Microsoft Teams Rooms LAN Recommendations

[aseemanand]

Hi Team,

Hope everyone is doing well!  Can someone please help provide some LAN recommendations for the MTR devices (Windows-based)?

Questions- 

a. Is there any advantage of putting these devices in a separate VLAN or they can be put in the data VLAN? 

b. Also, are there any security benefits of having these devices in a separate VLAN? 

c. Do they need to be AD joined? 

Thanks,

Aseem Anand

[#2 · Accepted solution]

Hi @aseemanand,

here are some answers to your questions:

Question a)

Advantages of placing MTR (Meeting Room) devices in a separate VLAN:

1. Enhanced Security: Isolating MTR devices in their own VLAN reduces the risk of security breaches affecting other network devices, which is particularly crucial if MTR devices are using outdated or vulnerable software.
2. Improved Performance: MTR devices often generate significant network traffic. Separating them into their own VLAN can help optimize performance for other devices on the network.
3. Simplified Management: Managing and troubleshooting MTR devices becomes more streamlined when they're in a dedicated VLAN. You can easily apply security policies and updates to the entire VLAN and monitor traffic and performance effectively.

Disadvantages of placing MTR devices in a separate VLAN:

1. Increased Complexity: Managing multiple VLANs adds complexity to network administration. It necessitates configuring switches, routers, and firewall rules for inter-VLAN traffic.
2. Cost Considerations: Implementing multiple VLANs might require investing in additional networking equipment, making it a potential cost factor.

The decision to isolate MTR devices in a separate VLAN should align with your network's specific needs. It's an advantageous choice for bolstering security and performance, but may be less practical for those on a budget or with limited expertise in managing multiple VLANs.

Question b)

Yes, there are security advantages to segregating MTR devices in their own VLAN.
This isolation reduces the risk of security breaches affecting other parts of the network.

Furthermore, you can implement firewall rules to restrict communication between the MTR VLAN and other VLANs, thus preventing unauthorized access and potential network attacks originating from MTR devices.

Question c)

The necessity of joining MTR devices to Active Directory (AD) depends on your network's specific requirements. If your network already uses Active Directory to manage other devices, it is advisable to also join MTR devices to AD. This enables streamlined management of user accounts and permissions for MTR devices and simplifies the deployment and configuration process.

However, if Active Directory is not used for managing other devices on your network, there's no compulsion to join MTR devices to AD. Local management of MTR devices remains feasible even without domain membership.

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Kindest regards,

Leon Pavesic
(LinkedIn)

[#3]

Thank you for the detailed response. If it has to be a separate VLAN then is it mandatory to put them in a Voice VLAN or a separate data VLAN would work as well?