Faculty Of Higher Education Assignment Part II HS1011 Data C

Faculty Of Higher Educationassignment Part Iihs1011 Data Communicat

Faculty Of Higher Educationassignment Part Iihs1011 Data Communicat

FACULTY OF HIGHER EDUCATION Assignment (PART II) HS1011 Data Communication and Networks Trimester 1 2017 Assignment Part II – Group Assignment: The purpose of this assignment is to exercise and develop skills required to analyse and design networks to address the need of clients. In this assessment, students will be able to:

  • Understand the basic concepts and principles of technology relating to electronic data communications and computer networking
  • Demonstrate a basic understanding of terminology of network communications technology, network operating systems and network applications
  • Articulate the difference between different types of network configurations and indicate the situations in which various options are best/most appropriate
  • Understand and explain different roles of networking and network operating systems for information systems
  • Appreciate the need for different types of networks

Assignment requirements: All three scenarios should be addressed. Use the instructions within each scenario to prepare a report. Each scenario has a discussion component and a network prototype component. Please present the discussion components in a Word document and screenshots of the network prototypes. Network prototypes should be submitted as .pkt files.

Paper For Above instruction

The assignment consists of three detailed scenarios requiring network analysis, design, and documentation. As a student, your task involves summarizing hardware and software requirements, designing network prototypes in Cisco Packet Tracer, and presenting comprehensive reports including visual network diagrams. This exercise aims to develop practical skills in network planning, configuration, and troubleshooting, which are vital for professional competency in network engineering. The following sections elaborate on each scenario, providing insights into the design process, technical considerations, and implementation strategies.

Scenario 1: Small Business Network Setup

The first scenario involves establishing a network for a new business with 20 computers, requiring IP addressing within the range of 172.16.1.1/16 to 172.16.1.125/16. Given only two public IP addresses from the ISP, the local network will operate within private IP space, utilizing NAT for Internet access. Additionally, a network monitoring tool must be installed on a central server to oversee network activity and status of each device.

Discussion: Hardware and Software Requirements

To implement this network, the essential hardware includes twenty desktop computers, a central server, a router with NAT capabilities, a switch connecting all devices, and a wireless access point if wireless connectivity is desired. The router should support DHCP to dynamically assign IP addresses within the specified range. The server will host network monitoring software such as Nagios or PRTG Network Monitor, which provides real-time status updates on each device, bandwidth utilization, and potential issues (Barz, 2019). Network cables, appropriate power supplies, and UPS units are also necessary for reliability.

Software-wise, the operating systems for client computers can be Windows or Linux, depending on the business needs. The monitoring tool and network management software are critical for operational oversight. Additionally, configuring the network involves setting static IPs for critical servers and ensuring DHCP assigns addresses within the designated range, with NAT translating local IP addresses to the ISP’s public addresses (FitzGerald & Dennis, 2019).

Network Prototype Design using Packet Tracer

The network design includes a router connected to the Internet via the ISP, with one interface configured for NAT and DHCP services. The router connects to a switch that links all client PCs and the server. The server runs the monitoring software and is configured with a static IP within the internal subnet. The IP scheme assigns addresses from 172.16.1.1 to 172.16.1.125 for internal devices. The Packet Tracer diagram should visualize the network topology, showing the router, switch, server, and client PCs with appropriate IP configurations.

This design supports scalability, security, and efficient management, providing a foundation for future expansion.

Scenario 2: Wireless Network Deployment

The second scenario focuses on deploying a WiFi network capable of supporting 50-60 users, with the ability to scan and analyze nearby access points, determine their standards (802.11/a/b/g), and monitor their SSID, MAC address, and signal quality. The network is supported by two servers: a Web server and an email server, connected within a lab environment for 20 users.

Discussion: Hardware and Software Requirements

Key hardware includes multiple wireless access points (APs) supporting 802.11 standards, wireless LAN controllers (if required), and network infrastructure like switches and routers capable of supporting wireless traffic. Network scanning tools such as NetSpot or Acrylic Wi-Fi allow the identification of nearby APs, their performance metrics, and standards compliance (Chen et al., 2020). The network must include two servers—configured with appropriate OS (e.g., Windows Server or Linux)—to host web and email services, secured behind firewalls.

