Virtual Organization Riordan Manufacturing Review The Assign

Virtual Organizationriordan Manufacturingreviewthe Assignment Instruc

Virtual Organizationriordan Manufacturingreviewthe Assignment Instruc

VIRTUAL ORGANIZATION: RIORDAN MANUFACTURING Review the assignment instructions in the University of Phoenix Material: Integrative Network Design Project. Write a 3- to 5-page paper that includes the following based on your chosen Virtual Organization: RIORDAN MANUFACTURING Explain the importance of communication protocols. Identify the protocols in your design and provide rationale for your decision. Define the overall network architecture. Explain the usefulness of a traffic analysis. Explain the terms latency , response time , and jitter , and describe their effect on overall network performance and on the performance of your chosen organization’s network. Explain the effect of data rates on each part of the network. Describe strategies to ensure the availability of network access in switched and routed networks. Self-assess your work against the Peer Evaluation Rating Scale, using the Part 2 Tab. Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines. Click the Assignment Files tab to submit your assignment.

Paper For Above instruction

Introduction

In the contemporary business landscape, efficient and reliable network infrastructures are vital for organizational success. Riordan Manufacturing, a global manufacturing company, relies heavily on its network to facilitate communication, data exchange, production processes, and customer transactions. Designing an effective network architecture requires an understanding of core networking concepts, including communication protocols, traffic analysis, latency, response time, jitter, data rates, and strategies to ensure network availability. This paper explores these key elements within the context of Riordan Manufacturing’s virtual organization framework.

The Importance of Communication Protocols

Communication protocols are essential standards that govern data exchange across networks. They ensure interoperability, data integrity, security, and efficiency in transmitting information. For Riordan Manufacturing, selecting appropriate protocols is critical to maintaining seamless operations across multiple sites, including the United States, China, and other international locations. Protocols such as TCP/IP, Ethernet, and HTTP underpin daily communications and data transfers, enabling functions like order processing, inventory management, and collaboration.

The significance of these protocols lies in their ability to establish common operational rules, reduce errors, and enhance security. For instance, TCP/IP ensures reliable delivery of data packets, which is crucial for transaction accuracy. Ethernet protocols facilitate local area network (LAN) connectivity within manufacturing floors and office environments, enabling rapid data sharing among devices. Application-layer protocols like HTTP and HTTPS secure web-based interactions, essential for customer engagement and supply chain management.

Network Architecture and Protocol Selection Rationales

The overall network architecture for Riordan Manufacturing adopts a hybrid topology combining LANs, wide-area networks (WANs), and cloud-based systems. The LANs are situated within manufacturing plants and offices, utilizing high-speed switches and routers to facilitate internal communication. The WAN connects these dispersed sites via VPNs and dedicated leased lines, ensuring secure and reliable communication across geographies.

Protocols chosen for this architecture include TCP/IP for the backbone communication, ensuring reliable data exchange. VLANs segmented within LANs enhance security and performance by isolating traffic types. Routing protocols like OSPF or BGP are implemented for dynamic routing across WAN segments, optimizing data flow and redundancy. The rationale for these choices is grounded in their compatibility, scalability, and proven efficiency in handling large data loads with minimal latency.

The Usefulness of Traffic Analysis

Traffic analysis involves monitoring network data flows to identify patterns, bottlenecks, and anomalies. For Riordan Manufacturing, conducting traffic analysis helps optimize network performance, diagnose issues, and ensure security. Through tools such as packet sniffers and flow analyzers, network administrators can understand bandwidth consumption, detect unusual activity indicating security threats, and plan capacity upgrades.

Traffic analysis informs decision-making for load balancing, prioritization of critical applications, and implementing Quality of Service (QoS) policies. It ensures the network supports manufacturing needs without latency or downtime interruptions, which could compromise production schedules or customer service.

Latency, Response Time, and Jitter: Definitions and Effects

Latency refers to the delay experienced when data travels from the source to the destination within a network. Response time is the total time for a system to process a request and deliver a response. Jitter quantifies the variability in packet delay across a network.

High latency can cause slow data transfer, impacting real-time operations like robotic control or live video feeds in manufacturing surveillance. Response time directly affects user experience—delays in transaction processing or order fulfillment. Jitter disruptions can cause data packets to arrive out of sequence, leading to degraded application performance and potential system errors.

In Riordan's network, minimizing latency, response time, and jitter is critical for maintaining operational efficiency, particularly where real-time data transmission influences production and supply chain responsiveness. Implementing bandwidth management, QoS policies, and robust network hardware helps mitigate these issues.

Impact of Data Rates on Network Performance

Data rates determine how much information can be transmitted within a given time frame. Higher data rates facilitate faster data exchanges, supporting applications like large file transfers, video conferencing, and machine-to-machine communication. In Riordan Manufacturing, data rates impact various segments, including manufacturing control systems (requiring high-throughput Ethernet), administrative networks, and remote connections.

Inadequate data rates can lead to bottlenecks, increased latency, and reduced productivity. Conversely, excessive data rates may incur unnecessary costs and require advanced hardware. Therefore, designing a network with appropriate bandwidth for each segment ensures balanced performance and cost-efficiency.

Strategies to Ensure Network Availability

Availability of network access is vital for uninterrupted operations. Strategies include deploying redundant hardware—multiple switches, routers, and links to prevent single points of failure. Employing dynamic routing protocols like OSPF and BGP enhances network resilience through automatic rerouting around outages.

Implementing load balancing distributes traffic evenly, reducing congestion. Regular maintenance and proactive monitoring using network management tools can identify issues before they cause disruptions. Additionally, security measures such as firewalls and intrusion detection systems protect against attacks that could compromise availability.

For Riordan Manufacturing, establishing a comprehensive disaster recovery plan, utilizing cloud backup solutions, and maintaining geographically dispersed data centers bolster network uptime, ensuring continuous business operations.

Conclusion

Effective network design for Riordan Manufacturing hinges on selecting appropriate communication protocols, understanding network architecture, analyzing traffic, and managing latency, response time, jitter, and data rates. Implementing strategies to ensure high availability and resilience is essential for supporting manufacturing operations across multiple locations. By meticulously planning and continuously monitoring these components, Riordan Manufacturing can achieve a robust, efficient, and secure network infrastructure that sustains competitive advantage in the global market.

References

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  • Rouse, M. (2021). Traffic analysis. TechTarget. https://searchnetworking.techtarget.com/definition/traffic-analysis
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