You can also use DIY to protect your network security without using network management.

Network management is not required for many security tasks.

Due to the continuous emergence of Internet Worms, viruses, and other threats to computers, network security has become a top concern for enterprise owners-even those running simple networks.

The good news is that you and your employees can manage many of these security measures on their own without the help of IT professionals. The network security measures listed below are classified by difficulty. Perform easy work at the beginning, and then perform other work based on your time, resources, and technical level.

Many of the above work can be done in just a few minutes. Have you installed the hardware driver? If yes, you can adjust the operating system to maximize the security of your enterprise. Indeed, enterprise network security is just a matter of mouse clicks.

Easy to work

If you have completed installation or setting up a printer for a computer, you will have little trouble doing this.

1. Install and update anti-virus software

Anti-virus software is easy to install and will be continuously inspected once it runs to prevent infections that may damage your data through the network or damage your data. But you need to know that hackers are constantly writing new viruses. It is effective only when your anti-virus software knows how to discover the latest threats. Therefore, when you install anti-virus software, set it to automatically download updates to capture new viruses. If the anti-virus software contained in your new PC has a trial period limit, register when the free trial period expires to continue obtaining updates or invest in another product.

2. Use software update tools

Software companies like Microsoft provide free tools to update your software to make it safer. For example, you can set Windows XP or WindowsSmallBusinessServer to use the automatic update function by clicking the mouse several times. This tool enables Windows to automatically come online to find and install the latest updates to cope with security threats. After automatic update is enabled, you no longer need to do any further work. The software will be updated on its own. The MicrosoftOffice system also has an automatic update tool.

3. install anti-spyware

Install and regularly update anti-spyware to find secret programs that attempt to collect your passwords and accounts. Microsoft provides free WindowsAntiSpyware programs and malware deletion tools. You can use them to remove unnecessary software from your PC.

4. install the software firewall

The firewall checks the data that enters your network. If the data does not meet a certain standard, it will be discarded. Software firewalls, such as Windows Firewall built in Windows XP Professional, only protect the computers running them, but provide good backup defense measures for hardware firewalls. Windows Firewall is easy to open.

5. Install the spam filtering software.

Spam is a commercial email that enters the inbox without request. Selecting spam wastes staff time. In most cases, it is only troublesome, but when a spam contains an attachment that will release the virus when opened, it brings risks. In addition, some spam belong to the "Web page counterfeit" category, or cheat the recipient to disclose the password and other valuable information that may pose a risk to the Enterprise. Installing the spam filter product or configuring the built-in Outlook2003 spam filter helps significantly reduce spam.

Difficult tasks

This group of tasks may be more difficult. They require more technical expertise or continuous management of your security policies and processes.

1. Restrict Device Access

By limiting physical access to servers and network devices (such as routers and switches), you can improve security. If possible, move these machines to the locked room and ensure that only the person designated to work on the device has the key. This minimizes the chances of unqualified people tampering with computers or trying to "correct" the problem.

2. Set the permission level

You can use WindowsSmallBusinessServer2003 to specify different network permission levels for users. Do not grant "Administrator" access permissions to all users. Grant only some users access permissions to specific programs and define which user privileges are allowed to access the server. For example, you can grant some users the permission to read some files stored on the server but not to modify them. Only your network administrator can access all your system files and services.

3. Delete the network access permissions of the departing employee

Eliminate the ability of departing employees to log on to your network. It is easy to delete their access permissions and user privileges. However, if the waiting time is too long, it may damage the employee or steal files.

4. Develop email and Internet usage policies

According to the latest study, 6% of all emails are infected with illness or other programs that may damage your computer. Develop company-wide Internet use policies, including instructions requiring employees not to open email attachments they do not want. This policy should also describe dangerous online activities and prohibit the download of free utilities and other programs from the Internet. Instruct the employee not to disclose this information when receiving an email asking for a password or account information.

5. require employees to use strong passwords

A password that is easy to guess may allow unauthorized people to access your network. To prevent this problem, your security policy requires that the password contain both letters and numbers. In addition, while requiring regular password changes, do not require employees to change them too frequently. If they think it is difficult to remember the password, they may write down the password and paste it on their monitor, which makes it easy for others to break into your computer system.

Request network management help

These tasks are not very technical, but you may need to consider hiring a computer or network consultant to handle them. Consult a Microsoft partner with certified experts to help you plan and implement projects that require higher skills.

1. Install the peripheral Firewall

The software firewall protects the PC where it is installed, while the peripheral Firewall is a hardware device that inserts and protects your entire computer network. An important feature is that it allows you to disable the network port. Because network ports allow communication between client computers and servers, disabling unused ports can enhance network security and prevent unauthorized access. This step is difficult to implement. You may need experts to help you correctly Set firewall functions.

2. Protect Virtual Private Networks

Link remote users to the company's network so that they can check emails and access shared files. A Virtual Private Network (VPN) allows you to perform such operations more securely. However, any time you make your network accessible to outsiders, there will be a great security risk. You may need to ask the security consultant for help because it may be difficult to make the VPN work correctly.

3. Configure the wireless security function

Anyone within the radio range of a wireless network has the potential to receive or transmit data over the network. If you plan to use wireless networks, ask IT professionals for help to ensure security is activated and the wireless encryption and access control functions are correctly configured.

4. Create backup and restoration processes

This task may be as simple as burning your data file to a CD and saving it in a safe place. Windows XP contains a tool for backing up and restoring data to a PC. However, you may want to find more advanced solutions. If you need to make your data available at any time, you should work with IT experts to add hardware to your system through redundant configuration, in this way, the duplicate copies of those files will be saved on another hard disk each time you save the files. In this way, if a hard drive crashes, the backup system can replace it and keep your data flowing normally. You should back up files at least weekly and exercise regularly to restore data, just to verify that you can restore them.

5. Configure database security

If you have a database that stores customer, sales, inventory, or other types of critical information for business applications, hire IT professionals to ensure that this information is well protected. For example, by allowing only authorized users to connect to a database, database experts can shield Microsoft SQL Server from most Internet-based attacks. They can also create a backup system for restoration when your data is lost.