Milestone 1&2 was added  for document support

 

Competency

In this project, you will demonstrate your mastery of the following competencies:

• Explain the functions between hardware and software in a network
• Design a simple network
• Design and implement a secure interconnected network in support of an organization

Scenario

Throughout this course, you have been writing various reports as parts of Milestones One and Two for an advertising firm that is opening a new office in Fayetteville, NC.

This mid-size advertising firm already has offices in Albany, NY, and Springfield, MA. The Albany headquarters is home to the executive team and 150 employees. The headquarters also stores the corporate data and is the corporate internet backbone. It hosts the IT department that centrally manages all LAN services, including the wireless LAN. The IT department also manages the wide area network (WAN) that connects the two offices via site-to-site virtual private network (VPN) tunnels. The Springfield office hosts about 50 employees. Approximately 50% of these employees are mobile, defined as traveling more than 80% of the time.

To hire and retain the best talent, the firm allows employees to work from home. This removes the constraint that employees have to live within commuting distance from the firm’s offices. Remote and mobile employees are provided access to the corporate network via a VPN client. The VPN client requires employees to have access to reliable internet services to allow for effective collaboration across teams and for access to media content. The company provides all employees with a laptop with full disk encryption, data loss prevention (DLP), and antivirus software. The IT department manages all corporate laptops and has the ability to log into all systems for support. This means that all laptops are centrally managed by the one IT department.

Due to an increase in opportunities for expansion to new markets, the firm has embarked on an initiative to hire and train new college graduates for the company’s Future Vision program. Future Vision focuses on expansion beyond the regional northeast footprint. The initiative is to hire graduates into the marketing, finance, and IT departments. You were hired as part of the Future Vision program and have been working at this for some time now. You have spent a considerable portion of your time troubleshooting and analyzing the organization’s computer network to keep it running smoothly. Your direct supervisor and lead network administrator have been very impressed with your skills and fast learning abilities.

To determine whether you are ready to take on more responsibility, you have been asked for your input regarding the new Fayetteville, NC, office setup project. Your task is to conduct research on this area and deliver a report to the team with key considerations and recommendations for the setup of the network infrastructure. The Fayetteville office will be home to 50 employees, including the new executive vice president of sales and marketing. All the possible sites have offices located in an office building with access to fiber, cable, and T1 internet service providers. In addition to the standard network, the site must support live video teleconferencing calls with employees based at the other sites. It must also reliably send print jobs to billboard printers located in the company headquarters in Albany.

Directions

The primary goal of the project is to consolidate your findings from Milestones One and Two and compose a succinct and complete solution that you will present to the firm’s executive leadership team about the type of network they should design and implement at the new location.

It is recommended that you incorporate the feedback you received from your instructor on Milestones One and Two. You can use this feedback to succinctly refine your recommendations into a polished report.

Specifically, the following areas must be addressed in the report for the project:

1. Key Considerations
2. Explain your key considerations for the project.
   • Explain the OSI stackin relation to a modern communications network and how it influenced your network design.
   • Describe the important IP rangeconsiderations for a company of your size.
3. Summarize, in your own language, the strategic goals of the company, and detail how the network solution you are presenting aligns with these goals.
   • Remember that these key considerations were addressed in Milestone One:
     • Communications mediaand mode of data transport for the new network
     • Common network hardwarecomponents for this new location

1. In addition, you can make relevant changes to your report based on your instructor’s feedback from Milestone One.
2. LAN Topology
3. In Milestone One, you described the LAN topology possibilities and the strengths and weaknesses.
4. Provide your final revised solution for optimal support that may include any feedback from the instructor from previous milestones.

III. Internet Service Provider

1. In Milestone Two, you described the possible ISP solutions available to meet the needs of the company in its new location. The section was based on your research into actual providers at the Fayetteville, NC, location.
2. This section should include an explanation as to how the chosen internet provider meets the business goals and objectives of the firm.
3. Provide your solution, along with any feedback from the instructor.
4. Hardware and Software, Printer, and Bandwidth:In this section, you will include these additional parts from Milestone Two in your report. You can use your diagram from Milestone Two as a starting point for these three items.
5. Explain your proposed hardware and softwaresolutions to meet the needs of the new office location.
6. Describe your printer configurationsolutions to meet the distance printing needs of the new office location.
   • This could include considerations for tracking devices, automating driver distribution, and controlling access.
7. Explain your bandwidthand device solutions to meet the teleconferencing needs of the new office location.
8. Potential Errors:In this section, you will discuss common network errors and how your proposed solution will minimize and address these issues.
9. Based on your previous report, anticipate common network errorsthat the new location may encounter.
10. Describe effective troubleshootingapproaches to the errors you identified, such as problem isolation, trace routing, and pinging.
11. Explain how these approaches would ensure the resolutionof the errors. Be sure your response is specific to the business location.
12. Additional Considerations:In this section, you will make recommendations for industry standard documentation for ongoing network support.
13. Identify options for network monitoringthat includes maintenance for network hardware and software (for example, port scanning, interface monitoring, packet flow monitoring, etc.).
14. Identify patch managementoptions that will help acquire, test, and install multiple patches on existing applications.
15. Describe how you will control inventory, including how to discover and track assets on your network.

