Security Basics: RE: Managed switches outside firewalls?

["ragdelaed" <ragdelaed () gmail com>]

Sorry if this was already posted, but why do you want to do this? Or what is
the business justification for doing this?

-----Original Message-----
From: listbounce () securityfocus com [mailto:listbounce () securityfocus com] On
Behalf Of Hari Sekhon
Sent: Tuesday, May 29, 2007 4:57 AM
To: security-basics () securityfocus com
Subject: Managed switches outside firewalls?

Hi,

   I need to get some new switches outside of my firewalls, which means 
that they will have publicly accessible IPs if they are manageable switches.

I'm not quite sure what security stance to take on this. I know I can 
restrict the management interface to  certain IPs,  but I'm still not 
sure if this is asking for trouble to have switches will accessible IPs. 
Perhaps I should use a dumb switch and forgo any management features...

Do any of you guys have policies for this (like unmanaged switches 
outside firewalls and managed ones inside)?

Any thoughts and suggestions welcome.

-h

-- 
Hari Sekhon