Scenario

Alliance Health is a technology$-$enabled solutions company that optimizes the revenue cycle of the US healthcare industry where its global delivery center is located in Colombo. The company is planning to expand their business operations with their latest branch at Matara and wants it to be one of the state$-$of$-$the$-$art companies in Matara with the latest facilities.

Assume you have been appointed as the new network analyst of Alliance Health to plan, design and restructure the existing network. Prepare a network architectural design and implement it with your suggestions and recommendations to meet the company requirements.

The floor plan of the head office in Colombo is as follows:

Floor $1$:

$$ Reception area

$$ Sales & Marketing Department $(10$ employees$)$

$$ Customer Services Area $$ with Wi$-$Fi facilities

Floor $2$:

$$ Administration Department $(30$ Employees$)$

$$ HR Department $(20$ employees$)$

$$ Accounting & Finance Department $(15$ employees$)$

$$ Audit Department $(5$ employees$)$

$$ Business Development Department $(5$ employees$)$

Floor $3$

$$ Video conferencing room

$$ IT Department $(60$ employees$)$

$$ The Server Room

The floor plan of the branch in Matara is as follows:

Floor $1$:

$$ Reception area

$$ Customer Services Area$$ with Wi$-$Fi facilities

Floor $2$:

$$ Administration Department $(10$ Employees$)$

$$ HR Department $(7$ employees$)$

$$ Accounting & Finance Department $(8$ employees$)$

$$ IT Department $(50$ employees$)$

Following requirements are given by the Management.

$$ All the departments must be separated with unique subnet.

$$ The conferencing room of the head office and Customer Services Areas of each branch are to be equipped with Wi$-$Fi connections.

$$ Connectivity between two branches $($Head Office and Matara$)$ would allow the intra branch connectivity between departments. $($Use of VPN is not compulsory$)$

$$ The necessary IP address classes and ranges must be decided by the network designer and should be used for all the departments except the server room.

$$ Number of servers required for the Server room need to be decided by the Network designer and should be assigned with $10\mathrm{.}254\mathrm{.}10\mathrm{.}0/24$ subnet. $($Uses static IPs$)$

$$ Sales and Marketing Team also needs to access Network resources using WIFI connectivity.

$($Note: Clearly state your assumptions. You are allowed to design the network according to your assumptions, but main requirements should not be violated$)$

Activity $01$

$$ Discuss the benefits and constraints of different network system types that can be implemented in the Matara branch and the main IEEE Ethernet standards that can be used in above LAN and WLAN design.

$$ Discuss the importance and impact of network topologies and assess the main network protocol suites that are used in network design using examples. Recommend suitable network topology and network protocols for above scenario and evaluate with valid points how the recommended topology demonstrates the efficient utilization of the networking system of Matara branch.

Activity $02$

$$ Discuss the operating principles of network devices $($Ex: Router, Switch, Etc.$)$ and server types that can be used for above scenario while exploring different servers that are available in today$$s market with their specifications. Recommend server$/$servers for the above scenario and justify your selection with valid points.

$$ Discuss the inter$-$dependence of workstation hardware and networking software and provide examples for networking software that can be used in above network design.

Activity $03$

$$ Prepare a written network design plan to meet the above$-$mentioned user requirements including a blueprint drawn using a modeling tool $($Ex: Microsoft Visio, EdrawMax$).$Test and evaluate the proposed design by analyzing user feedback with the aim of optimizing your design and improving efficiency.

$($Support your answer by providing the VLAN and IP subnetting scheme for the above scenario and the list of devices, network components and software used to design the network for above scenario and while justifying your selections.$)$

$$ Install and configure Network services, devices and applications $($Ex: VLAN,WiFi, DNS$,$Proxy, Web, Etc.$)$ according to the proposed design to accomplish the user requirements and design a detailed Maintenance schedule for above Network.

$*$Note: $-$ Screen shots of Configuration scripts should be presented.

Activity $04$

$$ Implement a networked system based on your prepared design with valid evidences.

$$ Develop test cases and conduct verification $($Ex: Ping, extended ping, trace route, telnet, SSH$,$ etc.$)$ to test the above Network and analyse the test results against the expected results. Recommend potential future enhancements for the networked system with valid justifications and critically reflect on the implemented network, including the plan, design, configurations, tests and the decisions made to enhance the system.