Context

This task requires analysing a network scenario, design the network architecture and recommend IT solutions including ethical, security and sustainability considerations.The purpose of this assessment is to assess our ability to apply theoretical understanding about hardware, software and networking concepts when planning and designing IT solutions for a small organisation.

Instructions

We have to design report on the given case study. Please carefully read the following network scenario.

Network Scenario:

Suppose we are a network administratorof the ABC company. The company has two local departments: HR and Finance. Currently, the departments are running on two separate networks and the network/system performanceis very poor. As a network administrator, we are asked to redesign the networkso that they are interconnected, and all systems can access the Internet using a single ISP connection. The following details the individual requirements of each department.

1. HR department:This network will have 20 PCs, one IP phone and one wireless printer. All computers must be connected to the Internet. More devices can be added to this network in future.
2. Finance department:This network will have 22 PCs, 2 IP phones, 1 wireless printer and 1 scanner. All computers must be connected to the Internet. The systems must be secure and reliable. More devices can be added to this network in future.

Figure 1: A Sample network connecting two LAN segments

Report Structure

Introduction :

In the Introduction, we are attempting to inform the reader about the rationale behind the work. The introduction does not have a strict word limit, unlike the abstract, but it should be as concise as possible. It can be a tricky part of the paper to write, so many scientists and researchers prefer to write it last, ensuring that they miss no major points. An introduction should emphasize on background, importance, limitations, and assumptions. we should provide a short overview of the network scenario, goals, and methods in this section.

Physical Topology :

In this part, we have to design a physical topology for the given network scenario. A physical network topology diagramwillincludeicons of elements like workstations, servers, routers, and switches, while the lines betweentheseelements represent cable connections. Note that the physical topology need not to be 100% correct as our network design may need to be changed later. Here is an example of the physical topology.

Hardware and Software Components :

In this section, we need to identify hardware and software components for the network. You need to considercost, speed, and other features (CPU, RAM, HDD etc.)when selecting the components. we may categorise the components as follows.

1. Hardware Requirements- End devices, Network devices, Others
2. Software Requirements- Operating System, Application software (features & services)

Reliability & Expandability :

Reliability and expandability are two key features of any networks. The network must be fault tolerant and expandable. There should be a backup plan/system to handle any unexpected events. we need to consider the cost and performance when designing a reliable and expandable network solution.

IP Addressing:

IP addressing will have significant impacts on the future extension of the network. we need to decide whether we will be using IPv4 or IPv6. Whatever we are choosing, we need to justify our selection. we need to subnet the networks in an efficient way to ensure optimal use of available IP addresses. In this section, we need to provide a table of IP addresses and subnet masks for each device of the network.

Logical Topology :

Logical Topologyis the arrangement of network devices and nodes to form alogicalor physical structure.we need to provide a diagram of the logical topology and a short description of each subnetwork. Example of the logical topology.

Figure 3: An example of logical topology

Ethical, Security and Sustainability Issues :

There are a number of issues related to ethics, security and sustainabilitywhen designing a network. In this section, we need to consider issues like professional ethics and standards, impacts of security breaches, and sustainability of the network. we also need to highlight the measures implemented to overcome the challenges related to ethical, security and sustainability issues.

Conclusion :

This section can help the reader absorb our findings a little more. In a few lines, we should summarize your findings. we can also provide some recommendations based on our design.