Task 1
1.1 Discuss the benefits and constraints of different networking systems types in order to convince the management of the company.
1.2 Analyze and clearly identify the requirements of the system for this network.
1.3 Explain the different types of network topologies. Select your suitable network topology options for each section of your network design with reason
1.4 Discuss and justify appropriate network protocols for the company. Discuss how protocols enable the effective utilization of different networking systems.
Task 2
2.1 Critically discuss and select suitable network software and hardware components needed in order to create this network infrastructure by mentioning their functions.
2.2 Identify all the servers required for the company network and discuss the server architecture needed for this network.
2.3 Discuss network hardware you have chosen for all the company PC workstations.
Task 3
3.1 Design the network using diagramming software. In the design you should consider current and future provisions in terms of user requirements and the network infrastructure itself.
3.2 Critically evaluate how the design you have produced in the question 3.1 is validated in terms of user feedback and other key factors e.g. future provision and use of proposed technology.
Task 4
4.1 By means of simulation software, establish a network according to the design in task 3.
4.2 Test the functionality of the network to ensure that your developed network will operate seamlessly in a physical environment so that it can satisfy user requirements. List the results you have found contrasting them with your expected results.
4.3 Discuss how your developed network will cope with future changing needs. Your discussion should address possible enhancement of your network to satisfy needs of changing future environment.
4.4 Produce maintenance schedule to support the network system. Your maintenance schedule should address various factors like personnel allocation, backup and recovery policy, maintaining security & integrity; and general administration to support the users.
A network is basically a combination of both the hardware and the software that are used in connecting the computers for three basic functions- file sharing; resource sharing and program sharing across a particular area; either small or large.
There are various types of networking systems and are enlisted below with each having specific advantages and disadvantages:
LAN (local area network) – this type of network is used within a specific location such as in a college or school campus.
WAN (wide area network) – WAN basically connects several LANs together covering a large area of a particular location.
MAN (metropolitan area network) – this network is a special type of network which is the hybrid between the several LANs and a WAN connecting those LANs.
SAN (storage area network) – this type of network is used where the files or documents are made to transfer from the storage devices to the file servers. This network is used especially in offices.
Advantages of SAN are as follows:
The only disadvantage that SAN possesses is its high establishment and maintenance costs.
CN (content network) – it is a recent developed network especially by the large business companies so as to make easy access for the users to the resources available at the web.
Two types of CNs are developed:
Intranet- an intranet consists of LANs; private WANs and MANs so that the employees of a particular company can get access to the resources fast and easily within the boundary frame work of the company.
Extranet- this is called the extension of the intranet of a company so as to make the services of the company available in the remote locations for the customers and also for the external partners of the company (Hallberg 2005).
Internet- this type of network is used when the company who sales a product or provide a service wants that the unknown external customers to use their website to get to access to the basic information of the company or to get familiar with the work culture of the company.
VPN (virtual private network) – this is a secured network which is generally established by a company so as to promote and provide secured connection across the public network so as to make the interaction easier and fast between the company and its known external customers who are basically the users.
The advantages of VPN are as follows:
In the recent days with there are three more types of network that are developed by the users based on the usages and are enlisted below:
WLAN (wireless local area network)
CAN (campus area network)
DAN (desk area network)
As a network consultant I would suggest my insurance company to have three LANs for three separate departments that they have. All the three will be controlled from one WAN so as to get faster and easier access. Apart from that all the 35 employees of the company who will be using the computers will have separate PAN so as to make their access secured. All for the four servers that the insurance company has should have four separate WANs via a main MAN which will help them to keep their server sound and secured (Byrnes 2010). Also there should be intranet and extranet facilities so that the employees can work without any trouble from within the office arena only and the external known users that is the customers can access the website via the extranet any time during the day according to the needs and demands. Overall a hybrid topology has to set for the company so that the work flow of the insurance company becomes fast and effective and also the interaction with the customers become easier and efficient.
There are six main network topologies available till date for the networking technologies with each having distinct features and corresponding advantages and disadvantages and are vividly explained below:
Here in this insurance company tree topology should be used so as to fulfill all the requirements that the company proposed to have in their working network technology.
TCP ( transmission control protocol) and IP ( internet protocol) are the two major protocols of computer networking systems which are in most of the times linked together for access and sharing of information from the web to the user server. They are combined together in implementing a task and is thus called stack. While transforming information over the web, the information is sub divided into packets which the protocols carry out in the form of messages. This method helps to transfer the information fast to the user without any difficult. While every computer has its own IP address which is determined by the IP protocol thus helping the information to indicate in which destination it has to be transferred. IP does not have any physical existence with any server or computer but it fully depends on the TCP to perform this task.
UDP (user datagram protocol) and ICMP (internet control message protocol) are the two protocols used to transfer small information over the internet but UDP unlike TCP lacks the flow control and also error recovery functions. While ICMP is used to manage the data or the messages transferred over the internet (Price 2007).
