Network Design in SLC Corp - Essay Example

? NETWORK DESIGN By Sylvaughn Allen Presented to Computer Sciences And Information Technology Due NETWORK DESIGN Allen2 Abstract The essay discusses the business network designed to be implemented for SLC Corp., a small storage and logistic company based at Surrey. The company headquarters, referred to as SLC-HQ, is located at Surrey ,while at present there are three warehouses at different locations in Greater London. The company employs 200 vans to deliver/collect the goods to/from the clients all over the country depending on the requirement. It has shown excellent performance in providing temporary storage spaces and delivering for the clients, which has resulted in an expansion in the business. A server based network is suggested for the company employing the Windows Small Business Server 2008 to cater for the growing clientele as well as efficient business administration. These aspects include handling of the orders, transportation/delivery schedule management, storage capacity management at the warehouses, allocations of the duty shifts for the operators etc. Warehouses are referred to as WH-A,WH-B and WH-C in this essay. Each is to be provided with twenty Dell PCs and two 28-port managed switches to implement a star-hub topology. A wired LAN is suggested for the server-based network. CISCO is chosen for hardware components. NETWORK DESIGN Allen3 SERVER CONSIDERATIONS Domain Name The first step is to register a unique domain name for the business to host it online.The suggested name is ‘slcorp’ for ‘Storage and Logistics Corporation’. The domain name is then hosted onto the web with the help of Windows Small Business Server 2008. Windows Small Business Server 2008 Windows SBS 2008 is selected because it offers a range of necessary servers for the expanding SLC Corp. businesses like file transfer servers, application servers, mail servers, fax servers,database servers,domain servers for WH-A.WH-B and WH-C,web servers etc. Windows SBS 2008 also offers end terminal services to administrator at the HQ so to ensure network data security and restricts accessibility of network data to the administrator only.It also provides space for back-up data in case of any eventuality by using redundancy systems. Server Disk Space A 1 GB disk space is recommended for the SLC Corp main server located at the HQ,Surrey. It will provides space for back-up data in case of any eventuality by using redundancy systems, along with providing the necessary partitioning of the network data from the user and application data. NETWORK TOPOLOGY USED The HQ at Surrey is to control and manage operations in the three warehouses WH-A,WH-B and WH-C ,which are at different locations in Greater London. Each warehouse has NETWORK DESIGN Allen4 sub sections namely: Delivery and Storage. Hence 20 PCs are installed in each warehouse;10 per section, to maintain the log and record information about type of goods stored, quantity, time for which they are stored, delivery date, delivery venue, specification of the van and the driving staff, maintenance of the employee accounts, etc. A star-hub topology is to be used within the warehouses employing two 28-port managed switches for each of WH-A,WH-B and WH-C. The CISCO 500 Series 28-port switch is selected to reduce the number of hops to the main server, to enhance the performance of the network, to provide a single interface for all client systems and for a better provision of firewall and DSL/T1 connectivity. Two 28-port switches at each of WH-A/WH-B/ WH-C will be sufficient for a network of 56 ports, out of which 20 ports will be linked up to the 20 installed PCs, leaving the unused ones for future or other applications. A managed type of 28-port switch is used, as it allows the administration the freedom to assign IP addresses for each PC in the warehouse, while automatically performing the function of routing table maintenance, system , overload management, internal /external problem specification ,alarm generation in case of security breach. Figure 3.A CISCO 500 series managed 28-port switch The PCs at the warehouses are connected through a wired LAN, as there is a very remote possibility of moving or shifting them around. However, each router switch is chosen which has an access point incorporated in it, this enables each of the WH to be linked up with the HQ at Surrey. NETWORK DESIGN Allen5 Figure 2.Shaded part showing a wireless router which has an inbuilt router, switch and access point in a wireless LAN. Addressing Architecture Internet Protocol version4 (IPv4) is employed as the addressing architecture for IP addresses of each PC at WH-A,WH-B and WH-C. Each PC at WH-A/WH-B /WH-C is allocated a unique IP address. According to IPv4, these addresses will take the form: 192.168.0.1 192.168.0.2 . . 192.168.0.254 Since there are only 20 PCs at each warehouse it means the first twenty addresses will be allocated for each warehouse. NETWORK DESIGN Allen6 Subnet Masking For Each Warehouse. Each warehouse has a pair of 28-port switches, and each pair is linked to the core. Subnet mask is provided to each warehouse so that it acts as the IP address of each of WH-A,WH-B and WH-C. Subnet masking is important because it facilitates and controls the communication of each warehouse with the outside world. Subnet mask for WH-A is 255.255.255.251 Subnet mask for WH-B is 255.255.255.252 Subnet mask for WH-C is 255.255.255.253 Subnet mask allows the core or the HQ server to process the communication between HQ and WH-A/WH-B/WH-C, as well as between each WH. CRITICAL ANALYSIS This essay has provided the design of the network linking a main server using Window SBS2008 at the head quarter at Surrey via a wireless LAN to three warehouses located in Greater London. Within the warehouses CISCO 500 series router cum switch cum wireless access point is used at the warehouses in order to communicate with the core server as well as employees who are on the road making deliveries or collecting good to be stored at any of the warehouses. This enables a network which is secure and efficient in terms that all mobile employees online all the time. They can be accessed via VPN by either of the Warehouses or Headquarter. Ethernet LAN is employed using one of the broadband service providers of the country which cover the whole country, so that they can be accessed or rerouted to save effort, time and finances. Another aspect is using a wired LAN at the warehouses. Since two 28-port router-cum-switch-access points have been used at each warehouse exceeding the current requirements, which is twenty PCs per warehouse, there will be room for redundancy issues to be covered along with future expansion prospects or usage for more applications at the warehouses. NETWORK DESIGN Allen7 References ZDNET 2006, ? ? 10 Tips For Designing a Small Business Network’’,Zdnet [online]available at: http://www.zdnet.com.au/10-tips-for-designing-a-small-business-network-339271594.htm Bradley,M. 2012 ,? ? Wired Vs.Wireless Networking- Building the Right Home Network’’About.com [online] available at http://compnetworking.about.com/cs/homenetworking/a/homewiredless.htm. Stuple,S.(ed) 1999, Networking Essentials, Microsoft Press, Washington. Demand Media,Inc 2012, “ How to Setup A Business Server ” ,eHowTech [online] available at http://www.ehow.com/how_4911254_set-up-business-server.html LoveToKnow,Corp.2012 “ Wireless LAN Images”,Your Dictionary[online] available at http://images.yourdictionary.com/wireless-lan Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P 2012, “Setting Up a Wireless LAN-Do It ” Small and Medium Business [online] available at http://www.hp.com/sbso/productivity/howto/wireless_lan/do_it.html CISCO Systems Inc. 2012, ‘Networking Basics-What You Need to Know’, Small Business[online] available at https://www.cisco.com/cisco/web/solutions/small_business/resource_center/articles/connect_employees_and_offices/networking_basics/index.html Wikimedia Inc. 2012, ‘IPv4 Subneting ’, Subnetwork [online] available at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subnetwork Read More