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Private Bank Networks

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by shamen_2

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I' ve been designing small scale networks for 2 years now, and i've decided to take a step forth and tackle a bigger scale project. I was looking for any suggestions as to designing a brand new network (new building) for private banking needs. tellers, loan officers, etc. Any resource direction would be appreciated. thanx in advance.
LD

6 replies

by madcateast

Security would be the first item to know. Then the use of VPN?s for outside connections. WAN protocols for this connectivity along with X25 (I think this is used for the older mainframes in existing offices and ATM,s) If this is a project that you are currently bidding on the solicitation should have a brake down of what?s needed and what/were they need to be connected to. That will also be a push towards were you need to go.

by ckilday

If you get to design the infrastructure for the building, what are they doing for communication/wiring rooms? If I was putting a building wiring scheme together, I would put a switch with appropriate capacity on each floor, and then home-run wiringonly on that floor back to the switch. I would install cat-5 wiring with all 4 pairs incorporated into the wall jacks and I would set up cross-connect and patch panels in the wiring closet for easier moves, adds, and changes. I would also considerwireless access points for the conference rooms. That way, your loan officers and others can bring their PC's into meetings without having wiring trailing all over the floor and table.

Depending upon the size and scope of this project, I would run fiber optic cable between the switches on each floor. If you'll be having a server farm on the premises, I'd look at obtaining a switch with gigabit ethernet support for the fastest access. I'd also consider dual NIC's for the servers and allow them to load balance the traffic.
(more to come....I've exceeded the limit!)
- ck

by ckilday

Here's the rest...
Security is also a major consideration. You will want a firewall w/secure VPN for any remote access. You might also want to consider some of the newer security methods out there for your critical applications. RSA makes a keychain device that generates a random 6-digit code every minute. The device gets synched to the software running on the server and requires an additional 4-digit PIN along with your account name in order to be authenticated to the system. Pretty sharp!

If this is a branch office and part of a larger chain of banks, you'll need access to the "home" office. Check with your local service providers for T-1, synchronous DSL, Frame Relay, etc... You might also want to consider wireless communications between sites. Cisco's Aironet product line has a system that can transmit 11 Mbps between buildings up to 15 miles, but they do require a clear line of sight...no buildings, trees, etc... in between.

Don't forget physical protection for thedevices. Keep your equipment in locked, air-conditioned rooms and have adequate UPS power for them.

Hope this helps.

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