Industrial-Standard Configuration for Bare Metal Hypervisor, Active Directory, Log Server, and Synology NAS Backup at Sentient Scripts

Introduction

Sentient Scripts aimed to enhance its infrastructure by implementing an industrial-standard configuration for various components, including a bare metal hypervisor, Active Directory, log server, and Synology NAS backup. This case study outlines the actions taken to configure RAID on the Lenovo ThinkSystem SR550, set up multiple VMs using VMware ESXi 7, install Windows Server 2019 as a VM, configure Active Directory Users and Computers, configure a CA server, set up RADIUS for enterprise login with dynamic VLAN allocation, implement group policies, configure regular backups, set up a log server using Graylog, configure a NAS with shared folders, and establish automated backups from the internal server to the NAS. The successful implementation resulted in an efficient and secure infrastructure with centralized management and data protection

Scope of Work

The project’s scope involved the following key areas:

Actions Taken
RAID Configuration

RAID was configured on the Lenovo ThinkSystem SR550 to provide data redundancy and improved performance. The specific RAID level and configuration were selected based on the organization’s requirements and the number of drives available

VM Setup with VMware ESXi 7

Multiple virtual machines were set up using VMware ESXi 7, a bare metal hypervisor. This allowed for efficient allocation of computing resources, easy management of VMs, and enhanced scalability.

Windows Server 2019 Configuration

Windows Server 2019 was installed as a VM and configured to serve various functions within the infrastructure. Actions taken included configuring Active Directory Users and Computers for centralized user management, setting up a CA server for digital certificate management, configuring RADIUS for enterprise login with dynamic VLAN allocation for secure network access, and implementing group policies for user-level control and standardization.

Regular Backup Configuration

Regular backups were configured to ensure data integrity and disaster recovery. The backup solutio was designed to meet the organization’s recovery point objectives (RPOs) and recovery time objectives (RTOs) while minimizing data loss.

Log Server Configuration with Graylog

A log server was configured using Graylog to collect and analyze logs from networking devices and servers. This centralized log management system allowed for efficient troubleshooting, monitoring, and security analysis.

Synology NAS Configuration

A Synology NAS was configured with shared folders to provide centralized storage for data and backups. The NAS was integrated into the infrastructure to ensure reliable and scalable data storage.

Automated Backup Configuration

Automated backups were established from the internal server to the Synology NAS. This configuration ensured that critical data was regularly and automatically backed up, reducing the risk of data loss and facilitating efficient disaster recovery.

Results and Benefits

The industrial-standard configuration for the bare metal hypervisor, Active Directory, log server, and Synology NAS backup at Sentient Scripts yielded several positive outcomes, including:

Conclusion

The successful implementation of an industrial-standard configuration for the bare metal hypervisor, Active Directory, log server, and Synology NAS backup at Sentient Scripts resulted in an efficient and secure infrastructure. The configuration allowed for centralized user management, secure network access, improved data protection, efficient log management and analysis, and centralized storage and data management. This case study serves as an example of an industrial-standard configuration for organizations seeking an optimized and secure infrastructure with centralized management and data protection.

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