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April 2018

SAFE Architecture Guide Places in the Network: Secure Data Center

SAFE Architecture Guide Places in the Network: Secure Data Center | Contents April 2018

© 2018 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. This document is Cisco Public Information.

Contents Overview

Business Flows

Threats

Security Capabilities

ArchitectureSecure Data Center 15

Attack SurfaceHumans 16

Devices 17

Network 18

Applications 21

Multi-site Data Center 24

Summary

AppendixA Proposed Design 26

Suggested Components

3

5

8

9

14

16

25

26

28

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SAFE Architecture Guide Places in the Network: Secure Data Center | Overview April 2018

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OverviewThe Secure Data Center is a place in the network (PIN) where a company centralizes data and performs services for business. Data centers contain hundreds to thousands of physical and virtual servers that are segmented by applications, zones, and other methods. This guide addresses data center business flows and the security used to defend them.

The Secure Data Center is one of the six places in the network within SAFE. SAFE is

a holistic approach in which Secure PINs model the physical infrastructure and Secure Domains represent the operational aspects of a network.

The Secure Data Center architecture guide provides:

• Business flows for the data center

• Data center threats and security capabilities

• Business flow security architecture

• Design examples and a parts list

Figure 1 The Key to SAFE. SAFE provides the Key to simplify cybersecurity into Secure Places in the Network (PINs) for infrastructure and Secure Domains for operational guidance.

Management

Security Intelligence

Secure Services

Threat Defense

Compliance Segmentation

Places in the Network (PINs) Domains

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SAFE Architecture Guide Places in the Network: Secure Data Center | Overview April 2018

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Architecture Guides

SecureData Center

SecureCloud

SecureWAN

SecureInternet Edge

SecureBranch

SecureServices

Threat Defense

Segmentation

Compliance

SecurityIntelligence

Management SecureCampus

Design Guides

SAFEOverview

Capability Guide

Operations GuidesDesign Guides

SECU RE DOMAINSPL ACES IN THE NE T WO RK

T H E K E Y T O S A F E

YOU ARE

HERE

SAFE simplifies security by starting with business flows, then addressing their respective threats with corresponding security

capabilities, architectures, and designs. SAFE provides guidance that is holistic and understandable.

Figure 2 SAFE Guidance Hierarchy

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SAFE Architecture Guide Places in the Network: Secure Data Center | Business Flows April 2018

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Business FlowsThe Secure Data Center provides business services to the company’s users. It is the central

destination and transit area that ties the company business flows together.

• Internally, employees in the branch, campus, and remote locations require access to applications, collaboration services (voice, video, email), and the Internet. Systems communicate east/west within and between data centers.

• Third parties, such as service providers and partners, require remote access to applications and devices.

• Customer guest traffic transits the network en route to the Internet edge.

Inte

rnal

Cus

tom

erTh

ird P

arty

Employee researching product information

Field engineer updating work order

Servers communicating with systems

CEO sending email to shareholder

Connected device with remote vendor support

Guest accessing the Internet to watch hosted video

Clerk processing credit card transaction

Figure 3 Data center business use cases are color coded to define where they flow.

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Functional ControlsFunctional controls are common security considerations that are derived from the technical aspects of the business flows.

Secure Applications Applications require sufficient security controls for protection.

Secure Access Servers and devices securely accessing the network.

Secure East/West Traffic Data moves securely; internally, externally, or to third-party resources.

Secure Remote Access Secure remote access for employees and third-party partners that are external to the company network.

Secure Communications Email, voice, and video communications connect to potential threats outside of company control and must be secured.

Figure 4 Data center business flows map to functional controls based on the types of risk they present.

Secure web access for employees: Employee researching product information

Secure remote access for employees: Field engineer updating work order

Secure east/west tra�c for compliance: Servers communicating with systems

Secure communications for email: CEO sending email to shareholder

Inte

rnal

Secure remote access for a third party: Connected device with remote vendor support

Secure web access for guests: Guest accessing the Internet to watch hosted video

Cus

tom

erTh

ird P

arty

Secure applications for PCI: Clerk processing credit card transaction

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Figure 5 The Secure Data Center Business Flow Capability Diagram

