Consider Neil’s problem at FlexTime. He wants to carefully review the $175,000 network infrastructure proposal and eliminate any equipment or services that he can. At the same time, as the building is being remodeled the walls will be open, so this will be the best possible time to add cabling and any other equipment that FlexTime may eventually need.

Assume that you have Neil’s task. How would you proceed? We don’t have enough information to analyze that proposal in detail. Instead, answer the following questions that concern how Neil might go about making this analysis.

a. Describe FlexTime equipment that is likely to have a wired connection to a LAN.

b. Describe FlexTime equipment that is likely to have a wireless connection to a LAN.

c. Describe customer equipment that is likely to have a wireless connection to a FlexTime LAN.

d. Neil (and you) need to plan for the future. How are your answers to parts a–c likely to change in the next 5 years? In the next 10 years?

e. Describe a process for determining the total wireless demand for a room that contains 50 spinning bicycles.

f. Using the knowledge you have gained from this chapter, list all of the equipment and cabling that FlexTime will need for the new building. Just list equipment categories; you do not have sufficient information to specify particular brands or models of equipment.
g. Suppose Neil receives three different bids for the network infrastructure. Does he necessarily choose the lowest-cost one? Why or why not?
What process should Neil use to analyze the three proposals?