Tayls Posted March 15, 2017 Share Posted March 15, 2017 I was wondering if anyone could hit me with some info on IT infrastructure setups. There are a few bits I haven't got my head round yet whilst working in the IT world (partly because I'm mainly working on applications) but I am keen to learn this stuff properly. What does a typical infrastructure look like and what's needed to create a platform for a whole bunch of clients? (Whether it be physical or virtual). Plus let's face it - talking about this stuff is fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
limpid Posted March 16, 2017 Administrator Share Posted March 16, 2017 In general you need: Data store Database servers Application servers Network switches / routers / firewalls Traffic management Email relays Automated systems monitoring SIEM IDS DLP PAM (assuming that IAM is independent of infrastructure) Disaster recovery Patching / update strategy Which bits do you want to know about? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tayls Posted March 16, 2017 Author Share Posted March 16, 2017 Cheers limpid so let's say I'm an entrepreneur (Im not, by any means) and I wanted to setup my own IT business. All it would be is to provide support for small businesses and give them a platform to work in - say through Citrix for ease. So ignoring applications for the moment - let's just pretend it's basics (office for business and internet access). What would the process be in setting this up? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
limpid Posted March 16, 2017 Administrator Share Posted March 16, 2017 3 minutes ago, Tayls said: Cheers limpid so let's say I'm an entrepreneur (Im not, by any means) and I wanted to setup my own IT business. All it would be is to provide support for small businesses and give them a platform to work in - say through Citrix for ease. So ignoring applications for the moment - let's just pretend it's basics (office for business and internet access). What would the process be in setting this up? IME small IT support companies only exist to sell Microsoft licences. Microsoft is rarely the best fit for any business, I don't see how any small business can take the ransomware risk (nor get insurance against it). Modern endpoint protection costs time and money. I'm not sure there is a single small business which should be using Office in the modern world. I'd recommend setting up as a Google for Work reseller, promote ChromeBooks and sell consultancy. At least that way you'd be being honest. A modern small business doesn't need nor want a server or backups or anything else that looks like infrastructure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tayls Posted March 16, 2017 Author Share Posted March 16, 2017 (edited) It's all about cloud at the moment l I find. Everyone seems to want it. So if we ignored what was on the users session - and look more on the actual setup, what would that look like from an infrastructure perspective. Like my previous employers which was a rec company, for example, we had our thin clients and then we would log into our sessions via Citrix and then work off that for the day. I just want it clear in my head how that would have been put into place... so our IT provider were responsible for issues, but assuming they had a whole bunch of suppliers that did different bits. Edited March 16, 2017 by Tayls Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
limpid Posted March 16, 2017 Administrator Share Posted March 16, 2017 It's all about cloud because then you don't need to employ someone to provide your infrastructure. What's a "rec company"? Citrix is Windows terminal server with some knobs on. It's probably the wrong solution for any small business. They probably used a disk array which could snapshot for backups. If you spent far too much money there may have been a pair of servers so you could patch one while the other was providing service. Most small businesses need cloud based services, replaceable devices and wifi. They don't need Windows and they don't need infrastructure. They do need good advice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dont_do_it_doug. Posted March 30, 2017 Share Posted March 30, 2017 Push your clients to get decent structured cabling. A gigabit Cat5e infrastructure is ample for the vast majority of applications as long as it is correctly installed. It's infuriating how easily this is pushed aside but the shear volume of issues it causes far outweigh the cost. If you're London based give me a shout Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingman Posted March 30, 2017 Share Posted March 30, 2017 (edited) Surely CAT6 so future proof for a few years. Edited March 30, 2017 by Kingman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
limpid Posted March 31, 2017 Administrator Share Posted March 31, 2017 15 hours ago, Kingman said: Surely CAT6 so future proof for a few years. Physical offices are so last decade Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
