Course work on server auditing and logging

Server Auditing and Logging

Many log files and reports are created by the NetWare 6. 5 OS to store information about activities running in the server. In the events of security threats, these files are very important thus they should be assessed repeatedly and backups done on a daily basis. The CONLOG. NLM accounts all activities that draws from the console and writes them to Console Log file, SYS: ETCCONSOLE. LOG. Security breaches, system alerts and messages are recorded in the System Error Log file SYS: SYSTEMSYS$LOG. ERR. Information concerning the health of the server is written into the Server Health Log file, SYS: SYSTEMHEALTH. LOG file. A server catalog description is created and analyzed from NetWare Manager and this has details on the directories, volumes, file types and sizes, space usage and trends and subdirectories. Two FTP log files contain authentication details regarding logins and intrusion (Killpack 154).

There is also a service called Novell Nsure Audit 1. 0 that is essential for tracking and monitoring system activities. For instance, this service can be used to track down and log an administrator. The service sends a message to the management in case of policy violation.

Tips for server security

1. Let the SYS volume be for the OS only so as to reduce risk of volume filling up and crushing the server
2. Avert hacker tools and optimize CPU cycles by disabling the Bindery Context.
3. Server room has to be well ventilated and ever locked to curb vandalism
4. Use UPS and install UPS software in the server so as to safely shutdown server in case of power outage.

NFS Gateway for NetWare 6. 5 is a tool that makes it possible for NetWare 6. 5 to access UNIX and Linux OS NFS exported file systems. By use of this tool NetWare servers is used to mount NFS file systems as virtual NetWare NSS partitions. NetWare clients are the capable of transparently accessing resources on any NFS server system on entire network (Harris 77).

Advantages

It is beneficial to heterogeneous environs including Linux platforms and NAS appliance storage. In nutshell, clients from across platforms: windows, Novell and FTP clients to securely access UNIX and Linux resources like it were resources on local NetWare NSS volume.

Additional Network attached Storage from NAS appliances are accessed by the Web services applications and other applications as well if the clients choose to run both. The same allows export of their storages through NFS protocol.

NetWare is open source and flexible thus adapting to new requirements is easy. It is also easy and consistent way to integrate business systems and services. Finally, it allows realization of cost benefit (Clarke 732).

Work cited

Clarke, Bob. Securing a NetWare 6. 5 Installation and Server Environment. USA: SANS Institute, 2004.
Harris, Jeffrey. Novell NetWare 6. 5 Administrator’s Handbook. Canada: Que Publishing, 2003.
Killpack, Rick. eDirectory field guide. New York: Apress, 2005.