Custom «PPP Authentication Protocol and Slip» Essay Paper Sample

Understanding the functionality of a network is important in setting up a network that will serve the needs of an organization. When making the decision as to the network system to adopt, it is important that one has an in depth understanding on the network mesh as well as a preview of other available network systems. Knowing the pros and the cons of a given network system and the best application arena for these systems gives the network administrator an edge in network management. In this essay, the learner starts by looking at the SLIP and the PPP network systems and their viability in interconnecting this organization. The decision on which network protocol to follow will be determined by the strength and other factors of the network system to be applied between Pittsburg office and Cleveland offices. Decision will also be based on the network’s ability to handle high traffic effectively while reducing traffic congestion.

Introduction

In the case study presented, interconnection between Pittsburg and Cleveland offices will require good network platform. This means that the decision made on the network authentication system to be used is not just based on financial favorability but also on its scalability among other factors.

According to Anderson (2001; Ghanea-Hercock, 2003, p. 146), networking can no longer be addressed in terms of just the technical aspect of it, but rather from an economics part of it. This means that proper networking takes into account challenges that might emanate from insider threats and external threats (Ghanea-Hercock, 2003, p. 146). This means that there is need to have security protocols set up within the network such that access to the network by anyone will require authentication. Altman (2003; Ghanea-Hercock, 2003, p. 147) notes that networks are set to enable resource sharing by agents. These agents are designed in such a way that they are capable of accessing the database using Link Access Procedure for Frame Relay (LAPF) and Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP).

SLIP

Serial Line Internet Protocol (SLIP) is termed as the predecessor for PPP for which it laid the foundation for the formation of PPP (Krikorian & Gershenfeld, 2004, p. 279). Krikorian and Gershenfeld (2004) continue to explain that in SLIP data is sent through the network via the input and output nodes in a serial manner (p. 279). SLIP is much simpler than PPP and network connection using this system is done manually (Romkey, 1998). Recent improvements on SLIP have ensured that transmission passes through the Frame Relay Access Device where IP packets are relayed from in addition to the original dial-up connection (Romkey, 1998) and (Mark, 1994). The IP addresses must be preconfigured since SLIP does not support dynamism (Romkey, 1998).

PPP

The Peer-to-Peer Protocol is one of the most widely used network protocol worldwide (Ghanea-Hercock, 2003, p. 146). PPP is more of a messaging system that mostly works on the end-to-end network connectivity especially in heterogeneous networks (Ghanea-Hercock, 2003). The mains reason for this is because PPP offers high level of scalability, resilience as well as robustness (Ghanea-Hercock, 2003, p. 146). PPP provides a platform for setting up better network nodes and access management without necessarily concentrating on dedicated lines for data delivery (Ghanea-Hercock, 2003, p. 147).

PPP links the input and output devices automatically at their various locations (Romkey, 1998). This happens through a Link Control Protocol that utilizes the Data Link Connection Identifier (DLCI) in the initial authentication process (Romkey, 1998).

When data from various users in Pittsburg and/ or Cleveland send the data into the network system, the configuration of their system in a star topology manner allows for better network management using the Local Management Interface (LMI), which configures the hub on which data is to be sent/ received first into the network. Unlike SLIP, PPP allows for data and access authentication as a security measure that is much needed in the organization (Romkey, 1998). This ensures proactive virus and intrusion detection, users’ network access and firewall management (Ghanea-Hercock, 2003, p. 146, 147). This is made possible by various authentication options provided in the PPP networks and can either be the Challenge-Handshake Protocol or the Password Authentication (Romkey, 1998).

All this may seem to be tasking but the management of the network system is best left to various software instead of investing in expensive hardware (Ghanea-Hercock, 2003, p. 147). A good example is use of Phobos which uses real-time network intelligence to monitor and authenticate users on the PPP network system (Ghanea-Hercock, 2003, p. 147).

PPP also offers support for multiple protocols as well as multiple function supports like link management to ensure link quality and link efficacy (Romkey, 1998).