Networking Essentials - Case Study Example

Course Name – Networking Essentials Course Number – 31270 Case Study Title – Case Study Case Study due date – 15th May, 2013 Word Count – 2200 Group members Names UTS Student ID Numbers 1……………………. ……………………………….. 2 3 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This document begins with a brief introduction of how the documents have been organized followed by definition of technical terms that the writer has used. The writer then proceeds to the main body where he introduces networking, the type of network used and the reason for choice of such network. The networking standards recommended for the network have also been extensively discussed. Details of the hardware and software used in the network have been discussed comprehensively with the respective reasons for choosing such hardware. Two diagrams, one for the horizontal cabling and the other for vertical cabling have been drawn to illustrate who the school networking will be done. These diagrams show the details of routers, hubs and cables in the network. The last part has a table showing how the subnetting will be done for the network, it illustrates how network in the schools will be subdivided by subnetting using 255.255.255.224 as the subnet mask, the host range is large enough in each subnet allowing at least 30 host PCS and accessories per subnet in the eight subnets for the school school. INTRODUCTION This document is an answer of to question submitted to class by the lecturer as of requirement of completing networking essentials course in the faculty of engineering and information technology. The assignment requires the learners to establish a three sited school network plan for a boy’s high school which is a multiple building site, a girl’s high school which is also a multiple building site and a primary school which is a single two storey building site. the assignment requires the learner to provide details for cabling between the three school sites and cabling within each school site so that the boys and the girls high school has 3 computer lab of twenty computers each and the primary school has a computer lab of twenty computers. Other things the learners will be required to provide include diagrams of both the horizontal and vertical cabling, equipment room and subnet to the networks. Definitions of the technical terms i) Subnet This is a subdivision of a larger network created from a single IP address. ii) Subnet Addresses This refers to the subnet portion of an IP address. iii) Subnet Mask This refers to the bit pattern that identifies the parts of an IP address corresponding to the network, subnet, and host portions of the address. It is also called an address mask. iv) Subnetting This refers to the process of dividing a larger network into multiple smaller networks to reduce broadcast traffic on the network. v) Internet protocol (IP) This defines the rules used for exchange and transfer of data between communicating devices in the network and the specific application data transmission formats. COMPUTER NETWORK A computer network refers to the interconnection of telecommunication devices to allow exchange of data or information between different communication devices such as computer software, and people. It is the physical construction of network infrastructure; or basically inter-connecting networks devices to facilitate data or information exchange. Computer networking requires appropriate planning. Network planning refers to the process of designing the structure of the network, defining standards and defining the hardware and software that will be used in the physical networking. It is in the planning process that one is required to identify the technical variables that demand a number of technologies to be considered. Network requirements A good network must be able to provide an effective platform for information exchange, effective management devices, support logging, troubleshooting, and security, among other management roles. The schools network will cover the several buildings all connected into one enterprise network that consists of many local area networks (LANs). The various LANs will be for various sections of the school such as the Girls, Boys and Staff building. The school network will therefore be an interconnection of several LANs. The network protocols and wiring technologies will use WAN technology; however, it will not require an equal size bandwidth. The network should use the recommended standards; networking standards ensures that versatile cable that facilitates smooth transfer of data in different forms is used in interconnecting devices. Standards also help in establishing networks that are durable and remain relevant for a long period of time. This includes voice, music, video, alphanumeric and support of multivendor environment among others. Network standards also will help in guiding the learners in choosing the appropriate equipment that serves a given purpose. The specifics areas where these standards will be applied in networking