator designed for educational and research purposes. It allows users to build network topologies, simulate label-switched paths (LSPs), and evaluate MPLS protocols like LDP and RSVP-TE in a graphical environment. Concepts from Data Communication And Networking are relevant when studying MPLS simulations and traffic engineering.

Part 1: Setup and Launch OpenSimMPLS

Step 1.1: Download and Extract OpenSimMPLS
Visit: https://manolodominguez.com/opensimmpls/
Download the latest OpenSimMPLS version.
Move the .jar file to a working folder such as C:/.

Step 2: Check if Java is Already Installed
Open Command Prompt (Press Windows + R, type cmd, press Enter)
Type: java -version
If you see a version like java version "17.0.x", Java is already installed.

If you get 'java' is not recognized, follow the next steps to install it.

Step 3: Download Java SE 23 Reference Implementation (RI)
Open this link in your browser:
https://jdk.java.net/java-se-ri/23
Under the "Downloads" section, download the Windows/x64 .zip version for JDK 23 RI

Extract the .zip to a directory (e.g., C:\Java\jdk-23)
Inside, you'll see a bin folder with java.exe, java.dll, etc.

Step 4: Add Java to System PATH
Press Windows + S, search "Environment Variables"
Click "Edit the system environment variables"
In System Properties, click Environment Variables
Under System Variables, select Path → click Edit
Click New, and add: "C:\Java\jdk-23\bin"
Reopen Command Prompt and run "java -version"

Step 5: Run OpenSimMPLS
Open Command Prompt
Navigate to the folder where OpenSimMPLS.jar is located:
Run the application: "java -jar opensimmpls-2.2-with-dependencies.jar"

Part 2: Exploring MPLS examples

Go to https://manolodominguez.com/opensimmpls/ .
Click "Download some examples"
Extract the Zip file and keep in a working folder.
Click Scene à Open and choose the examples folder and select any file to load the example.

Select the Simulation tab and start the simulation

Explore the various options to understand the MPLS process.

Part 3: Create Your Own Topology (15 minutes)

Task 4: Build a Custom 6-Node MPLS Network
Objective: Design, configure, and simulate your own MPLS setup.
Click Scene à New → Start with an empty canvas.
Add:
4 core routers
2 edge routers
At least 1 PC per edge router
Use the "MPLS Router" component

Reflective Questions

What's the difference between label assignment in LDP and RSVP-TE?
What happens when multiple LSPs share the same physical link?
How does traffic engineering affect link utilization?
Design a network that forces RSVP-TE to use a non-shortest path.

Tutorial - 5

Objective:
Create an account on Schneider Electric's Energy University platform, complete one Data Centre course, and submit a report with screenshots of your completed course.

Complete the Course
Go through all course modules and presentations.
Complete any quizzes or tests included.
Once finished, the course should be marked "Completed" in your dashboard.
Download or view your completion certificate and submit it in LMS.