As you develop your work, continue to look back on and consider each of these key elements. Remember, writing is a process that unfolds over time, and it typically requires reconsideration and revision of key elements.

What to Submit

To complete this project, you must submit the following:

Your report must be 3 to 5 pages in length. Use double-spacing, 12-point Times New Roman font, one-inch margins, and APA formatting.

 

 

Networking Project- 3-2 Milestone One

Introduction

Computer Network Need

Two or more computers are connected to share resources using computer networking. The networks can be established up in a house, in a business, and even worldwide, depending on the needs. They allow data to be shared between two or more computer, as well as the distribution of data with printers as well as other devices. They can be configured adaptable and scalable, allowing them to evolve as needed.

Networks are categorized as either wireless or wired based on the technology as well as data transmission medium.

Key Project Considerations

• Organization Name

Hybrid Technology Consulting

• Functional Requirements

Based on the nature of the business and its operations, the following facilities needs to be implemented on the proposed network architecture.

• Website
• Video conferencing, multimedia, and corporate e-mail to be all available
• Access to the internet
• VoIP
• VPN encryption and security
• Web servers for storing the company’s content.
  • Additional Requirements

The additional requirements for the proposed network architecture include.

• Network security and firewall
• Database for keeping track of user information.
• Facilities for backup and archiving
• Recovery from a crash
• The use of encryption (data loss prevention DLP)
• Non-functional network requirements
• Surveillance footage on the internet
  • Functional Hardware Network Requirements

Commercial computer networks are far more sophisticated compared to standard office networks. As a result, large-scale networking components are required to meet the corporation’s demands by handling bulk data flow between separate locations in the network.

 

It must also guarantee that the network can satisfy the expectations of the specific application, which is the main reason for its creation. It must be incorporated into the enterprise’s processes, function flawlessly, and withstand adverse situations (Tsolakis et al., 2021).

In addition, the network should be future-proof to satisfy the rising needs of the firm’s computing skills, which are dependent on the network. If this is not taken into account, the company may face a major setback, as well as a loss of business image.

Networking Topologies

The topologies of wired networks are different network architectures. The physical arrangement of computers in a network is referred to as topology. This has an impact on the entire network’s performance through impacting characteristics like as speed, dependability, and resilience to node failures, among others.

Below are some of the most prevalent network topologies in computer networks.

• Bus Topology. All nodes are linked to a central wire (backbone cable). In this design, connecting a computer or a peripheral device is simple. It also necessitates fewer cabling, resulting in cost savings. The disadvantage is that if the main cable fails, the entire network will fail. When this architecture is utilized for big networks, such as those that encompass a campus or multi-story building, it is also difficult to debug.
• Star Topology. Every device is connected to a central hub through a point-to-point connection in this configuration. It is simple to add more nodes to the network under this design. If one of the connections breaks in this architecture, the other connections continue to function. It needs more cable compared to bus topology and, as a result, is more costly.
• Mesh Topology. Each node has a direct point-to-point connection to each other node in this architecture. The network can manage a lot of traffic since all connections are direct. It is also dependable since even if one connection goes down, the others stay up. Because data flows over a designated path, security is also high connection.
• Hybrid Topology. This topology is made up of two or more of the previous topologies that work together as a single network. The major strength is that it may provide varied advantages given by every distinct network design without compromising the network’s robustness as well as security. It is also adaptable.

Recommended LAN for the Organization

1. Austin, Texas

Because Hybrid Technology Consulting is a corporate organization with a worldwide vision, it must combine all sorts of network topologies in order to accommodate all of the computers at various branches, each with varying degrees of access and security. Hybrid topology is ideal for a centrally controlled IT office.