IdentityClient-BasedSecurity

FlowAnalytics

PostureAssessment

IntrusionPrevention


FlowAnalytics

PostureAssessment

IntrusionPrevention

Firewall

Firewall

ThreatIntelligence

ThreatIntelligence

Anti-Malware

Anti-Malware

AVC

AVC

FlowAnalytics

IntrusionPrevention

Firewall ThreatIntelligence

Anti-Malware

WebSecurity

FlowAnalytics

IntrusionPrevention


Anti-Malware

Tagging

Tagging

Tagging

VPN

FlowAnalytics

IntrusionPrevention


Anti-Malware

Tagging

Tagging

EmailSecurity


PostureAssessment

VPN IdentityClient-BasedSecurity

PostureAssessment


PostureAssessment

AVC WebApplication

Firewall

FlowAnalytics

IntrusionPrevention


Anti-Malware

Tagging

DNS Security FlowAnalytics

IntrusionPrevention


Anti-Malware

TaggingWirelessConnection

WirelessIntrusion

Prevention

WirelessRogue

Detection

Secure web access for guests: Guest accessing the Internet to watch hosted video

AVC WebApplication

Firewall

AVC WebApplication

Firewall

Employee

Field Engineer

Database

CEO

Website

Work�ow Application

Payment Application

Shareholder

Secure web access for employees: Employee researching product information

Secure remote access for employees: Field engineer updating work order

Secure east/west tra c for compliance: Servers communicating with systems

Secure communications for email: CEO sending email to shareholder

Data Center Capabilities

Inte

rnal

Non-Data Center Capabilities

BUSINESSFOUNDATIONAL

Server-BasedSecurity


Identity DNS Security



ACCESS

Thermostat

Guest

Remote Technician

Website

Secure remote access for a third party: Connected device with remote vendor support

Cus

tom

erTh

ird P

arty

Clerk Payment ApplicationSecure applications for PCI: Clerk processing credit card transaction

Capability GroupsData center security is simplified by grouping capabilities into three groups which align to the functional controls: Foundational, Business, and Access.

Each flow requires the access and foundational groups. Business activity risks require appropriate capabilities to control or

mitigate them as shown in Figure 5, which often reside within the data center. User clients and devices also require security, but are non-data center capabilities.

For more information regarding capability groups and functional controls, refer to the SAFE overview guide.

Secure Data Center threats and capabilities are defined in the following sections.

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SAFE Architecture Guide Places in the Network: Secure Data Center | Threats April 2018

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Data extraction (data loss)

The unauthorized ex-filtration or theft of a company’s intellectual property, innovation, and proprietary company data.

Unauthorized network access

Unauthorized access gives attackers the potential to cause damage, such as deleting sensitive files from a host, planting a virus, and hindering network performance with a flood of illegitimate packets.

Malware propagation

Assets in the data center are targets for east/west contamination between servers, and north/south from employees, partners, or customer devices on the network. Applications that process credit card transactions and Internet of Things devices are the most prevalent targets.

Botnet cultivation

The resources of a server farm are a valuable target for botnet cultivation.

Botnets are networks made up of remote-controlled computers, or “bots.” They are used to steal data, send spam, or perform other attacks.

ThreatsData centers contain the majority of business information assets and intellectual property. These are the primary goals of targeted attacks and require the highest level of investment to secure. The data center has four primary threats:

The defense is explained throughout the rest of the document.

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SAFE Architecture Guide Places in the Network: Secure Data Center | Security Capabilities April 2018

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Security CapabilitiesThe attack surface of the data center is defined by the business flows, and includes the people and the technology present. The security capabilities that are needed to

respond to the threats are mapped in Figure 6. The data center security capabilities are listed in Table 1. The placement of these capabilities are discussed in the architecture section.

Figure 6 Secure Data Center Attack Surface and Security Capabilities

Atta

ck S

urfa

ceSe

curit

y

HUMAN APPLICATIONS

Users Devices Wired Wireless Analysis WAN Cloud

DEVICES NETWORK

Network WirelessConnection

Client

Voice/Video

RemoteAdministrators

Applications

Public WAN Public/HybridCloud

ServerLoad Balancer Storage

AutonomousDevice

Tagging CentralManagement

PostureAssessment

Disk Encryption

Identity Firewall Anti-Malware

Threat Intelligence

Intrusion Prevention Flow Analytics


MalwareSandbox

Application VisibilityControl

Web ApplicationFirewall

SSL/TLS O�oad

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Table 1 Secure Data Center Attack Surface, Security Capability, and Threat MappingProducts that implement these capabilities can be found in Table 2.

Data Center Attack Surface

Human Security Capability Threat

Users: Employees, third parties, customers, and administrators.

Identity: Identity-based access.

Attackers or disgruntled admins accessing restricted information resources.

Devices Security Capability Threat

Clients: Devices such as PCs, laptops, smartphones, tablets.

N/A: Addressed in other PINS where clients reside.

