We all love the Internet, but unfortunately it is also a source of evil. If you are operating a public Internet service such as ARIS Community or a company homepage, one of a network administrator’s greatest fears is that the server gets hacked and opens up the company network to the public. To prevent that, such servers are put into a so called demilitarized zone (DMZ). The DMZ is accessible from the Internet through a firewall, which allows the necessary incoming connections. Typically, a DMZ is used for the following kind of services:
- public web server
- public file server (FTP)
- domain name servers (DNS)
- web proxy
- email server
The DMZ is used for all services, which must be accessible from outside. All other services reside in the private network (LAN), which is protected by a firewall. The LAN can comprise additional servers such as web servers, which must be only accessed internally (e.g. Intranet).
A DMZ can be implemented physically or logically. In a physical setup, dedicated machines and connections are used, whereas in a logical setup separation is done on the network management layers.
The attached ARIS Express model visualises a possible DMZ setup. The diagram uses an IT Infrastructure diagram. This diagram provides modelling objects such as networks (e.g. LAN, WAN, DMZ), network devices (e.g. router, switch), hardware, and IT systems (e.g. web server, email server).
ARIS model
It’s good that you've depicted only public FTP and public WEB services in DMZ, cause, these services are really placed in DMZ. But there are exceptions like MS Exchange Server. A lot of IT specialists build mail service of company with Exchange Servers placed in LAN area. They just open some ports to realize access to mail protocols from WAN (especially from Internet). Today there are a lot of discussions on this theme :) Somehow it’s own decision of each IT specialist.
Sebastian, do you have a wish to represent case when we have VPN connections to corporate network? I want to see it, it’s very interesting.
Hi Henry,
you are raising an important point with VPN. A VPN must be accessible for the public. Therefore, the VPN server must be located in the DMZ. I have updated the diagram to reflect this. I used a "network device" for the VPN Server, because today VPN servers are appliances, which you can directly integrate in your network.
In the updated diagram, the VPN is the only way to handle incoming connections to the LAN. Outgoing connections from the LAN do not need to go through the VPN server.
Does that make sense or would you model it in a different way?
Your model is very safe model. But, actually, I think, it’s realized in huge companies where prohibited full access to LAN area. But in small companies and in home solutions there is simpler construction…
VPN server is placed inside of LAN area, because it’s used just for unrestricted access to services inside LAN.
Technical realization: in this case we should open and redirect the port 1723 on firewall to forward packets from WAN to VPN Server.
But I have next question to you…
If I want to depict VPN Server on diagram as software solution (not hardware), what kind of rectangle should I take? Is it “IT system”?
