IT Baseline Protection Manual - The Information Warfare Site

Safeguard Catalogue - Organisation Remarks
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S 2.181 Selection of a suitable fax server
Initiation responsibility: Head of IT Section, IT Security Management
Implementation responsibility: Head of IT Section
A fax server generally consists of the following components: the IT system
itself, the operating system, the communications component (e.g. fax modem,
active or passive ISDN card or dedicated fax card) and the actual fax server
application. In addition the workstations may require a corresponding fax
client.
Before a fax server is procured, the essential factors which will affect its usage
must be ascertained. These are:
- the volume of faxes expected to require processing,
- the number of staff who are to use the fax server,
- fax server availability requirements,
- requirements for incorporation into existing E mail and workflow systems,
- requirements for logging on the fax server,
- requirements as to the manner in which incoming fax transmissions are
forwarded to recipients.
IT-System
The choice of IT system is generally determined by the performance
characteristics required by the software and the operating system. In addition,
the IT system must be compatible with the operating system selected.
Depending on the requirements for fax server availability, the use of
additional protection mechanisms can be considered. Options for ensuring
and/or increasing availability include:
- RAID
- replication
- load distribution
Operating system
Fax server applications are available for all common network operating
systems such as Unix, Microsoft Windows NT and Novell Netware. When
choosing the operating system, the extent to which integration into the existing
network is possible and the requirements of the fax server application should
be the decisive factors. Where only one network operating system has
previously been in use in an organisation, e.g. only servers which run under
Unix are used, then if possible that network operating system should be
selected and an appropriate fax server application should be purchased.
Nevertheless, if a particular software application is the only one to offer a user
facility which is urgently required but which will only run on a different
operating system platform from that used up to now, then that operating
system should be chosen. A change of network operating system brings with it
a significant increase in administrative effort. If different network operating
systems are already in use on the network, then the one which offers the
easiest path to integration should be chosen, provided that the desired fax
server application supports it.
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IT-Baseline Protection Manual: Oktober 2000