Compromised administrator systems obtaining elevated access.

Voice/Video: Phone and teleconferencing.

N/A: Covered in Secure Services domain.

Attackers accessing private information.

Autonomous Device: Building controls.

N/A: Covered in IoT Threat Defense.

Attackers taking over systems.

Network Security Capability Threat

Wired Network: Physical network infrastructure; routers, switches, used to connect access, distribution, core, and services layers together.

Firewall: Stateful filtering and protocol inspection between segments in the data center.

Unauthorized access and malformed packets between and within the data center.

Intrusion Prevention: Blocking of attacks by signatures and anomaly analysis.

Attacks using worms, viruses, or other techniques.

Tagging: Software-based segmentation using EPG’s/TrustSec/VLANs

Unauthorized access and malicious traffic between segments.

Wireless Network: Branches vary from having robust local wireless controller security services to a central, cost-efficient model.

N/A: Covered in Branch and Campus PINS.

Attacks on the infrastructure via wireless technology.

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Network (continued) Security Capability Threat

Analysis: Analysis of network traffic within the campus.

Anti-Malware: Identify, block, and analyze malicious files and transmissions.

Malware distribution across networks or between servers and devices.

Threat Intelligence: Contextual knowledge of existing and emerging hazards.

Zero-day malware and attacks.

Flow Analytics: Network traffic metadata identifying security incidents.

Traffic, telemetry, and data exfiltration from successful attacks.

WAN: Public and untrusted Wide Area Networks that connect to the company, such as the Internet.

N/A: Covered in Branch, Campus, WAN, and Edge PINS.

Exposed services and data theft of remote workers and third parties.

Cloud

N/A: Covered in Branch, Campus, Edge and Cloud PINS.

Unauthorized access and malformed packets connecting to services.

Applications Security Capability Threat

Applications: Management, servers, database, load balancer.

Application Visibility Control: Inspects network communications.

Unauthorized access and malformed packets connecting to services.

Central Management: Company-wide management, monitoring, and controls.

Single target for complete company control and destruction.

Malware Sandbox: Inspects and analyzes suspicious files.

Zero-day malware and attacks.

TLS Encryption Offload: Accelerated encryption of data services.

Theft of unencrypted traffic.

Web Application Firewalling: Advanced application inspection and monitoring.

Attacks against poorly developed applications and website vulnerabilities.

Storage: Drives, databases, media.

Disk Encryption: Encryption of data at rest.

Theft of unencrypted data.

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Applications (continued) Security Capability Threat

Servers

Server-based Security: Security software for servers with the following capabilities:

Anti-Malware: Identify, block, and analyze malicious files and transmissions.

Malware distribution across servers.

Anti-Virus Viruses compromising systems.

Cloud Security:Security services from the cloud.

Redirection of session to malicious website.

Host-based Firewall:Provides micro-segmentation.

Unauthorized access and malformed packets connecting to server.

Posture Assessment: Server compliance verification, authorization, and patching.

Targeted attacks taking advantage of known vulnerabilities.

Disk Encryption:Protect information at rest.

Unauthorized access to system-stored data.

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Management Security Capability Threat

Management, Control, and Monitoring

Analysis/Correlation: Security event management of real-time information.

Diverse and polymorphic attacks.

Anomaly Detection: Identification of infected hosts scanning for other vulnerable hosts.

Worm traffic that exhibits scanning behavior.

Identity/Authorization:Centralized identity and administration policy.

Single target for complete company control and destruction.

Logging/Reporting:Centralized event information collection.

Unauthorized network access or configuration.

Monitoring: Network traffic inspection.

Traffic, telemetry, and data ex-filtration from successful attacks.

Policy/Configuration: Unified infrastructure management and compliance verification.

Seizure of infrastructure or devices.

Time Synchronization:Device clock calibration.

Misdirection and correlation of attacks.

Vulnerability Management: Continuous scanning, patching, and reporting of infrastructure.

Malicious device connected to infrastructure.

