Franske ITC 2900 SP18 Possible Projects
Possible Projects
Multifactor Authentication
Introduction
Explore the configuration and setup of multifactor authentication. Provide Google Authenticator or similar 2nd factor support for popular services such as VPNs, SSH, Active Directory login, PHP web application login, etc.
Resources
Deliverables
DNS and Web Deep Dive
Introduction
Explore the operation of DNS servers, Web servers, and related services by modeling how the Internet DNS system works. Includes deploying at least a root nameserver, a few TLD nameservers, some nameservers for particular domains, delegated nameservers, as well as a root Certificate Authority, experimenting with DNSSEC and DANE, and setting up demo webservers for sample domains (utilizing the DNS infrastructure, DNSSEC, DANE, SSL/TLS certificated, etc.)
Resources
- Lots of Linux server VMs
- BIND DNS Server (and/or Unbound DNS server)
- nginx web server
Deliverables
Comparison of File Synchronization Servers
Introduction
Install, configure and test a variety of self-hosted services for file synchronization. These could include rsync based software, Goggle's Upspin, Syncthing, OwnCloud, SparkleShare, etc.
Resources
Deliverables
Customer Relationship Management Database Implementation
Introduction
Work with a non-profit museum to implement an updated membership database using the CiviCRM customer relationship management (CRM) database tool. You will need to install the software, identify how the museum can use it to meet their membership database needs, create training materials/videos for key museum personnel, and develop a strategy for importing the existing Microsoft Access based member database into the new software.
Resources
- Linux web server
- CiviCRM software and appropriate plug-ins
Deliverables
- Working CiviCRM server implementation setup for use as member database
- Training materials/videos for museum personnel on common CiviCRM tasks related to museum use
- Data migration plan for existing membership database
- Prepare a whitepaper detailing your research, testing process, and results
VMware Virtual Machine Automation and Permissions
Introduction
The ITC department utilizes VMware based virtual machines for a variety of classes. There is currently a manual process to create many virtual machines for each class (including virtual networks, etc.), modify them during the semester (such as wiping the virtual hard drive, etc.), and assign students permissions to them, etc. In addition there have been challenges in identifying the minimum set of permissions which students need access to in order to use the VMs in a class but not have access to interfere with other VMs running for other classes or for departmental services. Your goal is to automate as much of the deployment, configuration, maintenance, etc. as possible as well as to determine the appropriate permissions for students so they do not encounter permissions errors when completing course tasks but do not have overly broad permissions.
Resources
- VMware ESXi Servers
- VMware vCenter Server
- Test VMs
Deliverables
- Permissions recommendations for VMware
- VMware Automation Scripts
- Prepare a whitepaper detailing your research, testing process, and results
Low Cost Wireless Experimentation
Introduction
Your goal with this project is to try and squeeze some more life out of old Linksys WRT300N routers. By installing the OpenWRT software on them you will be able to experiment with setting up VLANs, mesh wireless networks, enterprise wireless networking, etc. Mesh wireless networking allows for each node in the network to also act as a repeater for the network extending the overall network range and capacity.
Resources
- Linksys WRT300N Routers
- OpenWRT Software
- Wireless clients
Deliverables
- Updated documentation for installing and using current versions of OpenWRT on the WRT300N routers to be shared on the OpenWRT wiki site
- Build and test a mesh network
- Prepare a written whitepaper and oral presentation detailing the process, criteria, results, and configurations
Asterisk PRI Integration
Introduction
The ITC department currently has a "PSTN Simulator" running Cisco IOS and CUCME (Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express) but the configuration is complex and difficult to manage. Your goal is to implement the same functionality of the PSTN Simulator using the open-source Asterisk PBX. This will require some experimentation with the Asterisk VoIP PBX software as well as experimentation surrounding integrating it with the T1 ports on the Cisco hardware.
Resources
- Cisco Routers with T1 cards
- Asterisk PBX Software
Deliverables
- Design, implement and test configurations which replicate PSTN Simulator functionality using Asterisk
- Document all configurations
- Prepare a written whitepaper and oral presentation detailing the process, criteria, results, and configurations
Network Access Control
Introduction
The Inver Hills ITC department has an academic, demonstration, and research network ("ITCnet") which uses network devices from Cisco and HP and supports a number of virtual machines, hosts, and devices including Windows, Linux, Android, iPhone, and more. Network ports are not physically securable but it may be possible to improve security on this network by implementing some type of Network Access Control (NAC) which restricts access to network resources until a user authenticates to the network. Users on our network are stored in an Active Directory system which is also accessible through LDAP and RADIUS methods. It has been determined in previous groups that PacketFence is a reasonable option for NAC but test implementations with switches and wireless APs have not been completed. You task would be to setup and test PacketFence with the Cisco and HP/3Com switches we use as well as with the Ubiquiti UniFi APs (running OpenWrt) and to document your results.
Resources
- Cisco Switches
- HP/3Com Switches
- Wireless APs and Controllers
- Windows Server / Active Directory
- PacketFence Open Source NAC
Deliverables
- Design and implement a test network environment
- Determine, test, and document configurations which will meet the 802.1x and captive portal requirements
- Prepare a written whitepaper and oral presentation detailing the process, criteria, results, and configurations
Logfile Collection and Analysis
Introduction
The Inver Hills ITC department has an academic, demonstration, and research network ("ITCnet") which is comprised of a number of physical and virtual hosts running various operating systems including several versions of Windows server and desktop, several Linux distributions, vmWare host servers, and BSD along with network devices from Cisco and HP. In an effort to better understand and track what's happening on this network a number of monitoring tools have been implemented over the past year including Nagios and Cacti which can poll SNMP and service availability data from these various systems and devices. We'd like to take this to the next step by centralizing log file collection and analysis and allowing us to use a single program or web portal for viewing log events across all these devices.
Resources
Software programs you may want to evaluate in this space are:
- ELSA
- Logstash
- Fluentd
- Nxlog
- Graylog2
- LOGalyze
- Octopussy
- SNARE
- OSSEC
- syslog-ng
You may research and evaluate other programs as well. Programs should be able to collect logs from our wide variety of host OSs and devices for central monitoring. Strong preference should be given to free and open source packages as we are a resource constrained department.
Deliverables
- Design and implement a test environment for logfile collection and analysis which includes the wide variety of hosts and network devices which may generate logging
- Install and test a minimum of three logfile collection and analysis packages
- Develop criteria for evaluating the packages
- Develop a recommendation on the best choice based on department constraints
- Prepare a written whitepaper and oral presentation detailing the process, criteria, results, and recommendation
Remote Access Lab Equipment
Introduction
The Inver Hills ITC department has some Cisco lab equipment which could be a valuable learning environment for students to connect to and use remotely. VPN access is already available for students to connect to ITCnet remotely but they are currently unable to access lab devices remotely. Access to lab devices should be controlled by the ITCnet Active Directory user groups. Computers in the lab topology should be provided through the existing VM infrastructure.
Resources
- Standard lab pod equipment
- Virtual Machine Infrastructure
- Cisco Switches
- HP Switches
- Windows Server / Active Directory
Deliverables
- Design, document, and build a lab topology which will work for a variety of classes and which utilizes VMs on the existing infrastructure for client PCs
- Research, configure, and document configuration of remote terminal servers for access to Cisco device console ports which authenticate back to Active Directory
- Research, test, and document the use of the remote access environment
- Prepare a written whitepaper and oral presentation detailing the process, criteria, results, and recommendation