IDG Contributor Network: Those devices hidden in your closet CAN hurt you
I recently took over responsibility for IT at my church, an urban congregation with around 500 members, just finishing its first year in a new facility. Most of their core network gear is, as with most other smaller organizations, stuck in a closet which is also used for storage. Recently, I surveyed the equipment in that closet, which by appearance did not amount to much. After a more detailed review, the closet actually contained eight networked devices, including three Internet gateways, a firewall, a managed network switch, an access point, and some miscellaneous equipment.
I also used NMAP to survey the building, and found numerous other networked devices, including the usual mix of printers/copiers, access points, and digital signage displays. Overall, this relatively small church with a staff of 12 had over 40 networked devices, not counting PCs. There was of course no inventory of all of the devices in use.
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