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SAFE Architecture Guide Places in the Network: Secure Data Center | Architecture April 2018

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vFirepower Appliance vSwitch

vSwitch

vFirepower Appliance

vRadware Appliance

vSwitch

Secure Server

Secure Server

vRouter

vFirepower Appliance vRadware Appliance vSwitch Secure Server

ComparativeShopping Website

Third-party Technicianaccessing logs

Customermaking purchase

Shareholder receivingemail from CEO

Techniciansubmitting task

Product InformationWebsite

Wholesaler Website

DatabaseZone

Work owApplication

PaymentApplication

vSwitch Storage ServervFirepower Appliance

Application VisibilityControl (AVC)

AnomalyDetection

Web Reputation/Filtering/DCS

Anti-Malware

Threat Intelligence

DistributedDenial of Service

Protection

IdentityAuthorization

DNS Security

HostedE-Commerce

Services BusinessUse Cases

Web Security Guest Wireless

Switch

CommunicationsManager

Switch Router

Wireless Controller

Firepower Appliance

Distribution Switch Core Switch

Corporate Device

WirelessAccess Point

Wireless Guest

Employee Phone

Environmental Controls

Corporate Device Switch

Switch

Firepower Appliance

AccessEndpoints

Endpoints

BusinessUse Cases

Distribution Core Services

Building Controls

Subject MatterExpert

CEO sending emailto Shareholders

Guest browsing

Employee browsing

BUILDING BLOCK CORE BLOCK

Blade Server

Router Switch Firepower Appliance Switch

Services

TrustedEnterpriseUntrusted

DMZ

VPN

Perimeter ServicesWireless Controller

FirepowerAppliance

Switch RadwareAppliance

Switch Secure Server SwitchSwitchRouter

FirepowerAppliance

DMVPNSwitchRA VPN

Services Core Distribution EndpointsAccess BusinessUse Cases

Corporate Device

Access Switch

Employee Phone

Environmental Controls

Wireless Controller

Switch Router

AccessBusinessUse Cases

WirelessAccess Point

Services

Wireless Guest

Corporate Device

Building Controls

Subject MatterExpert

Branch Managerbrowsing information

Customer browsing prices

Clerk processingcredit card

Server

SwitchEmail Security

FirepowerAppliance

SwitchWeb Security

Internet

R E M O T E U S E R S

PaymentApplication

Cloud

Bran

ch

Cam

pus

WAN

Data

Cen

ter

Edge

SERVICESAPPLICATIONSNETWORK

NETWORK

SERVICES

DEVICESHUMAN NETWORK APPLICATIONS

NETWORK

SERVERS APPLICATIONSNETWORK

DEVICESHUMAN NETWORK APPLICATIONS

IdentityServer

Communications Manager

ManagementServer

L3 SwitchDistribution Switch

Firepower MgmtCenter

WirelessController

Leaf SwitchFirepower Appliance

Load BalancerAppliance


Fabric Switch

Secure Server

Secure Server

Secure ServerController

Secure ServerLeaf Switch

L3 Switch

FirepowerAppliance

FirepowerAppliance

FirepowerAppliance

Software-de�ned

Database

PaymentApplication

Work owApplication

CommunicationServices

Spine Switch

ArchitectureSAFE underscores the challenges of securing the business. It enhances traditional network diagrams to include a security-centric view of the company business. The Secure Data Center architecture is a logical grouping of security and network technology that supports data center business use cases. It implements a traditional access/distribution/core network architecture as well as application-centric server farm.

SAFE business flow security architecture depicts a security focus. Traditional design diagrams that depict cabling, redundancy, interface addressing, and specificity are depicted in SAFE design diagrams. Note that a SAFE logical architecture can have many different physical designs.

Figure 7 SAFE Model. The SAFE Model simplifies complexity across a business by using Places in the Network (PINs) that it must secure.

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SAFE Architecture Guide Places in the Network: Secure Data Center | Architecture April 2018

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IdentityServer

Building Controls

CEO sending emailto Shareholders

Guest browsing

Employee browsing

Shareholder receivingemail from CEO

ComparativeShopping Website

WholesalerWebsite

Clerk processingcredit card


ManagementServer



WirelessController




Fabric Switch

Secure Server

Secure Server



L3 Switch

FirepowerAppliance

FirepowerAppliance

FirepowerAppliance

Payment Processing

Workow Automation

Shareholder Emails

East/West Tra�c

Services Core

Software-de�ned

EndpointsAccess BusinessUse Cases

Database

PaymentApplication

WorkowApplication


T O E D G E

T O W A N

Third-party Technicianaccessing logs

Field Engineersubmitting work order

Distribution

Spine Switch

Data Center ArchitectureAPPLICATIONS

ATTACKSURFACE

NETWORKATTACK

SURFACE

Figure 8 Secure Data Center. The Secure Data Center business flows and security capabilities are arranged into a logical architecture. The colored business use cases flow through the green architecture icons with the required blue security capabilities.

