Network Infrastructure - Project X

Introduction to Project X Network

This document provides a comprehensive overview of the network infrastructure for Project X. We aim to detail its architecture, key technologies, security considerations, and operational best practices. Understanding this network is crucial for development, deployment, and maintenance of all services.

Our network is designed for high availability, scalability, and robust performance to support the demanding requirements of Project X.

Network Architecture Overview

The Project X network is structured as a hybrid cloud environment, leveraging both on-premises data centers and public cloud services. This architecture provides flexibility and resilience.

Core Network Components:

  • Datacenter A: Primary on-premises facility housing core services and databases.
  • Datacenter B: Disaster recovery and secondary compute resource location.
  • Cloud Provider (AWS): Hosting microservices, CI/CD pipelines, and user-facing applications.
  • VPN Gateways: Secure connections between on-premises and cloud environments.
  • Load Balancers: Distributing traffic across multiple instances for high availability and performance.
  • Firewalls: Stateful inspection and access control at network perimeters.

Traffic flow is managed through a combination of static routing and dynamic routing protocols (BGP, OSPF) within datacenters, and secure VPN tunnels for inter-site communication.

Key Network Protocols

Several critical protocols form the backbone of our network operations:

Standard Protocols:

  • TCP/IP: The foundational suite for all data communication.
  • HTTP/HTTPS: Used for web traffic and secure API communication.
  • DNS: Resolving hostnames to IP addresses across the infrastructure.
  • DHCP: Dynamically assigning IP addresses to devices on local networks.

Specialized Protocols:

  • BGP (Border Gateway Protocol): Used for routing between different Autonomous Systems, crucial for internet connectivity and inter-datacenter routing.
  • OSPF (Open Shortest Path First): An interior gateway protocol used for efficient routing within our datacenters.
  • IPsec/TLS: Securing VPN tunnels and communication channels respectively.
  • SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol): For network device monitoring and management.

Understanding these protocols is essential for diagnosing connectivity issues and optimizing network performance.

Network Security Measures

Security is paramount. We employ a multi-layered approach to protect our network from threats.

Key Security Principles:

  • Least Privilege: Granting only necessary network access.
  • Defense in Depth: Multiple security controls at different layers.
  • Zero Trust: Never trust, always verify.

Implemented Controls:

  • Network Segmentation: Isolating different zones (e.g., production, development, management) using VLANs and subnets.
  • Firewalls: Enforcing strict ingress and egress rules.
  • Intrusion Detection/Prevention Systems (IDS/IPS): Monitoring for and blocking malicious activity.
  • VPNs: Encrypting traffic for remote access and site-to-site connections.
  • Access Control Lists (ACLs): Fine-grained control over traffic flow.
  • Regular Security Audits: Proactive identification of vulnerabilities.

All network configurations are subject to rigorous change control and security reviews.

Common Network Troubleshooting

When encountering network issues, follow these general steps:

  1. Verify Physical Connectivity: Ensure cables are connected and link lights are active.
  2. Check IP Configuration: Confirm the device has a valid IP address, subnet mask, and gateway. Use ipconfig (Windows) or ifconfig/ip addr (Linux).
  3. Test Reachability: Use ping to test connectivity to the gateway and remote hosts.
  4. Trace Route: Use traceroute (Linux/macOS) or tracert (Windows) to identify network hops and potential bottlenecks.
  5. Check DNS Resolution: Use nslookup or dig to verify DNS is working correctly.
  6. Review Firewall Logs: Investigate potential blocks by examining firewall logs.
  7. Consult Monitoring Tools: Check dashboards for alerts or anomalies.

Example: Diagnosing a connectivity issue to an external service

If you cannot reach an external API, first ping the API's IP address. If ping fails, use traceroute to see where the connection breaks. If ping to the gateway works but external IPs do not, the issue might be with your default gateway or upstream connectivity.

Network Monitoring Tools

Proactive monitoring is key to maintaining a healthy and performant network. We utilize a suite of tools:

  • Prometheus & Grafana: For time-series metrics collection and visualization of network device performance, traffic, and errors.
  • Zabbix: Comprehensive monitoring solution for servers, network devices, and applications, with alerting capabilities.
  • Wireshark: For deep packet inspection and detailed network analysis during troubleshooting.
  • Nagios: Traditional monitoring tool for checking service availability and status.
  • ELK Stack (Elasticsearch, Logstash, Kibana): Aggregating and analyzing logs from network devices for security and operational insights.

Alerts are configured for critical thresholds and anomalies to enable rapid response.