include connecting hardware and cables, user interface, topology, performance, cabling distances, channel performance and installation distances. Standards that shall be followed in networking on Backbone Cabling is key, the intrabuilding cables to be used shall be of 5e category. This has been chosen because they are ISO standard recommended; also it is because of their capacity to transmit high volume of data faster. Single- mode, 83/125 µm optical fiber optic cables shall be used as backbones in the interbuilding networking. This is because the fiber optic cable has broader bandwidth compared to other cables. Medium selected Computer network can either be wireless medium or with cables. The writer has selected cabling for this network because of the following reasons:- i) Large bandwidth Structured cabling has been recommended because it is able to handle large data traffics, heavy video transmission and even distance learning applications and large online management systems. Once this is incorporated, it helps in to design a network that will accommodate large number of school network users. ii) High efficiency Structured cabling allows the network to be dividing into several modules which are integrated to form a high performance network, Oden (2011). iii) Easy management Structured cabling is a safer cabling system, it is simple to manage and administer. This is the most flexible system that can accommodate any desired changes with minimal interference of the school network. Network Topology In the design process, the network topology that shall be used in each terminal shall be star topology. This makes it easier for network administration and management. Network Hardware This network will consist of the following:- School network management module, Server, Infrastructure module, Edge distribution module connecting the schools to the internet. Equipment, consumables and tools The network shall have various equipment that serves various and specific functions. This equipment shall include Switches, Hubs and routers. Tools include Crimping tools, Stripping tools and Network Diagnostic Tools. Consumables includes parch cords and fibre optic cables. Backbone routers to provide a high-performance backbone, this will facilitate connections within and without buildings in the school network. HORIZONTAL CABLING Horizontal cabling will take into account the cabling standard requirements on the following:- How the horizontal cross connectors will be place, How transition points will be managed, How horizontal cables will be connected, How consolidation points will be brought together and where How the telecommunication outlets will be connected. All the cabling will be done 90m horizontal from the telecommunication closet. Network setup One main cross connect (MC) shall be used at the mains distribution centre and each of the three sites of the network that is the Girls high school, the boys High school and the primary school. Intermediate cross connect (IC) shall be used in each of the laboratories to connect to different workstations. One Intermediate Cross connect shall be located at the telecommunication closet in the distribution centre of each room. The structured networking cabling standards shall apply in the network centre in the following areas:- Work area, Equipment room, Entrance facility, Administrative centre Telecommunication closet In cabling, structured cabling design standards shall be followed. Building entrance shall be installed to ensure that there is good interface between the interbuilding networks and intrabuilding network. All the interfaces shall follow the standards that are provided for by EIA/TIA-569 standards. EIA/TIA-569 standards shall also be followed in specification of the equipment room. Equipment room is more than telecommunication closet; it accommodates more complex equipment. Intermediate and main parch cord or cross connect jumper shall be less than 20 meters. Grounding should be done according to EIA/TIA-607 standards. No equipment shall be connected 30 meters away from the backbone cabling. The room closets should not be too close to the switch boards, Odens, (2010) recommends a minimum distance between the closets and the switch boards should be one at least a meter. Within a room, every node shall be placed almost50 meters away from the closet so that the distance between the hubs and all the nodes shall be at least 50m. As for the Primary school building where there are two storey building, one hub shall be used and it shall be placed on the first floor of the building, provided no node shall be more than 50 meters away but if some nodes shall be 50 meter away from the closet where hub is placed, there shall be two hubs for the building, however, for our cabling design, it shall be assumed that all the nodes in the building shall fall within a maximum 50m radius away from the hub. In order to increase the number of nodes that shall be connected to hub, multi- port fiber optic repeaters shall be used, this will ensure that all data from