Project Report Swarna
Project Report Swarna
“Design And Configuration Of DNS, HTTP, FTP And Email Server For Local
Area Network (LAN) In Real Life”
A project report submitted to the department of Computer Science and Engineering of the
World University of Bangladesh in partial fulfillment of the requirement for award of the
degree of Bachelor of Science in Computer Science & Engineering
Submitted by:
Supervised by:
17 December, 2024
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LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL
December 17, 2024
To
Ahsan Ullah
Assistant Professor, Department of Computer Science & Engineering
World University of Bangladesh (WUB)
Avenue 6 & Lake Drive Road,
Sector # 17/H, Uttara, Dhaka -1230, Bangladesh
We are delighted to share the report on the project, "Design And Configuration Of HTTP, DNS,
FTP And EMAIL Server For Local Area Network."
It was a delight to work on such an important and entertaining issue. The report is developed in
accordance with the rules and specifications established by the World University of Bangladesh's
Department of Computer Science and Engineering.
We feel this report will help to provide a detailed review of my efforts. We are available to
explain any aspect of the report or provide extra information as needed.
Thank you for your advice and support throughout this endeavor.
DECLARATION
We hereby solemnly declare that Ahsan Ullah, Assistant Professor of the Department of
Computer Science & Engineering, World University of Bangladesh, has supervised the project
work titled "Design and configuration of HTTP, DNS, FTP and EMAIL server for Local Area
Network".
We confirm that the project report has not previously been submitted, in whole or in part, for any
degree or diploma at any university.
We hereby warrant that the work presented does not violate any existing copyright rules.
We further agree to indemnify the institution for any loss or harm resulting from a breach of the
foregoing agreement.
ABSTRACT
In today's digital age, a reliable and secure network infrastructure is critical to corporate success.
This project focuses on designing, configuring, and deploying essential network services such as
HTTP, DNS, FTP, and email servers in a Local Area Network (LAN). The fundamental goal is to
create a functioning, secure, and scalable network that allows for effective communication,
resource sharing, and operational independence. By hosting these services internally, the
initiative hopes to reduce reliance on third-party providers, improve security, and boost system
speed.
The project uses a systematic methodology that includes requirement analysis, system design,
server configuration, testing, and deployment. Setting up server responsibilities, improving
performance, and putting in place security measures like firewalls, access controls, and
encryption protocols are all critical stages. The HTTP server provides web hosting, the DNS
server resolves domain names, the FTP server allows for file sharing, and the Email server
promotes internal communication.
The successful completion of this project exhibits improved LAN functionality, decreased
reliance on external networks, and increased corporate security. The project also provides
scalability for future growth and hands-on experience for IT staff. While the system met its
goals, further enhancements may include integrating cloud-based solutions, utilizing automation
tools such as Infrastructure as Code (IaC), and improving security with intrusion detection
systems.
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Declaration ……………………………………………………………………………………… 3
Abstract …………………………………………………………………………………………. 4
1.1. Introduction………………………………………………………………………………… 7
Chapter: 3 Methodology…………………………………………………………................... 13
3.1 Methodology……………………………………………………………………………… 13
5.1 Screenshots………………………………………………………..……………………...... 20
List Of Figure………………………………………………………………………………….. 33
Abbreviations………………………………………………………………………………….. 34
Appendices……………………………………………………………………………….…….. 34
References………………………………………………………................................................ 37
Plagiarism Check………………………………………............................................................ 37
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Chapter 1: Introduction
1.1 Introduction
In today’s interconnected world, reliable network infrastructure is a cornerstone for any
organization’s success. A Local Area Network (LAN) is vital for enabling secure and efficient
internal communication, resource sharing, and data management. This project explores the
design and configuration of core network services HTTP, DNS, FTP, and Email servers—to
meet the functional and security needs of a LAN environment. Each service plays a unique
role: HTTP enables web hosting, DNS resolves domain names, FTP facilitates file sharing, and
Email ensures seamless communication within the network. Together, they form a
comprehensive system that strengthens organizational operations and reduces reliance on
external internet services. By focusing on the deployment of these servers, this project aims to
optimize LAN functionality while maintaining robust security and scalability.
1.2 Objectives
To create a functional and secure network environment within a LAN, the objectives of
this project include:
• Design and configure HTTP, DNS, FTP, and Email servers to provide essential
network functionalities tailored for LAN operations.
• Implement advanced security protocols to protect data integrity and guard against
potential cyber threats.
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The importance of this study lies in its ability to address common challenges faced by
organizations relying on external hosting services. Here’s why this project is significant:
1. Operational Independence:
2. Cost Savings:
• LAN-based servers ensure quicker response times for users due to reduced reliance
on external traffic routing.
4. Enhanced Security:
• With direct control over data storage and transmission, organizations can
implement stricter security protocols to safeguard sensitive information.
