When we talk about network infrastructure security, it mainly refers to the IT organizations that have an underlying network infrastructure. Security is very necessary because all the official and government IT infrastructure are dependent on network infrastructure.

The security is provided by installing some necessary measures to block the unauthorized network addresses, trying to access the confidential files.

There are many key features of network infrastructure security like application security, software security, business security, wireless security, firewall security, intrusion security, virtual private networks (VPNs), and many more. Let’s first see what exactly a network infrastructure is.

What is Network Infrastructure?

The network infrastructure is a gigantic structured nest of internet, cloud services, servers, databases, and end devices that overall form a working cloud environment. These networks are developed to spread every information through every medium on the iternet. Articles, blogs, videos, pdfs, research papers, chapters, quizzes, frequently asked questions, and much more such information can be made available to everyone with the help of network infrastructure.

Also, the communications like analog or digital signals, wireless transmissions, optical transmission, electromagnetic signals, Bluetooth, wifi, and wired transmission are included in the network infrastructure. This is such a broad field that without it, our big internet couldn’t even survive. 

When we talk about a world 50 years back, there are no such internet services available. Cloud and cloud services are just like a good dream to all tech people. But now, we have a very large network in fracture. The cremation of cloud services to network service is just sweet as honey on a pie! 

There are a lot of different types of networks. Let us see what are those different networks.

Types of Network Infrastructure

Wide Are Network

Wide our network is the internet. This is the main type of network infrastructure which we have to ourselves. This is a wireless type of connection that serves over a very wide area (range will be in thousands of KMs).

A wide area network uses satellite transmission to wirelessly cover a very large geographical area. Also, it uses thousands of KM long optical fiber cables to transmit signals through the speed of light across the globe.

That is why we are getting such fast network service through the internet whenever from anywhere in the world. This area network is open to all the users all over the world and hence less secure in comparison with other networks.

Personal Area Network

This is a smaller area network, not more than 20-30 feet of communication is possible. It is all wireless and a rather more secure network. The best example of a personal area network is Bluetooth. The Bluetooth device works on Bluetooth signals which are generally radio signals but continuously bouncing back and forth.

This is different than normal wifi signals. Normal Wi-Fi signals are just electromagnetic signals transmitting in one direction. But Bluetooth has continuous bouncing signals like a ripple in water bouncing between two walls.

Because of this type of signal, it cannot exceed more than 30 feet of range. But it is the most secure wireless signal because no third party can join the transmission like the wifi signals.

Local Area Network

Local area network is high-speed connectivity between your local devices. The local devices include the connection of end devices like laptops, printers, mobile, CPUs, servers, hubs, switches, routers, etc.

This is a wired network using ethernet cables, coaxial cables, or copper crossover cables. Because these cables are superfast, we get a secure and fast connection between devices.

Storage Area Network

This is a network similar to the local area network but it is a part of cloud services. A large collection of machines, servers, databases, etc. comes together and forms a cloud environment.

This is the storage area network where a user personally can use the storage facility. All types of facilities are provided by cloud technology. It is quite secure than a wide area network because only the reputed tech giants will be able to provide cloud facilities and security is their priority.

Some of the cloud service providers are google cloud, Amazon AWS, and Microsoft Azure.

Metropolitan Area Network

This can be said the advanced version of a wide area network because it is more faster and secure but rather in a smaller geographical area. This area network uses in a city where it has its servers and storage facilities with sufficient capacity.

This helps in establishing a metropolitan network all over the city. Wirelessly more secure than wide area network and faster with better communication.

Now, let’s head towards the types of network services and how security is related to the network infrastructure.

Network Infrastructure Services

• E-mail Services
• Printing Services
• Network File Systems
• Directory Services
• Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol
• Domain Name Service
• Remote Access Service
• Network Management

These are the network services that are very important for the creation of network infrastructure. All of these have different roles and this has vulnerability to security also. 

Also Read: What is Big Data?

Network Infrastructure Standards And Protocols

The whole network architecture and its standards allow for the creation of an integrated environment that has working applications in it. This can be done by structuring the inter-computer and network communications with the help of a reference model.

Hence the protocols provide the same pathway for all internet users to work within, following the same path. This also solves a lot of security problems because different pathways create vulnerability.

Protocols include rules and regulations of how internet and internet service providers should proceed to work. All of these protocols come under the IT section of the government.

Conclusion

Hence constant research and advancement carry out currently in making the whole wide area network more secure. Stronger algorithms for encryption and more secure two-way transmission.

Moreover, scientists are also developing quantum communication between two devices using quantum entanglement. This is a crazy concept and it has started working on a research basis also.

If quantum communication works as we are planning then no one in generations will ever be able to break the security.