The rural regions of Austin, as well as the office, have low network use as compared to other branch offices; the primary use is for the transfer of multimedia data to billboard printing, thus there is no predicted increase in network bandwidth demand in this area.

1. Minneapolis, Minnesota, and New York City

Because clients at various levels decrease and increase at different rates, such as shifts and travelling as well as home-based workers, the network needs to meet flexible interconnectivity to add or remove devices in the network, that may be done by implementing star topology.  It was also noted that wireless access points, that is, WLAN are required for Wi-Fi; the access points form a star topology.

1. Individual Branches Requirements

The following bus architecture is proposed from the anticipated future sites in the 2020 plan for backup and hardware sharing, such as printers: It is preferable to create in Rochester, New York, rather than Tacoma, Washington, Rochester, New York, or Fayetteville, North Carolina, since the New York office, which is currently operational in New York City, has only 50% active user load and hosts the corporate media as well as the web servers. It is simple to add new features without the need for extra networking gear.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

References

Clemens, J. Q., Kutch, J. J., Mayer, E. A., Naliboff, B. D., Rodriguez, L. V., Klumpp, D. J., … & Landis, J. R. (2020). The multidisciplinary approach to the study of chronic pelvic pain (MAPP) research network*: Design and implementation of the Symptom Patterns Study (SPS). Neurourology and Urodynamics, 39(6), 1803-1814.

Supply network design to address United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: A case study of blockchain implementation in Thai fish industry. Journal of Business Research, 131, 495-519.

Towards a real-time wireless powered communication network: Design, implementation and evaluation. In 2021 IEEE 27th Real-Time and Embedded Technology and Applications Symposium (RTAS) (pp. 347-359). IEEE.

 

 

Milestone Two

 

Computer Networks Introduction

 

1. Internet Service Provider
2. a) Key Considerations for Internet Service Provider Identification in The New Office Location

Whenever it comes to choosing the right ISP for your company, there are a lot of factors to consider, especially if most of your business is done online, whether it is intra-departmental communication or the medium via which items are sold or traded. The very first consideration is whether a regular or high-availability connection is required. Standard internet connections are typically faster, while high availability has significantly less downtime per annually. Considering that this is an online shop and advertising company that can probably live with occasional network outages I can opt to go with the less expensive and faster regular connection. When considering the connection type, you should also consider the present connection media such as cable, fiber, satellite, or DSL are all options for connecting to the internet. While selecting an ISP, customer support is also important to consider; the faster you can reach a specialist, the faster an issue or outage can be resolved.

A further thing to think about is the needed connection speed for your application. Because there is a lot of communication going on within several locations, including remote access to huge files as well as high-definition video conferencing, this would need to be a very high rating. There is need to also have to think about redundancy, which is necessary when keeping internet connectivity is important – even if the primary internet connection is unavailable. Any ISP’s degree of security as well as the programs they provide to assist safeguard your data are also essential factors to consider. Lastly, we must evaluate the cost of an ISP and its different packages, determining what is the most cost-effective option for your company while still satisfying its requirements.

 

1. b) Comparison of Internet Service Providers in Terms of Speed, Security and Reliability Among Other Factors

In case what you are searching for is fast customer support, affordable rates, and excellent download speeds, AT&T is the option. It accommodates DSL (which we surely will not be utilizing) as well as Fiber-Optic connections, although the latter may reach download rates of 100 – 1,000 Mbps. This does, though, come with a 1TB data cap and a 68/100 ASCI (American Customer Satisfaction Index) score. We can now compare this to Verizon Fios, that is likewise a reasonably priced (though somewhat costlier) option to AT&T. It is a Fiber-Optic-only connection with bandwidth rates of 200 – 940 Mbps. This lacks data cap, contrary to AT&T, as well as an average ASCI score of 70/100.

Quite, how will this relate to the requirements of the company? The new location can have internet access via T1 connection, Fiber Optic as well as UTP cable, so one of the previously mentioned ISPs would really be backed by the new office location, presuming that Fiber-Optic is the chosen connection medium. All these ISPs have comparable bandwidth capabilities, with connection speeds varying from approximately 140 Mbps to 980 Mbps (on average between the two providers). Yeah of course, Fios has a lower top bandwidth than AT&T, but it also has a much higher min speed (200 Mbps vs. 100 Mbps for AT&T).

