Is it possible to create a secure AD environment for widely dispersed PC's behind other instiutions firewalls?

Chris Swinney

Hi,

We maintain a wide network of PCs (Win 2000 and XP, approx 200-300
machines). Most of these are single use machines designed for use in a Video
Conference environment. The machines are effectively standalone with public
IP's, and they are deployed in various institutions, some behind firewalls
that we don't manage. Although we have a certain amount of sway with the
other network managers to allow traffic to and from these machines, we
obviously do not have full control over ALL the traffic that can be passed
to them.

I feel that if we can create a secure AD environment to centrally manage
these machines it would be beneficial. I'm not entirely sure what
ports/protocols need to be configured to allow AD traffic, and then if this
traffic can be secured across foreign firewalls.

Is there a way to create such an environment?

Many thanks for any insight or articles you may have.

Chris

Chris Swinney

Or is this even a practical deployment senario for AD?


"Chris Swinney" <.uk> wrote in message
news:%.gbl...
> Hi,
>
> We maintain a wide network of PCs (Win 2000 and XP, approx 200-300
> machines). Most of these are single use machines designed for use in a
> Video Conference environment. The machines are effectively standalone with
> public IP's, and they are deployed in various institutions, some behind
> firewalls that we don't manage. Although we have a certain amount of sway
> with the other network managers to allow traffic to and from these
> machines, we obviously do not have full control over ALL the traffic that
> can be passed to them.
>
> I feel that if we can create a secure AD environment to centrally manage
> these machines it would be beneficial. I'm not entirely sure what
> ports/protocols need to be configured to allow AD traffic, and then if
> this traffic can be secured across foreign firewalls.
>
> Is there a way to create such an environment?
>
> Many thanks for any insight or articles you may have.
>
> Chris
>

Anthony [MVP]

Chris,
AD is only one way of creating a shared security context between machines.
It would not work in your case, as the firewalls will not allow AD traffic.
Something like Webex Remote Access would allow you to control all the
machines.
Anthony,




"Chris Swinney" <.uk> wrote in message
news:.gbl...
> Or is this even a practical deployment senario for AD?
>
>
> "Chris Swinney" <.uk> wrote in message
> news:%.gbl...
>> Hi,
>>
>> We maintain a wide network of PCs (Win 2000 and XP, approx 200-300
>> machines). Most of these are single use machines designed for use in a
>> Video Conference environment. The machines are effectively standalone
>> with public IP's, and they are deployed in various institutions, some
>> behind firewalls that we don't manage. Although we have a certain amount
>> of sway with the other network managers to allow traffic to and from
>> these machines, we obviously do not have full control over ALL the
>> traffic that can be passed to them.
>>
>> I feel that if we can create a secure AD environment to centrally manage
>> these machines it would be beneficial. I'm not entirely sure what
>> ports/protocols need to be configured to allow AD traffic, and then if
>> this traffic can be secured across foreign firewalls.
>>
>> Is there a way to create such an environment?
>>
>> Many thanks for any insight or articles you may have.
>>
>> Chris
>>
>
>