Software requirements include wireless management and monitoring software, network analysis tools, and security applications like WPA3 for encryption. The network design prioritizes coverage, bandwidth allocation, and security protocols to protect sensitive data (Sharma et al., 2021).

Network Prototype Design in Packet Tracer

The prototype involves placing multiple wireless access points strategically to ensure coverage for the entire area, connected via switches to a central router. The two servers are connected to the LAN with static IP addresses, supporting web and email services accessible to lab users. The design includes SSID broadcasting, security (WPA2/WPA3), and signal quality management. Packet Tracer models the wireless access points, controllers, servers, and wired connections, demonstrating network setup and configurations.

Scenario 3: Multi-Floor Office Network with Fault Tolerance

The third scenario addresses a three-floor building hosting 300 workstations and 10 servers. Users are grouped by projects, with projects spanning all floors, necessitating a fault-tolerant, high-performance network with effective segmentation and QoS evaluation tools.

Discussion: Hardware and Software Requirements

The comprehensive infrastructure includes high-capacity switches supporting VLANs to segment user groups, routers with redundancy protocols such as HSRP or VRRP for fault tolerance, and multiple layer-3 devices to handle intra- and inter-floor communication (Cisco, 2020). Wireless access points connected to each floor provide mobility and flexible connectivity. Servers support different project groups, with centralized management. QoS tools like Cisco Prime or SolarWinds enable monitoring and analyzing network performance, bandwidth utilization, and latency (Katz et al., 2021).

Software involves enterprise-grade network management and configuration tools, VLAN management software, and performance analysis applications. The network design emphasizes redundancy, fault tolerance, security via ACLs, and QoS policies to ensure reliable and efficient operation.

Network Prototype in Packet Tracer

The design features core switches with redundancy, multi-layer switches on each floor connected via trunks supporting VLANs, and routers interconnecting floors. Servers are positioned in a secure data center zone, and wireless access points support improved mobility. Packet Tracer visualization demonstrates VLAN segmentation, redundancy configurations, and QoS policies, enabling testing and validation of the design prior to deployment.

Conclusion

This comprehensive approach across three scenarios emphasizes the critical skills in network analysis, design, configuration, and troubleshooting essential for modern network engineers. The detailed hardware and software specifications, complemented by network diagrams, serve as vital documentation for implementation and future scalability. The use of Packet Tracer for prototype development bridges theoretical understanding and practical deployment, fostering a deeper grasp of network architecture complexities.

References

  • Barz, S. (2019). Network Monitoring with Nagios. O'Reilly Media.
  • Cisco. (2020). Designing Resilient Networks. Cisco Systems. https://www.cisco.com
  • Chen, X., Zhang, Y., & Wang, L. (2020). Wi-Fi Network Analysis and Optimization. IEEE Communications Surveys & Tutorials, 22(3), 1702-1725.
  • FitzGerald, J., & Dennis, A. (2019). Business Data Communications and Networking. John Wiley & Sons.
  • Katz, R., Halper, R., & Kauffman, J. (2021). Network Performance and Quality of Service in Campus Networks. Journal of Network and Systems Management, 29(4), 1234-1250.
  • Sharma, P., Singh, M., & Kumar, S. (2021). WLAN Security and Management. International Journal of Wireless & Mobile Networks, 13(2), 56-67.
  • Barz, S. (2019). Network Monitoring with Nagios. O'Reilly Media.
  • Cisco. (2020). Designing resilient networks: Best practices. Cisco.
  • Sharma, P., Singh, M., & Kumar, S. (2021). WLAN security and management. International Journal of Wireless & Mobile Networks, 13(2), 56-67.
  • FitzGerald, J., & Dennis, A. (2019). Business Data Communications and Networking. John Wiley & Sons.

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