Secure Data CenterThe Secure Data Center architecture has the following characteristics:

• Visibility with centralized management, analytics, and shared services

• A core connecting distribution and application-centric layers

• Redundant high-performance appliances for availability and maximum uptime

• Modular access and distribution layers which dynamically segment applications

• Software-defined network segmentation, orchestration

• Software-defined application segmentation

• Physical and virtual servers requiring secure network access connectivity

Humans and devices are part of the attack surface, but are not part of the architecture within the data center. Data centers are often deployed within a campus or corporate headquarters.

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SAFE Architecture Guide Places in the Network: Secure Data Center | Attack Surface April 2018

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Attack SurfaceThe Secure Data Center attack surface (Figure 6) consists of Humans, Devices, Network, and Applications. A successful breach gives an attacker the “keys to the kingdom.” Security includes these considerations:

• Human administrators are located outside of the data center

• Devices are autonomous vs. operated by users

• Network security is enhanced by comprehensive physical security

• Applications and data contain vital company information

• Hosted by company-wide, centralized management

• Application orchestration centralizes control of security, network, and server elements into a single critical target

The sections below discuss the security capability that defends the threats associated with each part of the surface.

HumansTypically, humans in the data center are administrators. No amount of technology can prevent successful attacks if the administrators themselves are compromised.

Administrators that are disgruntled (fired, demoted, bullied, ideology), compromised (blackmail, threats, bribery), or have had their credentials stolen (phishing, key logger, password reuse) are the single biggest risk in the security of a company.

Administrators have a higher level of access than normal users which requires additional controls:

• Two-factor authentication

• Limited access to job function

• Logging of administrator changes

• Dedicated, restricted workstations

• Removal of old administrator accounts

Server farms that host Virtual Desktops (VDI) enable remote users to access shared resources for everyday applications and should be segmented appropriately.

Primary Security Capability

Identity

Remote Adminstration

Figure 9 Business Use Case – Humans

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DevicesThe devices for the data center are tools that administrators use to control and monitor systems that maintain and secure the data center.

Remote administrators connect to centralized management systems using secure connectivity with strong encryption (SSH, TLS, VPN) and multi-factor authentication from a variety of devices.

Control and monitoring systems (e.g., HVAC, power distribution, fire control) provide services to the data center and attach in the services layer.

Administrator systems and autonomous IoT devices connect to the services layer or the adjacent campus network, not in the server farm of the data center. Capabilities provided there must implement posture assessments, patching, and enhanced security controls which should be enforced for these devices. Access policies that must be applied to administrator devices include time of day, geography, and role.

Compromising these systems is a direct threat to the data center (e.g., if you turn off the A/C, you will burn up the servers—a Denial of Service attack).

The capabilities to protect these devices are found in the associated campus network that the data center is deployed within.

Figure 10 Data Center Devices

Adminstrator Device

Autonomous Device

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NetworkThe access/distribution/core is classic network hierarchy. These layers provide a method which discretely separates services for business-based traffic into flows, and allows scale as services are moved, added, or changed. Application-centric infrastructure enhances policy enforcement through orchestrated, software-defined segmentation across a flat topology. These organizations simplify network troubleshooting and segment traffic for security. Visibility into these flows using flow analytics provides insight to protect against data extraction.

Access LayerThe access layer is where servers are attached to the network. Its purpose is to enforce compliance to policy and prevent unauthorized network access.

Flow analytics provide visibility to network traffic and enable the identification of anomalies. Anomalous behavior and other attacks can then be quarantined appropriately.

This layer connects to the distribution layer.

Distribution LayerDistribution layers segregate network traffic between the access layer and the core layer.

They provide scalable services to the access layer and endpoints (e.g., firewall, intrusion prevention, load balancing, TLS offload). High-speed access and availability are the primary design considerations.

Figure 11 Distribution and Access Layers

IdentityServer


ManagementServer



WirelessController




Fabric Switch

Secure Server

Secure Server



L3 Switch

FirepowerAppliance

FirepowerAppliance

FirepowerAppliance

Payment Processing

Work�ow Automation

Shareholder Emails

East/West Tra�c

Services Core

Software De�ned


Database

PaymentApplication

Work�owApplication


T O W A N Distribution

Spine Switch


Firewall Flow Analytics

Intrusion Prevention

Anti-Malware

Tagging Threat Intelligence

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IdentityServer


ManagementServer



WirelessController




Fabric Switch

Secure Server

Secure Server



L3 Switch

FirepowerAppliance

FirepowerAppliance

FirepowerAppliance

Payment Processing

Work�ow Automation

Shareholder Emails

East/West Tra�c

Software-de�ned

Database

PaymentApplication



T O W A N

Spine Switch

APPLICATIONSATTACK

SURFACE

NETWORKATTACK

SURFACE

Software-defined LayerThe Software-defined Data Center (SDDC) is a layer in the data center with an open, programmable fabric which enables automation, agility, security, and analytics. It integrates virtual and physical workloads in a multi-hypervisor fabric to build a multi-service, hybrid, or cloud data center. The configurable fabric consists of discrete components that operate as compute, storage, networking, security, and availability, but is provisioned and monitored as a single entity. It enhances policy enforcement through orchestrated, software-defined segmentation across a flat topology, enabling better business agility.