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5. Customizability:
6. Skill Development:
7. Future-Proofing:
This project encompasses various technical and operational aspects essential for the successful
implementation of HTTP, DNS, FTP, and Email servers in a LAN environment. The scopes
include:
• HTTP Server: Deploying a web server to host internal web applications and
resources accessible to LAN users.
• FTP Server: Setting up an FTP server for secure file transfers, ensuring data
integrity and access control.
• Configuring SSL/TLS encryption to secure data transmitted via HTTP, FTP, and
Email services.
• Preparing detailed guides for each server configuration, covering setup steps,
troubleshooting, and routine maintenance.
• Offering training sessions for IT personnel to ensure smooth management and
scalability of the system.
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In modern Local Area Network (LAN) deployments, the deployment of critical services such as
HTTP, DNS, FTP, and email servers serves as the foundation of network functionality. Each of
these servers is crucial to ensuring that the network runs smoothly and communicates effectively.
This literature review looks at the fundamental concepts, technological principles, and common
practices related with installing these servers.
• Caching and Forwarding: To reduce query response times, enable DNS caching
and configure forwarders for external domain resolution (Hu et al., 2021).
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• Secure Variants: Using FTPS (FTP Secure) or SFTP (SSH File Transfer Protocol)
for secured file transfers.
• User Authentication: Setting up role-based access control to separate permissions.
• Bandwidth Management: Using bandwidth throttling to avoid network congestion
(Chen et al., 2018).
2.1.4 E-mail Server
Email servers allow for electronic mail communication both within and outside of the
LAN. SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol), IMAP (Internet Message Access
Protocol), and POP3 (Post Office Protocol) are some of the protocols used to
configure a robust email server. Key considerations include:
• Spam Filtering: Using spam filters and blacklists to reduce unsolicited emails.
• Authentication and encryption involve using protocols such as STARTTLS and
DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) to secure connections.
• Load balancing involves using load balancers to uniformly distribute email traffic
between servers.
The significance of integrating these servers for unified management is also emphasized
in contemporary literature. Automated configuration is made possible by tools like
Ansible and Puppet, which lower administrative costs and guarantee uniformity among
server configurations (Gupta & Kumar, 2022).
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Chapter 3: Methodology
3.1 Methodology
This project employs a systematic approach to design and configure HTTP, DNS, Web, FTP, and
email servers for a Local Area Network (LAN). The methodology consists of several key phases:
requirement analysis, system design, server configuration, testing, and deployment.
3.1.1 Requirement Analysis
• Conduct a detailed analysis of user needs within the LAN environment, including
anticipated user traffic, data storage requirements, and connectivity demands.
• Identify security protocols to protect data and prevent unauthorized access.
• Estimate bandwidth requirements based on the number of simultaneous users and types
of services like HTTP, FTP, email.
• Prepare an inventory of hardware, such as servers, routers, switches, and client machines.
• Research and select suitable software tools for each server type (e.g., operating system,
server applications).
3.1.2 System Design
• Design a robust and scalable network topology to support current and future
requirements. This includes determining the placement of servers, cabling, switches, and
routers.
• Develop an IP addressing plan, utilizing subnetting techniques to ensure efficient use of
IP addresses.
• Establish security layers within the network, such as firewalls and VLANs, to segment
and protect traffic.
• Document the system design using diagrams and flowcharts to provide a visual
representation of the network architecture.
3.1.3 Server Configuration
HTTP Server:
• Configure teamabc.local to the web address.
• Configure virtual hosts to manage multiple domains on the same server.
• Enable HTTPS using AD CS certificates for secure data transmission.
DNS Server:
• Set up and resolve internal and external domain names.
• Configure forward and reverse lookup zones.
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6. Deployment: Roll out the servers to the LAN environment, ensuring minimal downtime.
3.3.3 Evaluation and Maintenance
• Monitor server logs and performance metrics to identify and address issues proactively.
• Schedule regular software updates to maintain compatibility and security.
• Conduct periodic training sessions for administrators to ensure they stay updated with
system changes.
• Implement an automated backup system and perform regular recovery tests to validate
data integrity and availability.
4.1 Requirements
This section outlines the primary requirements and resources necessary for the successful
implementation of the project.
• The HTTP server must host and serve web pages, ensuring access within the local
network.
• The DNS server must resolve domain names within the LAN, mapping them to their
corresponding IP addresses.
• The FTP server must enable file sharing and secure data transfer between devices on the
network.
• The email server must facilitate seamless communication between users within the LAN
environment.
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• Security: Ensure secure communication between all devices within the LAN.
• Performance: Maintain DNS resolution and file transfer latencies under 50 ms to ensure
efficient operation.
• Scalability: Allow for the integration of additional devices in the future without
significant reconfiguration.
