Touchstone 4 Formal Report Assignment Now It's Time To Put A ✓ Solved

Touchstone 4 Formal Reportassignmentnow Its Time To Put All The Tho

Imagine you are preparing a formal report for Greenfield Properties to guide the setup of their new building’s IT network. Your task is to recommend a network infrastructure, including hardware, software, security measures, and connectivity strategies, tailored to the company's needs. The report should explain technical features in simple terms suitable for non-technical executives, highlighting benefits and potential drawbacks. Additionally, include a cover letter addressed to Chris Nelson, the president, introducing yourself, confirming understanding of their needs, and outlining your recommendations with contact information. Your report should incorporate insights from previous tasks about network planning, wireless infrastructure, IP address assignment, and security strategies. Use professional formatting, with a clear introduction, detailed body sections, and a concise conclusion, ensuring clarity for decision-makers. The entire submission must be approximately 2,000–2,500 words, double-spaced, in a standard font like Times New Roman or Arial, with appropriate headings and citations. All components should be included in a single document, with proper references to credible sources supporting your recommendations.

Sample Paper For Above instruction

**Cover Letter

Chris Nelson

President, Greenfield Properties

[Insert Address]

[Insert Email]

[Insert Phone Number]

Dear Mr. Nelson,

I am pleased to present this comprehensive report outlining my recommendations for establishing a robust, secure, and efficient IT network for your new building. My name is [Your Name], and I have extensive experience in designing corporate network infrastructures tailored to meet organizational goals and operational needs. Having reviewed your company’s background, requirements, and expectations, I understand that your primary objectives are high availability, security, seamless connectivity, and scalability to support your diverse workforce and devices.

This report synthesizes insights from the preliminary planning tasks and provides detailed guidance on network architecture, wireless coverage, security protocols, and device connectivity strategies. I am confident that the solutions proposed will help Greenfield Properties achieve a resilient and future-proof IT environment. Please feel free to contact me at [Your Contact Information] if any questions arise or further clarification is needed. Thank you for the opportunity.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

**Introduction

The purpose of this report is to provide Greenfield Properties with a comprehensive plan for establishing a reliable, secure, and scalable IT network in their new building. The client aims to support a diverse workforce with various devices, ensure continuous availability of network services, protect sensitive information, and facilitate easy management and future expansion. Given these objectives, this report offers tailored recommendations grounded in industry best practices, previous planning tasks, and specific client needs.

Greenfield Properties is a real estate company looking to create an efficient technological environment that promotes productivity and security. The expectations include high-quality network coverage, secure access, and manageable infrastructure that can adapt to future growth. This document addresses the core aspects of network architecture, connectivity, security, and wireless integration to meet these goals effectively.

**Network Infrastructure

Designing the network infrastructure begins with selecting a topology that balances performance and simplicity. For Greenfield Properties, a star topology connecting all devices through central switches and routers provides a straightforward and manageable architecture. Fiber optic cabling is recommended for backbone connections due to its high bandwidth and low latency, enabling fast data transfer across the entire campus. For internal wiring, sheathed twisted pair (Cat6 or higher) Ethernet cables should be used to connect desktop workstations, servers, and other wired devices, supporting gigabit speeds and future upgrades.

Regarding server deployment, a mixed approach of on-site and cloud servers should be adopted. Critical applications, sensitive data, and core services such as Active Directory, file storage, and email servers should be hosted on high-availability on-site servers with redundant power supplies to ensure business continuity. Cloud-based services, such as backup and collaboration tools, can be used to reduce onsite hardware costs and improve scalability. The servers should run stable, enterprise-grade operating systems like Windows Server 2022 or Linux distributions tailored to business needs, ensuring compatibility, security, and supportability.

Virtualization is highly recommended to optimize resource utilization, simplify management, and improve disaster recovery. Using hypervisors like VMware ESXi or Microsoft Hyper-V can allow multiple virtual machines to run on fewer physical servers, reducing costs and physical space requirements. The decision to virtualize should be based on performance needs, security considerations, and budget constraints, but overall, virtualization aligns well with organizational flexibility and growth.

**Network Segmentation and Printing

Segmenting the network into different subnets enhances security and performance by isolating traffic and controlling access. A logical approach involves creating subnets for administrative staff, sales, finance, and guest access, each supporting the number of devices and users expected. For example, the admin subnet might support 50 devices, while the guest subnet might support 100. This segmentation prevents unauthorized access to sensitive data and reduces network congestion.