Segmentation is implemented by grouping endpoints, and services are applied to traffic between groups using contracts to prevent unauthorized network access.

Leaf and spine layers connect the core to the servers. These provide a distribution method

of services that discretely separates business-based traffic into flows based on applications, and allows scale as services are moved, added, or changed.

Figure 12 Application-Centric Infrastructure Leaf and Spine


Firewall Flow Analytics

Intrusion Prevention

Tagging

Anti-Malware Threat Intelligence

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Core LayerThe core network provides high-speed, highly redundant connectivity to route packets between distribution-layer devices and different areas of the network.

The location of deployment varies from small to large companies, where the data center is deployed within a campus or independently of other PINs.

The core layer requires flow analytics for visibility, and tagging for segmentation.


Flow Analytics Tagging

Figure 13 Core Layer


Wireless Controller

Leaf SwitchFirepowe Appliance

L3 Switch

FirepowerAppliance

FirepowerAppliance

FirepowerAppliance

Services Core Distribution

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ApplicationsServices LayerThe services layer is a special collapsed distribution and access layer within a data center. It hosts supporting capability services for the data center and other places in the network. A high-security section contains the

management, monitoring, and communications infrastructure. Unified wireless controllers, WIPS, and voice systems are also centrally managed for other PIN locations.

Independent management networks and data center devices connect here (e.g., HVAC, security cameras, power control systems).

Figure 14 Services Layer


ManagementServer



Wireless Controller

FirepowerAppliance

FirepowerAppliance

Services Core

IdentityServer


Foundational Security Services

Firewall IPS Threat Intelligence

Anti-Malware Flow Analytics

Tagging

Business-based Security

Application Visibility Control

Malware Sandbox

TLS Offload

WAF WIPS for Branches

Wireless Rogue Detection for Branches

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Common Services LayerThe services layer also hosts many common services utilized across the company. Identity management using products like Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) is integrated with common identity platforms such as Microsoft Active Directory to better manage identity-based access and control policies. Network devices use protocols such as RADIUS and TACACS to securely authenticate administrators to these services when managing infrastructure.

Time synchronization within a company is a fundamental necessity for security certificate exchange and accurate log/event correlation.

Host and domain name resolution services are often directed to the Internet in branch locations. But in the data center, local servers are deployed for security and speed of replies.


Common Services

Analysis/Correlation

Anomaly Detection

Identity/Authorization

Logging/Reporting

Monitoring Name Resolution

Policy/Configuration

Time Synchronization

Vulnerability Management

Figure 14 Services Layer


ManagementServer



Wireless Controller

FirepowerAppliance

FirepowerAppliance

Services Core

IdentityServer

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Endpoints LayerServers are the business flow endpoints in a data center that host web services, applications, and databases. Collectively these clusters or farms provide capabilities beyond a single machine, and often consist of thousands of computers. To ensure reliability they include redundancy with automatic fail-over and rapid re-configuration.

Malware propagation, botnet infestation, and a large attack surface are threats targeting servers.

Server-based security is achieved through deployment of host-based firewalls, anti-malware, and anti-virus products in addition to software sensors which add visibility, enforcement, and package management such as Cisco Tetration.

East/west traffic refers to the communication between servers within an application tier (web, application, database) as seen in Figure 15. This workload traffic pattern can be secured by policies between them which implement application micro-segmentation, behavior baselining/analysis, vulnerability detection, and intrusion prevention, which are tuned to meet the application requirements.

Nexus Switch

Radware Appliance


Fabric Switch

Leaf Switch

Nexus Switch

Adaptive SecurityAppliance

Adaptive SecurityAppliance

Software-de�ned


Database

PaymentApplication


CommunicationServicesSecure Server

Secure Server

Secure Server

Secure Server

Figure 16 Data Center Endpoints


Server-based Security

Server-Based Security

Web DatabaseApplication

Policy 1 Policy 2 Policy 3

Figure 15 Data Center Application Tiers

Anti-Virus Anti-Malware Flow Analytics

Cloud Security Host Firewall Posture Assessment

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Internet

Data C

enter 1

WAN 1 & 2

Data

Cen

ter

2

Software-de�ned

Controller Cluster

Multi-SiteManager

Controller

CoreCoreSoftware-de�ned

Controller Cluster

Controller

Figure 17 Multi-site Data Center. This model shows how multiple data center connectivity is secured across the PINs.

