Secure Wireless Networking Implemented at a Manufacturing Facility

Abstract

MOOG Inc (http://www.mooq.com) is an engineering company that started out in 1951 ; today the company has over 5,000 employees and twenty-two facilities worldwide. There are a growing number of employees that believe there is a need for mobility throughout the company for work related projects. Currently, Moog provides a network to almost every employee worldwide; however, with the continued growth of Moog facilities, the expense continues to grow in the wired networking arena. Employees would like a wireless network that would give them mobility within the facilities to work on various projects while reducing the need for wired network drops and access switches. One department knocking on the IT department's door for a wireless solution is the dispatch department because of outdated equipment and the cumbersome task of data transfer. This department is truly mobile and would like to have the ability to track parts moving from one facility to another, as well as those parts moving between machining processes, and various other areas of the company. The dispatch department would like wireless laptops attached to mobile workstations that can access the mainframe, Moog Inc's. Business system, and general e-mail so the dispatch manager can send job related messages to the dispatchers. Although the dispatch department has valid reasons for requesting a wireless network, it is important for the network administrators to maintain a secure networking infrastructure to protect proprietary data from hackers. Therefore, in order to give the dispatch department what they desire and meet the security requirements of Moog Inc's. customers there will be a trade off between how secure the wireless network should be and the freedom that the wireless network provides. Moog Inc. management must realize that a wireless network solution is not a guaranteed secure environment and there will be tradeoffs regardless of what security plans that may be implemented at Moog Inc. The success of this paper will be determined by the acceptance of a wireless network by the CIO (Chief Information Officer) and other networking peers at Moog Incorporated. Moog Inc. management will be assured that a wireless network is a viable alternative to a wired LAN, which can provide a level of security that management can live with while providing mobility to certain areas of the manufacturing plant. This paper will discuss 802.1 1 , VPN, Access Servers, WEP, LEAP, EAP, Access methods, Frame types, Bluetooth, radius server, and other topics as they relate to wireless local area networks (WLANs).

Library of Congress Subject Headings

Computer networks--Security measures--Case studies; Wireless LANs--Security measures--Case studies; Moog, Inc.--Security measures--Case studies

Publication Date

2003

Document Type

Thesis

Student Type

Graduate

Degree Name

Information Sciences and Technologies (MS)

Department, Program, or Center

Information Sciences and Technologies (GCCIS)

Advisor

Bruce Hartpence

Advisor/Committee Member

Sharon Mason

Advisor/Committee Member

Luther Troell

Comments

Physical copy available from RIT's Wallace Library at TK5015.59 .S38 2003

Campus

RIT – Main Campus

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