choffer Posted April 3, 2017 VT Supporter Share Posted April 3, 2017 On 30/03/2017 at 21:29, Kingman said: Surely CAT6 so future proof for a few years. Cat6 is a PITA. I foolishly kitted out all three of my offices with it 2 years ago and have regretted it ever since. No bend radius + users who unplug everything = new patch leads distributed daily. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dont_do_it_doug. Posted April 5, 2017 Share Posted April 5, 2017 (edited) On 3/30/2017 at 21:29, Kingman said: Surely CAT6 so future proof for a few years. Depends. Do you know how fast 1000BASE-T is? They still use Cat5e in most data centers. Fresh install. If you're a design agency or architect and you have the capacity for it (raised access floor, space for jumbo trunking etc.) then Cat6A. Guarantee the 10Gb and you can get it in UTP flavour nowadays which aids install. If you're a lawyers or a recruitment agency, you're not going to be in the building by the time 10Gb becomes even remotely relevant to you. You might not even be alive. Most of them are still running on 10/100 switches, why go through the pain/time/expense of trying to install Cat6 in a Victorian townhouse? 10Gb is a great idea in principle, but it's so difficult/expensive to install correctly most people are best avoiding it until the technology improves further. The VAST majority of Cat6 installs I have seen wouldn't pass a 10GB test. Edited April 5, 2017 by dont_do_it_doug. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dont_do_it_doug. Posted April 5, 2017 Share Posted April 5, 2017 (edited) On 3/31/2017 at 12:58, limpid said: Physical offices are so last decade Twaddle. WiFi security is nowhere near the required standard or signal reliability yet. Probably never will be. (Sorry, should add IMO!) Edited April 5, 2017 by dont_do_it_doug. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
limpid Posted April 6, 2017 Administrator Share Posted April 6, 2017 8 hours ago, dont_do_it_doug. said: Twaddle. WiFi security is nowhere near the required standard or signal reliability yet. Probably never will be. (Sorry, should add IMO!) I agree. I didn't mention WiFi. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davkaus Posted April 6, 2017 Share Posted April 6, 2017 Working from home has its place, but it's no substitute for being in the same location if you need to work collaboratively, IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dont_do_it_doug. Posted April 6, 2017 Share Posted April 6, 2017 2 hours ago, limpid said: I agree. I didn't mention WiFi. Ah yeah. The word physical threw me off given the context. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tayls Posted December 15, 2017 Author Share Posted December 15, 2017 Hi chaps. Im a bit of a thicko when it comes to networking. Would someone be able to list out how a typical company leased line would look starting from the LINX all the way to the premises? calling all IT people!! @limpid @Davkaus @choffer @PompeyVillan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
limpid Posted December 15, 2017 Administrator Share Posted December 15, 2017 18 minutes ago, Tayls said: Hi chaps. Im a bit of a thicko when it comes to networking. Would someone be able to list out how a typical company leased line would look starting from the LINX all the way to the premises? If you are asking this, you shouldn't be peering at LiNX.. If you have data centres, ask your hosts. If you don't, ask your ISP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tayls Posted December 15, 2017 Author Share Posted December 15, 2017 10 minutes ago, limpid said: If you are asking this, you shouldn't be peering at LiNX.. If you have data centres, ask your hosts. If you don't, ask your ISP. It’s purely educational purposes. I’m trying to learn this stuff but really could do with a simple outline in either a list or diagram to be able to ‘see’ it. Can’t find anything decent online that can answer it properly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
limpid Posted December 15, 2017 Administrator Share Posted December 15, 2017 1 hour ago, Tayls said: It’s purely educational purposes. I’m trying to learn this stuff but really could do with a simple outline in either a list or diagram to be able to ‘see’ it. Can’t find anything decent online that can answer it properly. You need to know a lot of other stuff first that's why you can't find a simple diagram - what you are describing doesn't really make sense. A "typical company leased line" does not peer at LiNX. It connects to an ISP who probably peer at LiNX - although they may just peer to a bigger ISP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tayls Posted December 15, 2017 Author Share Posted December 15, 2017 3 hours ago, limpid said: You need to know a lot of other stuff first that's why you can't find a simple diagram - what you are describing doesn't really make sense. A "typical company leased line" does not peer at LiNX. It connects to an ISP who probably peer at LiNX - although they may just peer to a bigger ISP. So I’m going to take Zen for example. Someone has a leased line through them, and obviously they have a POP somewhere which the line connects to. So from that point of presence, what happens - roughly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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