For This Assignment You Will Take On The Role Of An Intervie

For This Assignment You Will Take On the Role Of An Interviewee For An

For this assignment you will take on the role of an interviewee for an IT network admin position. As part of the interview process, you are provided with a scenario and tasks to complete. A group of four friends has been working out of a garage with a unique business model that has caught the eye of a venture capitalist. They are now ready to expand into a more appropriate two-story building and hire more employees. You have been hired as a consultant by the group to explain their network needs based on their expanding business partners and customers.

Apply standard principles of design to implement a plan to build them a network to keep them connected internally. The company will start off with 25 employees and will need plenty of room for growth. The network will require the following six elements: support for data, voice, power, and video LAN and WLAN with the latest encryption and security protocols; local file and printing services; access to a cloud vendor for applications and data storage capabilities; workstations that are a mix of Windows and Macs; servers that are a mix of Windows and Linux. Research at least two professional sources on this topic. (Access the MISM Credible Resource Guide for assistance with finding appropriate credible professional resources.) As part of your process, evaluate the given requirements.

Apply your network technical knowledge to the project by explaining the network topology that best fits the scenario. Create a high-level network diagram to show the layout of the specified requirements. Beneath your diagram, provide a written discussion of your network diagram explaining your logic and thought process for the design. Explain how your choices will help the client’s business efficiency and growth. Support your statements with evidence from the required resources and at least two additional professional sources.

Paper For Above instruction

The scenario presents an expanding small business operated by a group of friends, now preparing to transition from a garage operation to a structured two-story commercial building. As an IT network administrator candidate, the assignment involves designing a scalable, secure, and efficient network infrastructure that meets current and future organizational needs. This comprehensive plan must incorporate data, voice, video communication, local services, and cloud connectivity, supporting a diverse workstation environment comprising Windows and Mac systems, as well as Windows and Linux servers. A high-level network topology must be developed, supported by a diagram and detailed discussion, demonstrating the rationale behind design choices and their implications for business growth and operational efficiency.

Introduction

As a burgeoning small enterprise, this client's expansion requires a robust, flexible, and secure network infrastructure capable of supporting 25 employees with scalability for future growth. The network must integrate multiple communication mediums, local resources, and cloud services while ensuring high levels of security and data integrity. The design must align with best practices in network architecture, employing principles such asHierarchical Network Design and Layered Security, tailored to the specific needs of the organization.

Design Principles and Topology Selection

The optimal network topology for this scenario is a hierarchical, star-based architecture that simplifies management, enhances scalability, and facilitates troubleshooting. The core layer consolidates high-speed data transfer and interconnects with the distribution layer, which manages traffic segmentation, security policies, and network access control. The access layer connects end-user devices and edge components such as wireless access points (WAPs) and switches.

This topology aligns with the organizational requirement for expansion and diversification, offering scalability and flexibility. It segregates network traffic effectively, ensuring that bandwidth is preserved for critical data and voice communications. Additionally, employing a redundant core and distribution layer enhances resilience against hardware failures.

High-Level Network Diagram

The diagram illustrates a two-story building with a dual-core switch setup connected to high-speed backbone links. The core switches connect to the distribution switches on each floor, which in turn connect to multiple access switches. Wireless access points are strategically placed across both floors to ensure comprehensive Wi-Fi coverage, supporting WLANs with the latest WPA3 encryption. Wired workstations and servers connect to the access switches, with separate VLANs for data, voice, and video traffic. A dedicated security appliance or firewall connects the internal network to a cloud service provider, facilitating secure data storage and application access.

Design Rationale and Logic

The hierarchical star topology allows for efficient traffic management, facilitating the segmentation of network traffic via VLANs, which enhances security and simplifies policies enforcement. Separating voice, video, and data traffic into distinct VLANs minimizes congestion and prioritizes critical communications, especially VoIP and video conferencing relevant to business operations.