workgroups shall be broadcasted with the of school data traffic. Multiport switch bridges and routers shall be used. This shall be applicable especially when more nodes shall be added to the network to accommodate the needs of the school network that shall be addressed in future. fig 1.1 Horizontal cabling Among the technologies to be considered in networking is setting standard for the network, choosing devices to be used in the network and choosing the cables to use in networking. In order to achieve the wiring concentration standard, telecommunication rooms or the wiring centers is placed at planned locations in a building. These telecom rooms are then interconnected to provide the total network connectivity for the building. This can be explained in a three stories building. At one same corner of each floor, a telecom rooms is constructed; these telecom rooms are then connected by backbone wiring on each floor, a telecom room concentrates all workstation cables for that floor. Each workstation has a wall mounted jack. The network cable is terminated at that jack and runs directly to the telecom room. The cable may run in wire trays or conduit, or be draped over supports such as a drop ceiling. For larger floors, more than one telecom room may be needed (Frangins, 2012). The horizontal wires, which run from workstations on the same floor to the telecom room, are then terminated on punch down termination, or directly onto a patch panel. The punch down terminations or patch panels could be rack mounted (19" or 23" racks), cabinet mounted or wall mounted. In the telecom room, network equipment such as a hub or switch is connected to each station cable, which electrically terminates the cable run. The hub or switch then passes the computer signal on to other work stations or servers, or even to other telecom rooms for ultimate connectivity with the entire network. VERTICAL CABLING Telecom rooms on each floor are then connected together by backbone cabling. These backbone cablings typically are done from floor to floor to floor. Usually telecom rooms should be located directly above one another in order to minimize the cable runs length, but this also varies from building to building. With the emerge of Gigabit Ethernet and 10 Gigabit Ethernet, fiber optic cable is the most appropriate choice for backbone cabling since they provide much higher bandwidth than traditional Cat5, Cat6 or even Cat7 twisted pair copper cables. Another advantage of fiber is that fibers can run much longer distance than copper cable, which makes them especially attractive for backbone cabling. The hierarchical design model shall be applied in a number of blocks within the school network this will result in a more scalable and modular topology that allows network to meet the school growing needs. The modular design enhances scalability and manageable by promoting deterministic traffic patterns. Network changes and upgrades can be performed in a controlled and staged manner, to make to make it more flexible and easy to maintain and operate. It provides a very limited set of services and is designed to be highly available and operate in an always-on mode. fig 1.2 Vertical cabling Subnetting Subneting is a concept of dividing IP-Address in the appropriate network-part and in host-part. One set of IP-Network is divided into smaller parts. Each of the resulting parts is referred to as a subnet. The last IP of every subnet is referred to as Broadcast address. The network in the schools will be subdivided by subnetting using 255.255.255.224 as the subnet mask, the host range is large enough in each subnet allowing at least 30 host PCS and accessories per subnet in the eight subnets. The table below illustrates the various subnets and addresmarks in the schools. Subnet Name Subnet Address Subnet Mask in/ format Host Range of Addresses Broadcast Address Girl’s High School Students 192.168.1.0 255.255.255.224 192.168.1.1 to 192.168.1.30 192.168.1.31 Girl’s High SchoolStaff 192.168.1.32 255.255.255.224 192.168.1.33 to 192.168.1.62 192.168.1.63 Boy’s High School Students 192.168.1.64 255.255.255.224 192.168.1.65 to 192.168.1.94 192.168.1.95 Boy’s High School Staff 192.168.1.96 255.255.255.224 192.168.1.97 to 192.168.1.126 192.168.1.127 Girl’s Primary School Students 192.168.1.128 255.255.255.224 192.168.1.129 to 192.168.1.158 192.168.1.159 Girls’s Primary School Staff 192.168.1.160 255.255.255.224 192.168.1.161 to 192.168.1.190 192.168.1.191 Boys’s Primary School Students 192.168.1.192 255.255.255.224 192.168.1.193 to 192.168.1.222 192.168.1.223 xx 192.168.1.224 255.255.255.224 n/a 192.168.1.224 Table 1. Subnetting. References Oden, C.A. (ed.). (2011) Computer Network Architectures and Protocols, 2nd ed. New York: Plenum Press. Oden, M.T. (2010) The Simple Book: An Introduction to Management of TCP/IP-based Internets. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Spragins, J.D. et al. (2011) Telecommunications Protocols and Design. Massachusetts: Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, Inc. Read More