Network Design Sample Paper

Defining subnets

The subnets will be defined based the purpose of each category or department. For instance, there are four defined computers purpose in the university. They include student learning computers placed in the class laboratory, the classes also has instructors computers. This will make two subnet one serving teaching staffs and the other one serving students so as to limit on student’s access to teachers content. The third group will be library subnet where computers are only used to search books and office subnet where computers are used for administration purposes. Therefore there will be total of 4 subnets. The first subnet will include all computers in the six computer lab classes and the student computer labs, but it will not include the instructors’ computer. Therefore it will comprise of 144 computers which include 24 computers from each class and two servers catering for the computer lab classes in each floor. The second subnet will cater for instructors’ computers connection. Therefore there will be a total of 11 computers in that subnet and a server in one of the server rooms. The third subnet will be in the library and it will serve all the computers in the library both students and staffs computer and students computer lab computers. Thus it will hold a total of 46 computers. In addition, there will be a server to cater for this subnet. The last subnet is the office subnet comprising of both administrative office and other offices. In this regard the subnet will comprise of 11 computers, a shared printer, a shared photocopier, phones in the network for each office and a server.

The university will adopt a class A network which is a private network. The network address in this case will be 10.11.0.0/16. The subnet mask will be 255.255.0.0 and a broadcasting address of 10.11.255.255. The network will accommodate a total of 65534 hosts and a maximum of 256 subnets. The network will utilize a total of 4 subnets with the first one running from 10.11.0.1 to 10.11.16.254; the second one will run from 10.11.17.1 to 10.11. 32.254, the third will run from 10. 11.33.1 to 10.11.48.254; and the last one will run from 10.11.49.1 to 10.11.68.254 (Akidi, n.d.).

Network Design

Topology

The network will adopt hybrid topology that will include star-bus topology. Star connection will be used to connect computer in one room while bus topology will be used to enhance the connection from one room to another for those computers connect beyond one building. Star topology is used since the failure of one connection does not affect the operational of another computer. Star connection also reduces the collision in the network since each workstation has its own separate cable unlike in ring connection where all packets have to rely on the same line. The bus topology will be used to connect sub LAN into a major LAN especially in the students’ class lab setup where the six labs will be required to form one LAN. It will also be used to connect the instructors’ computer together in a row together with the server in the student computer lab which will form another subnet. The two remaining subnets will be connected by use of a star topology. All these subnets will then be connected to an internet link via a server place in the first floor in a star topology structure (Peterson & Davie, 2010).

Suitable Network Media to Use

The company will adopt both cabled and wireless network system. The connection within the company will be offered by use of cabling where CAT cables will be used to enhance LAN connection. This includes connection between computers in the same room, connection between sub networks in one floor or in the two floors that university occupies. The company will then receive a wireless T-1 link from Verizon Company. This link will supply internet to the university at the speed of 1.5Mbps. The internet connection is then linked to the main university system using a cable link which is passed through a firewall, then to a router and finally to the first floor server. The university will also allow wireless connection on students’ lobby to allow them to access internet using their personal mobile devices.

Suitable Network Connection Devices

The company will adopt a physical cabling network system. In this case the company will use CAT cables to enhance connection between computers and also between sub LANs. The CAT cables will be terminated using RJ 45 clips to enhance their connection. The network will also need switches to enhance a star topology connection. A star topology will be adopted in the six computer classes where each class will have two switches each with 16 ports accommodate the 24 computers, the server and the bus cable which is meant to connect each class with others in its subnet. It will also be used in connecting computers in the Student computer laboratory. Here a 24 and 16 port switches will be used to enhance the connection. A switch of 24 ports will be used in the library and also 8 ports switch will be used in the administration office to enhance the star connection there.

