Alternate communications medium from remote pollers to the db server??

Question

Hello all,

We are looking a purchasing Orion in the future but we are still evaluating the software suite. I work for a company that has an "Air Gapped" network. We run an outside network for office communications and Internet. Then for production we have a air gapped network where we run scientific models and such. At this point there is no connection between the two networks. Is there a way for Orion to use any other type of connection medium to connect to remote Pollers?

I wanted place a poller on our air gapped network and communicate to our Outside network where the Orion DB and Web server will be. Can the communication between the db server and a poller be done with any other medium like a serial connection, modem, hardwire, etc?

Overall I want to keep the air gap between the two networks. I know I could add a firewall but this defeats the purpose of an Air Gap between networks.

Thanks for you input.

clint1 · Answer

We are considering a firewall solution at this point. We would put the db/web/poller server on our Air Gapped network and additional poller on the outside office network. We are thinking of adding  a NIC to the outside poller that would connect to the outside interface of the firewall and on the db server add an additional NIC that would connect to the inside interface of the firewall.What is the minimum communication (protocal/port) that are needed for the outside network poller to communicate with the db server? We will be able to logon to the poller using our outside office PCs if needed.

Also, for the outside poller we want to monitor other secure networks like the DMZ, Vendor net, and web environment. Can this be done by adding a NIC to the poller and removing the gateway address and verify routing is tunned off?

Does SW recommend any specific software firewall for additional security on the pollers?

justsomeguy1988 · Answer

Clint,

The easy option is to add another NIC to the database and polling engine server configuring them with a separate network without a default gateway. Then connect them with a crossover cable. While technically feasible, it is arguable that this may breech the security that is the reason for the air gap since the database server could be traversed onto both networks if ip packet forwarding is enabled. I do know several installations that are running in this configuration. The other option is using firewalls to secure the data communication.

Whatever the option you choose, the SQL server and polling engines need to have high speed connectivity given SQL servers intolerance of network latency. You do not want to run this over a WAN link. This would also preclude some of the other connectivity options you mention.

I hope this helps.