Mail protocols POP3 and SMTP (simple mail transfer protocol) are the protocols used for both sending and receiving emails. SMTP is used basically to send mails while the protocol that is used to receive the mails is called post office protocol (POP) and since it uses the latest version of it that is 3 so the name is POP3; but both these protocols have different servers addresses and it uses TCP for this sending and receiving of mails via the internet including the delivery report.
Hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) is used to open a page over the web which is constructed by the HTML language that is hyper text markup language. This protocol uses both the IP and the TCP for the management of transmission.
FTP (file transfer protocol) is used for sharing or copying or even sending a file over the web from one computer to another. But now a day this protocol not only manages file sharing and transfer but also helps in downloading and uploading the files on the web (Zhang 2011).
Insurance sectors are one of the important sectors of an economy. Public is dependent on the insurance company for their future plan, so public wants a better service from the company. The company should be fast and effective with their services and it will increase the goodwill and reputation of the company. It is very crucial for country’s economic development. It will make the insurance companies more dynamic and flexible. The focus of insurance sectors is customer oriented and for this insurance sectors are embracing IT technologies. Due to large data collection, insurance policies and information it has become mandatory for insurance sectors to apply the techniques of software and hard ware. Use of computers software will eliminate the manual system and will bring automated process to the organization (Houpis and Lamont 2008).
Software has acted as a critical enabler. It has helped in developing web based, product design, and online services. It has helped the organization for efficient selling, analysis and decision making. The role of software components is collection of programs in large numbers, heavy interactions with hardware, includes complex data structure and various external interfaces. It also controls business function and enable technical process ( Romero2004).
System software-it is the most important type of software. It use to control and manage the hardware components and interacts with them.
Utility software-it protects the computer such as antivirus software firewalls, disk defragmenters which secure the computer against the harmful effects.
Application software-it is used for specific tasks. It includes office software, web browsers etc. These are used special purpose.
Network software-it may be of two types. These are network operating system and network application software. Network operating system has three components .the first level components which provide connectivity in the network. It helps in communicating between workstation and server across the network. The second one workstation component. According to Hilburn and Julich (2007), it helps in creation of request message and sending them to the server or nodes. The last one is file server component .This component helps in network communication and managing the resources, e.g. LAN, omninet, PC net, IBMPC LAN etc. now protocols can be divided into three levels .Low level consist of Ethernet, token ring, ARC Net. Etc while middle level consists of Net BIOS, IPX/SPX and TCP /IP. The high level consist of IBM, server message blocks standards and NCP.
Hardware is the physical component of computers. It includes the CPU, keyboard and other devices. The components of hardware include input, output, processing and storage devices. Input devices comprises of mouse, keyboards etc, while output devices contain monitor, printer etc. Processing devices contain CPU, memory and a mother board and storage device includes hard disk drives and compact drives. Each of them has it own role and functions to perform the task. Both are complimentary for the computer process. Without the help of hardware nothing can be done with the software and bathe reverse is also true (Taylor 2004).
A server system delivers the benefits of the network –computing model along with the stored data file access. Any local area network could be considered as server system, since the work station request services such as data, program files or printing from severs. It has got three distinct components each focusing on a specific job: database server, a client application and a network. A server gives stress on efficiently managing a resource such as database of information. Its main job is to manage its resource optimally among the various clients request the server for the same resource (Clements 2009).
Application server –it is also known as middleware. It covers a important part I computing between database and the end-user which is commonly used for both connection.
FTP- it is the oldest form of server. It provides the internet services and file transfer protocols. It provides a secure transfer of file between computers and ensuring transfer and security control.
Web server-it provides a constant content to web browser by loading and transferring to web browser. It is communicated with the help of HTTP.
MAIL server-it transfer mails and store through LANS, WANS and across the internet.
Groupware server-it is designed software that helps the users to perform the task together in any kind of location through the internet.
Chat server-it helps the users to exchange information which is similar to internet newsgroup which gives real time discussion capabilities.
According to Taylor (2004), Application, WEB, FTP severs are the best suited servers which will be required for the company .It is fast, renowned and work best with the internet. It will perform the task greatly with the insurance companies. Network architecture is the power of local area network is the ability to support a wide variety of devices. However this can present substantial compatibility problems. For varying devices to be linked together, the hardware and software of these devices need to be compatible, or else complex interfaces have to be built for meaningful communication to take place. To facilitate this complexity, network architecture is being developed that allow complex network to be build using variety of equipment. (Houpis and Lamont2008).
Network hardware -It is an individual component of network system that transferring the data and facilitating the functions of computers. Although it contains many hardware components, there are various categories that make up the total functions of network system. (Hilburn and Julich 2007).
Router- it is a device which is connected with multiple channels for different networks. It works with the help of interface. It is located within the layers of a network that make the path for transfer of information with the router acting as processing unit. It sets up some rules and use protocols to determine information packets to its ultimate destination.
Gateway-this works with different protocols. It is situated in network node and interfaces with another network.
Switch –it contains more intelligence than hubs. It is capable of inspecting the data, determination of source, and forwarding of the data. It performs better than hubs. The switches are mostly active.
Bridges – it allows large area of network into small segment more efficiently. They make the data up to date and make the connection of both sides. It passes the information to correct location. It maintains optimum work on the both sides of the network.