Based on the similarities as well as Fios’ higher minimum bandwidth speed, I would rather choose Verizon’s ISP bundle to assure that live video conferencing conversations are not only not interrupted, but also remain in HD quality throughout every session. It also is worth noting that there are a lot of Teleconference calls and just a large number of high-quality print jobs (delivered to the HQ printers) can take up a lot of bandwidth, thus an association’s data quota (if one exists) may be reached well before month or year is over. Because Verizon’s plan lacks data cap, this is not an issue.

In terms of security, several aspects of this wide category may be handled in-house by main HQ’s IT department. They need to, for instance, administer a VPN service for greater security as well as central and peripheral locations, as well as retain remote access to servers wherein firewall rules can be adjusted.

Consequently, Verizon provides its own security bundles, which entails standard antivirus protection, 24/7 customer care, internet security software;  however, considering that perhaps the business has its own IT department, it could be reasonable to control most security strategies in-house to mitigate the need to connect with the ISP in the case of a crisis; nevertheless, since the organization likely subcontracts security, it may be prudent to maintain most security strategies in-house; conversely, since the organization probably outsources data protection and related security, it may be advisable to maintain most security measures within itself.

1. Additional Configurations
2. a) Hardware and Software Solutions as well as other key related Solutions

Because the new location will have about 50 workers, they will most likely be distributed out over many levels in the new building. Presuming that the server rack holding the patch panel, switch, and other components will be housed in a unified server room, the demarc endpoint will need to be suitably stretched by fiber-optic link to one or more of these levels. This server room will control the corporation’s broadcast domains in the building, that will be linked to the corporation’s WAN centered around HQ through fiber-optic; fiber-optic is being selected owing to its accessibility, reliability, speed, as well as the fact that it is approved by the preferred ISP.

For the network, I would choose a conventional star topology architecture because of its cost efficiency and resilience. In terms of the offices themselves, rather than installing actual Ethernet connections to each workstation, I would use directional routers cleverly placed throughout the workplace; it appears that many of the people working in the organization will be mobile, constantly moving as they want. Certainly, there may be fixed workstations, but I believe it would be clearer if a staff could walk into the workplace and use several displays by plugging their portable laptop into a docking station.

This way, clients can move at any place while still maintaining their work a single device. The routers in this case are directional such that outside of the workplace, the signal is not sent. I might deactivate the SSID broadcast for the private network for extra security; if set up, a separate guest network would have a distinct SSID with extremely limited rights for any customers entering the premises.

Because live teleconferencing appears to be a major priority for this firm, I would allocate one to two rooms solely to this purpose. A big television monitor (for showing the teleconference call details) will be linked to a computer tower just behind the television. I will also get a tough internet connection linked to the tower to ensure connectivity while having not to worry about physical obstacles, for instance in wireless communication. I will also purchase a microphone as well as camera attached to the conference table through cable or Bluetooth; the camera might be mounted to the screen or the edge of the conference room table. HD grade video would be easily supported because the company’s ISP can handle up to 940 Mbps bandwidth. At HD resolution, a call with 10 or 15 people at once is absolutely conceivable considering the volume of available bandwidth.

1. b) Printer Configurations

When it comes to printing billboard projects on the HQ printer, there are a few alternatives. First, if there is a significant volume of print jobs – for example, if all or most of the staff print off their desktops, IT may wish to add every device separately, filtered by MAC address and password. Nonetheless, if at all feasible, I would set up a workstation (minimum one per floor) for sending print tasks to the shared network storage.

Direct IP should be used to connect to the printer at headquarters. It would be simple to track out the source of each print job, while also making it easier to secure the printer. While trying to execute a print job across a WAN, which would be required to send print requests to the billboard printer from the new offsite location, having the printer’s own IP also helps.

• Network Diagram

The diagram below represents the organization proposed network diagram.

Figure 1:Proposed network diagram..

 

 

 

 

 

 

References

A cost-efficient router architecture for HPC inter-connection networks: design and implementation. IEEE Transactions on Parallel and Distributed Systems, 30(4), 738-753.

Design and implementation of a distributed IoT system for the monitoring of water quality in aquaculture. In 2017 Wireless Telecommunications Symposium (WTS) (pp. 1-7). IEEE.

Microcontroller-based modbus master design and implementation for multiple networks and platforms using object-based design technique. In 2017 14th International Conference on Electrical Engineering/Electronics, Computer, Telecommunications and Information Technology (ECTI-CON) (pp. 616-619). IEEE.

Design and implementation home security system and monitoring by using wireless sensor networks WSN/internet of things IOT. International Journal of Electrical and Computer Engineering, 10(3), 2617.