Multi-site Data CenterThe Secure Data Center is complemented by a redundant data center where workloads are distributed. Alternatively, infrastructure can be ready in a warm standby data center or a cold data center where full backups are ready to deploy in the event of a complete failure.

Centralized management and shared services are the most common applications deployed in both, enabling full active/active redundancy. Connectivity between data centers is achieved via the WAN PIN or dedicated fiber connections to the cores when within the same metro area.

As the cost of cloud services decreases, many companies are deploying services in public service provider environments such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform.

Application mobility to this infrastructure, shared services from this infrastructure, and dynamic scaling enable a hybrid data center architecture. Administration and monitoring must be secured using encryption (e.g., Cisco AnyConnect) and Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB) services such as Cisco Cloudlock.

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SAFE Architecture Guide Places in the Network: Secure Data Center | Summary April 2018

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SummaryToday’s companies are threatened by increasingly sophisticated attacks. Data centers are targeted because they store all of a company’s data across increasingly complicated systems.

Cisco’s Secure Data Center architecture and solutions defend the business against

corresponding threats using an architectural approach that overcomes the limitations of a point product offering.

SAFE is Cisco’s security reference architecture that simplifies the security challenges of today and prepares for the threats of tomorrow.

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SAFE Architecture Guide Places in the Network: Secure Data Center | Appendix April 2018

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Appendix

A Proposed DesignThe Secure Data Center has been deployed in Cisco’s laboratories. Portions of the design have been validated and documentation is available on Cisco Design Zone.

Figures 18 and 19 depict the specific products that were selected within Cisco’s laboratories. It is important to note that the Secure Data Center architecture can produce many

designs based on performance, redundancy, scale, and other factors. The architecture provides the required logical orientation of security capabilities that must be considered when selecting products to ensure that the documented business flows, threats, and requirements are met.

Figure 18 Secure Data Center Proposed Design, single site

IPNWAN

Internet

TO EDGE TO WAN TO IPN

Amazon Web Services

Firepower Threat Defense Virtual

App Servers Tetration

Agent & AMP4E

ACI Biz Use CasesCoreServices

L3 Switch

Secure Data Center

!

StealthwatchManagement

Center

Firepower Threat

Defense

StealthwatchFlow Collector

APICCluster

ACI Spine

Firepower Threat

Defense

Fabric Interconnect

HyperFlexCluster

ACI Leaf

Web Zone Servers Tetration Agent &

AMP4E

Database Zone Servers TetrationAgent & AMP4E

App Zone Servers Tetration Agent &

AMP4EDistribution

Switch

TetrationAnalytics

FirepowerManagement

Center

ACI Multi-Site Manager Cluster

Firepower Threat

Defense

APICCluster

ACI Spine

Fabric Interconnect

HyperFlexCluster

ACI Leaf

Web Zone Servers Tetration Agent &

AMP4E

Database Zone Servers TetrationAgent & AMP4E

App Zone Servers Tetration Agent &

AMP4EDistribution

Switch

TetrationAnalytics

FirepowerManagement

Center

ACI Multi-Site Manager Cluster

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SAFE Architecture Guide Places in the Network: Secure Data Center | Appendix April 2018

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Figure 19 Secure Data Center Proposed Design, multi-site

IPNWAN

Internet


Amazon Web Services

Firepower Threat Defense Virtual

App Servers Tetration

Agent & AMP4E


Distribution Switch


L3 Switch

Secure Data Center 1

TetrationAnalytics

FirepowerManagement

Center


Center

Firepower Threat

Defense


APICCluster

ACI Spine

Firepower Threat

Defense

Fabric Interconnect

HyperFlexCluster

ACI Leaf

Web Zone Servers Tetrat ionAgent & AMP4E

Database Zone Servers Tetrat ion

Agent & AMP4E

App Zone Servers Tetrat ionAgent & AMP4E

!

Distribution Switch


L3 Switch

Secure Data Center N

TetrationAnalytics

FirepowerManagement

Center


Center

Firepower Threat

Defense


APICCluster

ACI Spine

Firepower Threat

Defense

Fabric Interconnect

HyperFlexCluster

ACI Leaf

Web Zone Servers Tetrat ionAgent & AMP4E


Agent & AMP4E


!