The network will also have 12 servers. The two main servers provided in the instructions one in the first floor and the other in the second floor. There will be six servers each in every class laboratory and a server in the student computer laboratory. Another server will serve in the library and another one in the administration works. One more server will handle the tutors’ database. All these servers will be connected to the main servers in their floors. The two main servers will be connected to each other using a bus connection which will be used to distribute internet from the first floor to the second floor. The company will receive T-1 link of internet connection from the Verizon. The connection will be wireless though it will be distributed to the company’s network using the cabled system. The company will also provide wireless services to the students lobby area. In this regard, the company will require a normal router and a wireless router. The wireless router will placed close to the student lobby to supply the wireless signal there. The normal router will then go to server in the first floor which will provide the internet connection to the rest of the university system. The system will also need a firewall between the T-1 link line and the router. This will be meant to ensure total security and that there are no attacks from outside the system. A patch panel may be required before the cables are directed to the switch connected to the main server to enhance the identification of subnets in which every cable originates from. In this case two patch panels will be needed one for the first floor server and the second one for the second floor serve. This will enhance tracing of possible network problems and other network related issues.

Floors Layout

In the first floor, Classroom 5 will have a star topology connection linking 24 computers and a server. This classroom will have two switches each with 16 ports. Each switch will serve 12 computers; one port in each will be used to set a bus that links the two switches. The server will be attached to one switch in any of the switch. Another port will be used to connect the sub LAN to the other classrooms sub LAN. A similar layout will be seen in Classroom 2 and 5 in the first floor and also in classroom 4, 1 and 2 in the second floor. The bus connection will run from classroom 1 to 2 and then to 5 in the first floor and then from class 5 to class 4 in the second floor then to class one then 2 and then to the main server room in the second floor.

The second major star connection will take place in the computer lab. The second major connection will involve the library connection where 24 ports switch will be used to connect the 15 computers. A bus link will then be used to link the library to the student’s computer lab where 31 computers will be connected in a 24 ports switch and 16 ports switch. This will then be linked to the server in the first floor using a bus link. The Administration office in the first floor will also have a star connection involving five computers, telephone, printer and a scanner. Therefore the connection will take16 ports switch. The connection will then assume a bus connection to office number 4, then office number 1 and then office number 3 all in the first floor. It will then shift to the second floor to office number 1, office number 3, then to office number 2 and finally to sever room in the second floor server room.

The next connection will be just a bus connection connecting tutors’ computer from one class to another. This will start from the second floor from classroom number five to classroom number 6, to number 4, then number 3, number 2 and finally number one. The bus will then drop to the first floor to classroom number 1, classroom number 2, classroom number 3 then classroom number 5, then classroom number four and finally to server in the room in the first floor.

Additional servers and Network Devices

The two provided server will serve in connecting the entire network together. However, the system will need more servers to ensure effective operation of the server, the university will require 10 more severs to be utilized as discussed above. The network will need more networker devices that include routers, switches, firewall, and patch panels. Router is a network device used to forward packets of data along the network. A route will help in linking the company’s network to the internet. Switch is a network device which links devices together in a computer network to enhance packet switching.  A firewall is security system of a network that involves either software or a hardware which manages the outgoing and incoming network traffic founded on a set of rules. Patch panel is a network device that aids in organizing cabling in a network to enhance labeling and repair and also to ease the use of switches. A network server on the other hand is a central programs and data repository shared by network users (Bakadjieva, n.d.).

Justification of the Selected Device

Router is a network device used in linking two different networks together. In this case, the company needs to link its LAN with the internet or World Wide Web and thus router is necessary in this case.  Switches are necessary in this network system since there are a number of devices to be connected together to enhance the network operations. They include computers, printers, photocopiers, routers, servers, and telephones among others. Firewall on the other hand is used to ensure that packets released to other networks are well scrutinized and that no malicious packets get into the university networks. It sieves what comes in and what gets out. In this regard, firewall is necessary in enhancing the network security.  Patch Panel will be necessary since the LAN will involve a number of subnets that will also involve a lot of cabling. In this regard a more organized cabling will be required to enhance maintenance and identification of faults in case they take place. A server in this case will be necessary for storing data in a department or class and also for running programs that are needed by all users in a sub-LAN or in the entire LAN.

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