Exchange Server

Raymond Sanders · Guest

As the Instructional Technologoy Director of my school district, it my job
is to see that the computing environment is reliable and provides features
that will be of best use to all users - both students and employees. With
that in mind, I am attempting to convince my district to move from a
mixture of configurations (Novell, Linux, etc.) to an all Microsoft setting.
Our Technology Director frequently claims that we should not to go to
Microsoft products, since they are less secure. Information on Microsoft's
site regarding Exchange Server 2003 says it uses Kerberos authentication.
Is it one of the better forms of security?

Also, if you know of sources (other than those on Microsoft's site)
regarding Microsoft products that would be of help to me, please let me
know.

Thanks,
Raymond Sanders

Al Mulnick · Guest

http://web.mit.edu/kerberos/www/ Would give you plenty of information about
Kerberos, what it is and why you would want to use as well as where. Good
stuff.

As for sites about Microsoft that are not related. Hmm... Plenty of
opinion out there. As someone who happens to follow the CERT pubs as part
of the job, I'd have to say it's up to you which to pick. Security is not
about the appliance but about the process and the people. Layer-8 if you
will, has the most impact on "security" vs. the application itself. Anyone
who tells you differently is lost in the sauce as far as I'm concerned. The
analogy I tend to use is about a door that's able to withstand a nuclear
blast, can't be cut, locks when closed and protects the world's most
valuable gemstone. The gemstone can be stolen because the door is routinely
left open. Moral: there is no unbreakable software out there for commercial
usage. It's all subject to layer-8 issues.

FWIW, I wouldn't limit to either of those. I'd consider an approach that
lets best of breed usage continue. If they want to use *nix, then let 'em
use *nix if that's the best fit and can meet standards. If they want to use
Windows, let 'em use Windows if it's the best fit and can meet standards.
Rinse. Repeat as desired.

Some tools that can be helpful during planning phases of such an approach:
www.Centrify.com www.vintella.com

Ping off-line if have any questions I can be helpful with.

Al

"Raymond Sanders" <email.to.rsanders@eisd.net> wrote in message
news:u8yzQKH4EHA.3840@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...

Andrew Sword [MVP] · Guest

Kerbros is quite good. It may be best to get your managers security
requirments. Many things need to be done to secure a computer network.

"Raymond Sanders" wrote:

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