network advice please

[choran]

Hi All

I have recently taken over a mixed windows and apple mac network with windows exchage server, sims server and application server running RM successmaker through mac stations. Also 3 mac curriculum servers, 1 staff server with squid and one webserver. No handover, no documentation and a 3 month backlog of work.

I have puzzled out a lot of why things keep stopping and starting at random but not yet got to grips with why everything is connected as it is.

Basically the main infrastructure consists of cisco switches to which all stations and servers (except the webserver) are directly connected.

the main switches connect to a sonicwall firewall which in turn connects to the broadband router BUT the router is also directly connected to infrastructure switch. The webserver connects to the firewall and also sits between the exchange server and the firewall - connected to exchange server via a small asante switch. Hope this paints a picture. not sure why two separate connections to the router. Suppose the asante switch is instead of a crossover cable (it also used to connect to an isdn line which I am told by our apple supplier rep is no longer used.

I have not worked with apple macs, exchange, webserver or firewall before although I have 20 years windows network experience. I also have no technical backup or maintenance contracts here so hoping this site will be good for contacts and exchange of ideas/advice

[tarquel]

Nice to have you on board

 

Cheers

[GrumbleDook]

Wow, quite a setup ...

 

When you say things just stop and start, can you give a few more details? Internet access, access to files, logging on, etc?

 

I am puzzled about the second connection to the router too ... it may have been that the firewall is setup so that nothing extra can go through it and so some things have been routed via the other port (streaming media, vpn access, etc)

 

I would check to see if the ports on the router have different public addresses, ie one maybe be used for general traffic and the other to give access to the webserver. Seen it done in a similar way before.

 

You will have to check with the Exchange maestros here, but the webserver in front of the exchange box ... does the web server also have the filtering software on it and do you only allow access to it via OWA?

 

Sounds like you have got you hands full there, but don't panic ...

 

Who is your Apple rep? Do they have any documentation?

[Face-Man]

wow I thought I had a complicated set of issues when I started here... I would be interested to see if the traffice goes through the second connection or the firewall. It maybe you predersesor was just setting up a honey bot for possible intrudors or more likely a way for them to access stuff from home without having to go through the firewall. Do the two ports have seperate IP adress for the router if so you could try and trace who can see it. It may also be that it is on a seperate VLAN.

 

Remember to err is human to really foul things up you need a computer

[choran]

Hi both - yes I did have a question amongst that lot - Thanks Paul for de-ciphering it. when I say things stop and start, yes I mean all of those. at first servers were just rebooting at random but the MAC OS 10.4.4 update seems to have stopped that.

The firewall is hardware with its own IP address so not on the servers. Thanks for the tips though, I will check out the router port addresses. It's good to have another view

regards

Caitriona