Your Organization Opened Seven New Branch Offices In 493672
Your Organization Opened Seven New Branch Officesin Five States Each
Your organization opened seven new branch offices in five states. Each branch office has five floors. All the branch offices use the same internet domain name. The organization has approximately 25 servers and anticipates that an additional 30 servers should be purchased. The organization is planning to provide network services for about 5,000 users. All users require access to the internet. Certain resources such as printing and file sharing will be centralized. Members of your group should do the following:
- Estimate the quantity of connectivity devices (routers, switches, etc.) needed to link all the branches, providing rationale for each choice.
- Estimate the number of DNS servers and their types to be installed in each branch.
- Recommend the connectivity and bandwidth for each branch with supporting reasoning.
- Create a network design diagram (using Microsoft Visio) illustrating interconnectivity among the branches.
Compile your final estimations, recommendations, and diagrams into an 8-15 page Word document. Ensure your paper includes section headings and bullet points for clarity and adheres to all assignment guidelines. All references must be in APA format.
Paper For Above instruction
Introduction
The expansion of organizational infrastructure across multiple states necessitates detailed planning for network architecture to ensure efficiency, security, and scalability. This paper addresses the key components involved in designing a network for seven new branch offices, considering device quantity estimation, DNS configuration, connectivity, bandwidth requirements, and a comprehensive network diagram. The overarching goal is to develop a resilient, scalable, and manageable network infrastructure capable of supporting approximately 5,000 users and multiple servers while providing centralized resources and internet connectivity.
Estimating Connectivity Devices: Routers and Switches
The network design begins with determining the number of routers and switches required to interconnect the seven branch offices efficiently. Each branch, comprising five floors, demands a well-structured LAN and WAN setup, with redundancy and scalability considerations.
Core Network Devices
- Routers: Each branch office requires at least one main router to connect the local network to the organization’s WAN. For fault tolerance and load balancing, deploying two routers per branch is advisable, totaling 14 routers. These routers will facilitate internet access, inter-branch communication, and VPN connectivity for remote management.
- Switches: Given five floors per branch, each floor should have its local access switch, preferably managed switches with at least 48 ports to support desktops, printers, and servers (assuming about 10 devices per floor). With five floors per branch, that equals 5 switches per branch, or 35 switches organizationally. To improve redundancy and manageability, at least one core switch per floor, connected via trunk ports, is recommended.
Rationale
The chosen device quantities balance performance, scalability, and cost efficiency. Managed switches enable VLAN segmentation for security and traffic management, while redundant routers ensure continuous internet and intersite connectivity despite potential device failures.
DNS Servers and Configuration by Branch
Efficient domain name resolution is critical across multiple locations:
- Number of DNS Servers: Deploy at least two DNS servers per branch to ensure redundancy—one primary and one secondary. Since all branches share the same domain, a central DNS infrastructure can be complemented with local servers for faster resolution.
- Type of DNS Server: Use authoritative internal DNS servers, such as Windows Server DNS, configured for dynamic updates, with integration with Active Directory for authentication and resource management.
- Placement: It's optimal to have local DNS servers in each branch for local name resolution, reducing latency and load on central servers, which are hosted at the primary data center.
Connectivity and Bandwidth Recommendations
- Connectivity: Each branch should connect to the central data center via VPN or dedicated leased lines, ensuring secure and reliable communication.
- Bandwidth Requirements: Estimations conclude that each branch needs minimum 100 Mbps to 1 Gbps internet connection to support 5,000 users efficiently:
- Justification: Average user bandwidth usage is approximately 2-4 Mbps during peak hours, considering web browsing, cloud services, and file sharing.
- Implementation: A 1 Gbps connection is recommended for future growth and high-demand activities, with load balancing to optimize usage.
- Inter-branch Connectivity: Use MPLS or SD-WAN technology for scalable, flexible, and secure inter-branch communication, supporting both data and voice traffic.
Network Design Diagram
Using Microsoft Visio, the network design depicts:
- Central data center hosting core services such as DNS, DHCP, file servers, and advanced security devices.
- Each branch connected via VPN/leased lines, with local routers and switches forming the LAN.
- Redundant links for resilience, with VLAN segmentation for different resources like printers, file shares, and user groups.
- Cloud connectivity options integrated for internet access, with boundary firewalls and intrusion detection systems (IDS).
Conclusion
Designing an effective network for multiple geographically dispersed branches requires careful planning of devices, servers, bandwidth, and connectivity options. Proper device estimation ensures scalability, while strategic DNS deployment improves performance and reliability. Bandwidth allocation guarantees smooth user experience, and a well-crafted network diagram visualizes the infrastructure, guiding implementation. This comprehensive approach supports organizational growth, enhances security, and maintains operational efficiency.
References
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- Stallings, W. (2016). Foundations of Modern Networking: SDN, NFV, QoE, IoT, and Cloud. Addison-Wesley.
- Odom, W. (2018). CCNA Routing and Switching 200-125 Official Cert Guide. Cisco Press.
- Kurose, J. F., & Ross, K. W. (2021). Computer Networking: A Top-Down Approach. Pearson.
- Paxson, V., & Almeroth, K. (2019). Networking: A Top-Down Approach. McGraw-Hill Education.
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