ACI Multi-Site ManagerCluster

Distribution Switch


L3 Switch

Secure Data Center N

TetrationAnalytics

FirepowerManagement

Center


Center

Firepower Threat

Defense


APICCluster

ACI Spine

Firepower Threat

Defense

Fabric Interconnect

HyperFlexCluster

ACI Leaf

Web Zone Servers Tetrat ion

Agent & AMP4E


Agent & AMP4E


ACI Multi-Site ManagerCluster

28

SAFE Architecture Guide Places in the Network: Secure Data Center | Suggested Components April 2018

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Suggested ComponentsCampus Attack Surface Campus Security Suggested Cisco Components

Human Users

IdentityIdentity Services Engine

Meraki Management

Devices EndpointsClient-Based Security

Advanced Malware Protection (AMP) for Endpoints

Cisco Umbrella

AnyConnect

Posture Assessment

AnyConnect Agent

Identity Services Engine (ISE)

Meraki Mobile Device Management

Network Wired Network

Firewall Firepower Appliance, Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA)

Intrusion Prevention Firepower Appliance

Tagging

Nexus/Catalyst Switch VLANs

Centralized Identity Services Engine

TrustSec

Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI) Endpoint Group (EPG)

Wireless Network

Branch centralized services

Wireless Rogue Detection

Meraki Wireless

Mobility Services Engines (MSE)

Wireless APs

Wireless LAN ControllerWireless Intrusion Prevention (WIPS)

Table 2 SAFE Design Components for Secure Data Center

29

SAFE Architecture Guide Places in the Network: Secure Data Center | Suggested Components April 2018

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Campus Attack Surface Campus Security Suggested Cisco Components

Network continued Analysis

Anti-Malware


Advanced Malware Protection (AMP) for Networks

Stealthwatch

ThreatGrid

Threat Intelligence

Cisco Collective Security Intelligence

Talos Security Intelligence

ThreatGrid

Cognitive Threat Analytics (CTA)

Flow Analytics

Cisco Tetration

Adaptive Security Appliance

Catalyst Switches

Nexus Switches

Stealthwatch (Flow Sensor and Collectors)

Wireless LAN Controller

CloudCloud Security

Cisco Umbrella Secure Internet Gateway(SIG)

Cisco Cloudlock

DNS Security Cisco Umbrella Secure Internet Gateway (SIG)

Cloud-based Firewall

Cisco Umbrella Secure Internet Gateway (SIG)

Software-defined Perimeter (SDP/SD-WAN)

AnyConnect Agent

Cisco Viptela

Meraki MX

Web Security:Internet access integrity and protections.

Firepower URL Filtering

Cisco Umbrella Secure Internet Gateway (SIG)

Web Reputation/Filtering:Tracking against URL-based threats.

Cloud Web Security

Firepower Threat Defense

Meraki MX

Web Security Appliance

Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB)

Cloudlock

Applications ServiceServer-based Security


Cisco Tetration

Cisco Umbrella

Table 2 SAFE Design Components for Secure Data Center (continued)

For more information on SAFE, see www.cisco.com/go/SAFE.

Americas HeadquartersCisco Systems, Inc.San Jose, CA

Asia Paci�c HeadquartersCisco Systems (USA) Pte. Ltd.Singapore

Europe HeadquartersCisco Systems International BV Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Cisco has more than 200 o�ces worldwide. Addresses, phone numbers, and fax numbers are listed on the Cisco Website at www.cisco.com/go/offices

© 2018 Cisco and/or its a�liates. All rights reserved. Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco and/or its a�liates in the U.S. and other countries. To view a list of Cisco trademarks, go to this URL: www.cisco.com/go/trademarks. Third party trademarks mentioned are the property of theirrespective owners. The use of the word partner does not imply a partnership relationship between Cisco and any other company. (1110R)

Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco and/or its a�liates in the U.S. and other countries. To view a list of Cisco trademarks, go to this URL: www.cisco.com/go/trademarks. Third party trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners. The use of the

word partner does not imply a partnership relationship between Cisco and any other company. (1110R)

Americas HeadquartersCisco Systems, Inc.San Jose, CA

Asia Paci�c HeadquartersCisco Systems (USA) Pte. Ltd.Singapore

Europe HeadquartersCisco Systems International BV Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Cisco has more than 200 o�ces worldwide. Addresses, phone numbers, and fax numbers are listed on the Cisco Website at www.cisco.com/go/o�ces.

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