Hardware: o Two Ethernet-capable laptops o One router with LAN and DHCP capabilities o
Ethernet cables for wired connections
Software:
The LAN configuration and service placement are described in the network design.
4.2.1 Topology
The router serves as the central node linking the laptops in a star topology network configuration.
Cabling: The laptops and router are connected by UTP CAT5 Ethernet cables.
4.2.4 Server Configuration: Virtualization or multi-service configurations were used to set up
each laptop to run numerous servers:
5.3 Cabling
The server, router, and PCs require straight-through cables for their connections due to role
differences. UTP CAT5e cables equipped with RJ45 connectors will be used for reliable and
high-speed communication.
The client PCs use IP 192.168.0.103, and the server uses 192.168.0.100. To verify network
connectivity, run the ping command in the command prompt for these IPs to confirm
communication.
Screenshots
Figure: 01
Figure: 02
Here the installation of Web Server (IIS) via the Server Manager.
Web Server (13 of 34 features installed):
The management of IIS resources, including the Default Website.
The site is accessible via http://192.168.0.100 or teamabc.local.
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Figure: 03
This is the default landing page of the web server, confirming that the web server is up and
running.
5.6 Configuring DNS Server
1. Add the DNS Server role using Server Manager.
2. Create a forward lookup zone for domain name resolution (teamabc.local).
3. Configure records such as A, CNAME, and MX
4. Test DNS queries using tools like nslookup or ping.
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Screenshots
Figure: 04
Figure: 05
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Figure: 06
The Command Prompt, the nslookup command is used to perform forward (domain to IP) and
reverse (IP to domain) Forward Lookup Zone: Converts domain names (teamabc.local) to IP
addresses.
Reverse Lookup Zone: Converts IP addresses back to domain name.
Figure: 07
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This is the default homepage of Microsoft web server in Windows Server. It confirms that IIS
is successfully installed and operational . The page is access with domain teamabc.local, which
indicates a local DNS setup for internal access.
Screenshot
Figure: 08
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Figure: 09
Server Manager setup, user creation (User2), and role-based installation for FTP.
Figure: 10
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Figure: 11
IIS and FTP Server roles selected and installation progress completed.
Figure: 12
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Figure: 13
Figure: 14
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Permissions setup for FTP folders, including inheritance blocking and access rules.
Figure: 15
Figure: 16
The FTP site is configured with Basic Authentication to allow specific users (User1, User2) with
read and write permissions for secure file access.
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Figure: 17
Screenshot
Figure: 18
Figure: 19
Configuring site bindings for MailEnable WebMail with an IP address and hostname on port 80.
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Figure: 20
MailEnable Admin interface showing user mailboxes created under the teamabc.local domain
with status, disk usage, and quota details.
Figure: 21
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Figure: 22
Figure: 23
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MailEnable WebMail interface showing successful email communication between two users
(Swarna and Safa).
Chapter 6: Conclusions
6.1 Conclusions
The project successfully set up HTTP, DNS, FTP, and email servers for a LAN, resulting in
secure communication, dependable service delivery, and efficient resource allocation.
Enhanced network performance, robust security, and simpler management are among the key
advantages.
6.2 Limitations & Recommendations
The project successfully set up HTTP, DNS, FTP, and email servers for a LAN, resulting in
secure communication, dependable service delivery, and efficient resource allocation.
Enhanced network performance, robust security, and simpler management are among the key
advantages.
6.3 Future Works
Future initiatives can concentrate on integrating cloud-based server solutions, automating
configurations using Infrastructure as Code (IaC), and improving security through intrusion
detection systems and improved encryption protocols.
List Of Figures
12 MailEnable WebMail
13 MailEnable Admin Interface
14 User Login Page
15 Successful Mail Communication
Abbreviations
Appendices
Tool Purpose
nslookup Test DNS name resolution.
ping Verify server connectivity.
ftp Test FTP connections.
telnet Test SMTP or HTTP port access.
web browser Access HTTP websites.
References
1. Chen, H., Zhang, L., & Li, X. (2018). Secure and efficient file transfer in local networks.
Journal of Network and Computer Applications, 95, 32-39.
2. Gupta, R., & Kumar, V. (2022). Automating server configurations using Ansible and
Puppet. International Journal of Computer Applications, 185(14), 21-27.
3. Hu, X., Wang, Y., & Liu, Z. (2021). Securing DNS services in enterprise networks. IEEE
Transactions on Network and Service Management, 18(2), 1001-1012.
4. Medeiros, T., Santos, J., & Almeida, R. (2019). Optimizing web servers for local network
performance. Computer Networks, 160, 23-34.
5. Singh, P., & Sharma, K. (2020). Enhancing HTTPS adoption in LAN environments.
Journal of Information Security, 11(4), 72-8
Plagiarism Check