Types of networks

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These network examples give you a starting point for planning your runZero implementation. Each one describes a standard network type and a potential configuration for it. Every network has its own nuance, so expect your implementation to differ in places.

Discovery runs through Explorers and scanners. By default, you deploy one Explorer to run discovery on as much of the network as possible and, if needed, add more for areas the primary Explorer cannot reach. You can also use a scanner for offline environments with no internet connectivity. Once you’ve matched your network to one of these models, follow the standard deployment plan to roll it out.

runZero deployment diagram

SaaS company

Network characteristics

  • Flat on-premises network for offices
  • Multi-cloud environment
  • Hybrid workforce, remote and in office

Sample runZero implementation

  • Explorers
    • Corporate network Explorer with access to all on-premises networks and private connectivity to cloud services
    • One Explorer per VPC that isn’t routable from on-premises networks
  • Organizations
    • Single organization
  • Sites
    • Primary corporate site
    • One site per VPC

Large corporation

Network characteristics

  • Corporate offices with many connected branches
  • Multiple M&A transactions in flight at any time, onboarding new offices every year
  • Multiple data centers for internal and externally facing applications

Sample runZero implementation

  • Explorers
    • Corporate network Explorer that can reach all on-premises networks
    • One Explorer per site with low bandwidth or legacy firewalls, proxies, etc.
    • One Explorer per M&A transaction to assess new risks and keep data segmented
  • Organizations
    • Corporate assets
    • One project per M&A transaction until the deal closes and the assets are merged
  • Sites
    • Primary corporate site
    • Possibly separate sites if branch offices have overlapping IP space

Retail company

Network characteristics

  • Flat on-premises network for corporate offices
  • Data centers
  • Hundreds of retail locations

Sample runZero implementation

  • Explorers
    • Corporate network Explorer that can reach all on-premises networks
    • One Explorer per retail location with low bandwidth or legacy firewalls, proxies, etc.
    • One Explorer per data center
  • Organizations
    • Single organization
  • Sites
    • Primary corporate site
    • One per retail site if it has overlapping IP space

Manufacturing company

Network characteristics

  • Flat on-premises network for corporate offices
  • OT environment completely disconnected from the internet
  • Field service agents VPN in from varying locations

Sample runZero implementation

  • Explorers
    • Corporate network Explorer that can reach all on-premises networks
  • Scanners
    • Manufacturing plant with no connection to the corporate networks
  • Organizations
    • Single organization
  • Sites
    • Primary corporate site
    • One per OT site if it has overlapping IP space

Telecommunications company

Network characteristics

  • Flat on-premises network for corporate offices
  • Segmented data centers
  • IoT devices scattered across the country
  • Field service agents VPN in from varying locations

Sample runZero implementation

  • Explorers
    • Corporate network Explorer that can reach all on-premises networks
    • One for each segmented lab
    • One for each data center
  • Organizations
    • Corporate network
    • Production network
    • One per lab
  • Sites
    • One primary site per organization

Managed security service provider

Network characteristics

  • Many customers spinning up and down across engagements
  • Mostly small, flat networks
  • Some customers with sensitive OT environments

Sample runZero implementation

  • Explorers
    • One per customer
  • Scanners
    • Only for customers with offline networks
  • Organizations
    • One project per customer to start
    • Promote the project to an organization for long-term use
  • Sites
    • One per customer, or more if a customer has overlapping IP space

Academic organization

Network characteristics

  • Many buildings and networks spread around the campus with varying connectivity
  • Multiple data centers managed by different departments
  • Multiple research and development labs disconnected from the rest of the network and from the internet

Sample runZero implementation

  • Explorers
    • Main network Explorer that can reach all on-premises networks
    • One Explorer per building with low bandwidth or legacy firewalls, proxies, etc.
    • One Explorer per data center
  • Scanners
    • One for each disconnected lab
  • Organizations
    • Main assets
    • One for each lab
  • Sites
    • One primary site per organization, or more if buildings have overlapping IP space
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