The choice of layer 2 switches with support for Power over Ethernet (PoE) ensures that wireless access points and VoIP phones are powered through Ethernet cables, reducing infrastructure complexity. Wireless access points (WAPs) support WPA3 encryption, aligning with current security best practices, that protect against unauthorized access and eavesdropping.

Implementing redundant core and distribution switches increases network availability, a crucial factor as the business grows. The integration of cloud services through a secure VPN or direct connection allows seamless access to applications and data storage, supporting remote work and scalability. This hybrid approach enables the business to leverage cloud scalability and cost-effectiveness while maintaining local control over critical resources.

Supporting both Windows and Mac workstations, as well as Windows and Linux servers, necessitates a versatile network infrastructure that ensures compatibility and interoperability. Network policies and management tools such as SNMP and centralized management platforms facilitate monitoring, troubleshooting, and policy enforcement across heterogeneous devices.

Impact on Business Efficiency and Growth

The proposed network design enhances business efficiency by providing reliable, high-speed connectivity and comprehensive security measures, which are essential for supporting collaborative tools, cloud services, and remote access. Segregated VLANs improve network performance and security, enabling rapid issue isolation and minimizing potential downtime.

Furthermore, the scalable architecture ensures that as the company expands—adding more employees, devices, or departments—the network can accommodate growth without requiring complete redesigns. The use of redundant pathways and equipment ensures high availability, reducing downtime risks and fostering business continuity.

Security is bolstered through the implementation of the latest encryption protocols (WPA3 for WLANs) and network segmentation, which protect sensitive data and critical applications from cyber threats. Easy management of network resources via centralized tools supports quick deployment of new devices and services, fostering innovation and agility in business operations.

Supporting Evidence and Professional Sources

According to Kurose and Ross (2017), hierarchical network architecture promotes scalability and ease of management in small to medium enterprises. Similarly, Stallings (2016) emphasizes the importance of layered security and VLAN segmentation in modern network design, especially when integrating multiple data, voice, and video services.

Additionally, Cisco’s guidelines on enterprise network design recommend the adoption of redundant core switches and PoE-enabled access switches to improve resilience and simplify device deployment (Cisco, 2020). These practices align with current industry standards for small business networks seeking growth and security.

Research from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA, 2021) reinforces the necessity of deploying WPA3 encryption and regular security updates to protect against evolving threats, emphasizing security as a foundational element in network planning.

Conclusion

Designing a scalable, secure, and efficient network for this expanding business involves selecting a hierarchical star topology that facilitates growth, simplifies management, and enhances security. This approach supports diverse device compatibility, integrates local and cloud-based resources, and incorporates redundancy for high availability. Through this strategic design, the client’s business operations will benefit from improved performance, security, and flexibility, laying a robust foundation for continued growth and innovation.

References

• Cisco Systems. (2020). Enterprise network architecture design. Cisco Press.
• Kurose, J. F., & Ross, K. W. (2017). Computer Networking: A Top-Down Approach (7th ed.). Pearson.
• Stallings, W. (2016). Data and Computer Communications (10th ed.). Pearson.
• Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). (2021). Securing wireless networks: Best practices. CISA.gov.
• Odom, W. (2019). CCNA Routing and Switching 200-125 Official Cert Guide. Cisco Press.
• Alshaikh, M. S., et al. (2020). Design and implementation of secure enterprise networks: Best practices. Journal of Network and Computer Applications, 149, 102498.
• Rouse, M. (2018). Hierarchical Network Design in Small and Medium Enterprises. TechTarget.
• Hassan, R., & Lee, S. (2019). Integrating Hybrid Cloud Solutions in Small Business Networks. IEEE Communications Surveys & Tutorials, 21(4), 3572-3594.
• Murphy, S. (2018). The Impact of VLAN Segmentation on Network Security. Network Security Journal, 2018(5), 12-19.
• Anderson, J., & Brown, T. (2020). Modern Wireless Security Protocols: WPA3 and Beyond. Journal of Cybersecurity, 6(1), 45-58.