Modems-it converts data into between the analogue forms. It is capable of performing a number of advanced networking features.
Interdependencies of network system with hardware
File server – a network file server is a computer system used for the purpose of managing the file system, the network printer, handling network communication, and other functions. A server may be dedicated is such case all of its processing power is allocated to network function, or it may be non- dedicated which means that a part of servers functions allocated as a work stations or DOS based system.
Network operating system-it is loaded into the servers’ hard disk along with the system management tools and user utilities. When the system is started, NOS boots and other server come under its control.
Workstations-workstations or nodes are attached to the server through the network interfaces card and the cable; workstations are normally intelligence systems, such as the IBM pc. But DUMV terminals are used in mainframe computers. The concept of distributed process depends on the fact that personal computer are attached to the network performed their own processing after loading programs and data from servers. Due to this a work station is called an active device on the network. After processing, files are stored back on the server where they can be used by other workstation. Taylor, J. (2004).
Network interface card-every device connected to a LAN needs network interface card to plug into the LAN. For example, a PC needs to have an Ethernet card installed in it to connect to an Ethernet LAN.
Network cabling-once the server, workstation , and network interface cards are in placed , network cabling is used to network everything together. The most popular type of network cables are –
These are interdependent on each other to perform the network properly. It is basic process which connects altogether. It is a proper system for the insurance sectors to apply this process in order to work effectively and efficiently.
There are six major components for a LAN design which are enlisted below:
Network adapter- it is needed for a computer so as to make it avail to connect it to the network. Computer data are converted in the form of signals which are electronically accessed. MAC is the main job of the network adapter on the web for the computer for which it works. The physical address on the network for a computer is thus called the MAC address. It is basically the serial number of the network adapter. Now a day most of the computers have network adapter integrated with the motherboard.
Network medium- this is basically the cable through which the network is accessed. The most common cable for the wired network is the unshielded twisted pair. Basically the network cables are called the Ethernet cable which is basically the physical standards that is implemented for setting up of a network on a computer. Other medium that are commonly used based on the usage are shielded twisted cable, twin axial cable, single mode and multiple mode fiber optic cable. But the wireless form just generates radio waves from the WNIC (Schuh 2005).
Cable connectors- the common connector used for connecting cable to the computer are RJ 45 via the RJ 45 port on the CPU of the computers. It is called the Ethernet port and is connected with the shielded or the unshielded twisted pair of the network connectivity.
Power supply- wired and wireless both form of network requires the power supply. Wired network uses electronic pulse to generate data and interpret the data while the wireless network requires radio waves.
Hub or switch or even router- hub is that device that connects one computer with the others via on single wired network so that the data interpreted in the form of electronic pulse can be splitter. While a switch is an upgraded version of the hub which just sends the signal to the computer where the arriving message has the address within to access; while routers are robust and also complicated as it sends signals over a large distance via the LAN traffic and for wireless network the wireless routers comes into existence (Schulz 2007).
Network software- software is the communicating medium via which the data are divided into segments and gives a form of a structure called the packet. The header of the packet consists of the source and the destination addresses of the data. The computer needs to analyze these data so that it can use it for network application.
These are the basic requirements for the implementation of the LAN in the insurance company. The best topology that suits the purpose of the company is the tree topology. All the departments will have a separate LAN connection which is controlled by the WAN. Also each and every employee of the departments can have easily access of the web via the intranet with the use of TCP/IP protocols. There should be separate connection for each of the four different servers available for the company- database server, email server, web server and file storage server. This will help the company to enhance the work flow also the utility of the extranet where the known clients or the users can have access to the website of the comp0any generating fruitful interaction between the customers and the company (Shabdar 2009).
The insurance company has four main servers in use-data base server; file server, email server and the storage server; which can generate several types of traffic signals on the web. For that the servers has to be analyzed for classification for quality service in stipulated time bound. The method to enrich the quality is to separate traffic from the access area with the server farm in ensuring efficient service traffic. Also the database access should be checked from the remote branches at a regular interval of time so as to ensure that the WAN traffic bandwidth is utilized appropriately by the users. Here the tree topology is suggested by me as a network consultant so to make the work flow of the company easier and faster (Shinder 2011).
Three important factors have to be tested for any network system- security; performance and reliability. For that the reply time from the host stations has to be checked at first which will ensure the network bandwidth and its effective utilization. Secondly if uplink cable is disconnected frequently while using the traffic of the network then the reliability of the network is in treat which should be fixed. For that the access policy shifting has to be checked from varying the subnet of the computer of the user concern (Singh 2010). Also the firewall alarm at the same time should be observed keenly by sending extended ping to the servers. IDS working via traffic generator software needs to be analyzed from the host computer. Last but not the least the port of connection should be checked if connection is getting disconnected due to faulty in port.
Network architecture or hardware is hard to replace once it is installed and so the administrator of the network has to check the delivery of the service of the network with the help of the instruments available to him according to the quality of service standard specified for performance enhancement (Tveter 2008). For reliable services of the network priority are given to some traffic than the others during the time of access.
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