Implementing Virtual LANs (VLANs) provides additional logical separation within switches, improving security without requiring multiple physical networks. VLANs allow administrators to assign devices to specific groups regardless of physical location. Given the company's size, VLAN implementation is advisable for efficient management and security.

Connecting printers can be managed via dedicated print servers or through direct IP printing, depending on the number of devices and security policies. A centralized print server simplifies management, provides security controls, and allows monitoring of print jobs, making it the preferred method for most organizational environments.

Wi-Fi Planning and Coverage

Wireless coverage must be comprehensive, providing reliable connectivity throughout the building, including offices, conference rooms, and outdoor spaces. Approximately 100 devices are expected to connect wirelessly at peak times, including laptops, tablets, smartphones, and IoT devices. To ensure robust Wi-Fi coverage, strategically placed access points (APs) should be installed, with density calculated based on floor area and interference considerations.

A site survey and heatmap analysis will help identify optimal AP locations and minimize dead zones. Using dual-band (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz) Wi-Fi allows better performance and fewer interference issues. Implementing a wireless LAN controller (WLC) can facilitate centralized management of APs, streamline security policies, and improve overall network performance. Security protocols like WPA3 encryption should be enabled to safeguard data transmissions and prevent unauthorized access.

The diagram created in Touchstone Task 4 illustrates the placement of access points, with different colors indicating coverage zones and numbers showing network capacity per zone. Proper planning ensures overlapping coverage for seamless roaming and minimal signal interference.

Network Security Measures

Securing the physical infrastructure involves locking server rooms, installing surveillance systems, and limiting physical access only to authorized personnel. On the network level, implementing a robust firewall, such as a next-generation firewall (NGFW), provides an essential perimeter defense against external threats, intrusive attacks, and malware.

User authentication should rely on multi-factor authentication (MFA) to significantly enhance security. This method requires users to verify their identity through at least two factors, such as a password and a mobile app confirmation or biometric data. Strong password policies are vital; they should mandate complex, unique passwords, with regular updates and prevention of reuse to mitigate risks of credential theft.

Deploying anti-malware and intrusion detection/prevention systems (IDS/IPS) ensures ongoing protection against malicious threats. Regular software updates, patches, and security audits are critical to maintaining a secure environment.

In summary, the recommended security strategies focus on physical safeguards, network access controls, user authentication, and continuous monitoring—creating layered defenses that protect data integrity and operational continuity.

Conclusion

This report provides Greenfield Properties with a comprehensive, easy-to-understand plan for building a high-performance, secure, and scalable IT network. The proposed infrastructure leverages current best practices such as fiber optic cabling, VLAN segmentation, virtualization, and robust security controls to support organizational objectives. Implementing these recommendations will enable the company to operate efficiently, adapt to future needs, and safeguard its assets effectively. I look forward to discussing these proposals further and supporting your successful network deployment.

References

  • Cisco. (2022). Cisco Networking Basics. Cisco Press.
  • Microsoft. (2023). Windows Server 2022 Documentation. Microsoft Corporation.
  • Mahmood, Z., & Khan, M. (2021). Network Security Principles and Practice. Journal of Cybersecurity, 7(3), 45-59.
  • IEEE Standards Association. (2020). IEEE 802.11ax-2020: Wireless LAN Medium Access Control (MAC) and Physical Layer (PHY) Specifications. IEEE.
  • Chen, Y., & Lee, C. (2022). Design Strategies for WLAN Deployment. Journal of Wireless Communications, 54(2), 120-135.
  • Goyal, S., & Kumar, A. (2020). Data Center Virtualization: Benefits and Challenges. International Journal of Computer Networks & Communications, 12(4), 45-58.
  • National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). (2023). NIST Cybersecurity Framework. NIST.
  • Anderson, J., & Williams, R. (2021). Network Segmentation and VLANs. IT Professional, 23(4), 22-29.
  • Symantec. (2022). Anti-Malware Solutions for Enterprises. Symantec Enterprise Security.
  • Jones, T. (2023). Effective Password Policies for Corporate Security. Journal of Information Security, 15(1), 33-47.

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