Assignment Instructions: Congratulations, You Have Been Chos

Assignment Instructions: Congratulations, you have been chosen to build out a network for a new facility for your company, ACME, Inc. Office Schematic, (click here ) each office is approximately a 10'x10' space with 10' ceilings. Building is roughly 125'x150'. Each office should contain two network ports minimum, one for Voice and one for Data. Room B will serve as your network closet.

You will need to provide the following items in your submission: Estimated Purchases list (some examples below) including Switches, Cable, Port plates, Punch Boards, UPS and Power, etc.; a timeline of installation (estimated); chosen typology (estimated); basic network configuration (estimated). Remember to justify your choices. Your proposal should answer the questions above. If you have experience in networking, there are additional things you would "want," but hold on those till later assignments, as the assignments build upon one another. NOTE This means you may reuse information from this assignment in future assignments as well, and I am granting you a waiver of not citing yourself in those assignments.

Assignment must be in a Word document. The numbers are going to be rough estimates, that is understood. Pricing for purchases and labor can be based off of pricing from online resources. Required Format: A timeline of installation (estimated); chosen typology (estimated); basic network configuration (*estimated). Remember to justify your choices.

Paper For Above instruction

The development of a comprehensive network infrastructure for ACME, Inc.'s new facility requires meticulous planning and justified decision-making. This paper outlines the estimated timeline of installation, the chosen network typology, and a basic network configuration, all supported by rationales aligned with industry standards.

Estimated Timeline of Installation

The installation process is estimated to span approximately four weeks, divided into preparatory, installation, configuration, and testing phases. Week 1 will focus on site preparation, including laying out infrastructure and purchasing materials. Week 2 will involve physical installation of cabling, port plates, and setting up the network closet. Week 3 will center on configuring network devices, applying security measures, and testing connections. The final week will be dedicated to troubleshooting, optimization, and documentation. This schedule is designed to ensure minimal disruption to ongoing operations and allows for contingencies.

Chosen Typology

The recommended network typology is a star topology, where all offices connect to a central switch located in Room B, the designated network closet. This topology offers high reliability, ease of troubleshooting, and scalability, which are crucial for a growing enterprise. Using Ethernet switches with gigabit ports supports high-speed data transfer and voice communications. The star configuration simplifies network management because failures in one link do not affect the entire network, and it aligns well with the physical layout of the building.

Basic Network Configuration

The network will utilize a hierarchical architecture comprising core, distribution, and access layers. The core layer will consist of high-capacity switches in Room B to handle aggregate traffic. The distribution layer will connect the core to the access layer switches located in individual offices, each providing at least two ports—one for data and one for voice. VLAN segmentation will be implemented to separate voice and data traffic, ensuring quality of service (QoS). IP addresses will be allocated via a DHCP server, and network security will involve port security, MAC filtering, and possibly VLAN access controls. Power redundancy will be ensured through UPS units for critical equipment.

Justification of Choices

The selection of a star topology aligns with best practices for office environments due to its straightforward management and resilience. Gigabit Ethernet switches support current bandwidth demands and future scalability. Segmenting voice and data traffic via VLANs enhances security and performance, which is essential for minimizing latency and preventing eavesdropping. A hierarchical network structure simplifies expansion and maintenance, reducing downtime during upgrades or troubleshooting. The estimated timeline balances thoroughness with efficiency, allowing for adequate setup, testing, and adjustment phases.

Estimated Purchases

• Network Switches: Managed gigabit switches (e.g., Cisco Catalyst series) – approximately 8 units
• Cabling: CAT6 Ethernet cables for each office and backbone – approximately 1,000 feet
• Wall Plates and Port Connectors: Dual port plates for each office
• Punch Boards and Patch Panels: 24-port punch down panels for structured cabling
• Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS): For core switches and vital equipment
• Power Strips and Rack Mounts: For equipment organization in Room B

Conclusion

The proposed network design for ACME, Inc. combines industry-standard best practices with justified hardware and topology choices to ensure a reliable, scalable, and secure infrastructure. The estimated timeline allows for a systematic deployment while minimizing operational disruptions. Future expansions can be accommodated within this framework, ensuring that the network remains robust and adaptable.

References

• Cisco Systems. (2022). Cisco Catalyst Switches Data Sheet. Cisco. https://www.cisco.com
• Odom, W. (2021). CCNA 200-301 Official Cert Guide. Cisco Press.
• Seifert, R. (2019). Data and Computer Communications. Elsevier.
• Kurose, J. F., & Ross, K. W. (2020). Computer Networking: A Top-Down Approach. Pearson.
• Parker, N. (2018). Building a Small Office Network. TechTarget. https://www.techtarget.com
• U.S. General Services Administration. (2020). Office Building Standards. GSA Publications.
• Cisco. (2023). VLAN Configuration Best Practices. Cisco Documentation. https://www.cisco.com
• Horwath, S. (2017). Structured Cabling Standard. BICSI.
• Williams, B. (2022). Network Redundancy and Failover Strategies. Network World. https://www.networkworld.com
• IEEE Standards Association. (2021). Ethernet Networking Standards. IEEE 802.3.