Network Infrastructure - Assignment Example

DESIGNING A COMPREHENSIVE NETWORK INFRASTRUCTURE FOR A GEOGRAPHICALLY SPREAD RETAIL COMPANY 2007 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page PAGE. . . . . . . . . 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS . . . . . . . . 2 1. INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . 3 2. NEEDS ANALYSIS . . . . . . . . 5 2.1. Analysis of company's networking needs . . . . 5 2.1.1. Business requirements . . . . . 5 2.1.2. Technical specifications . . . . . 6 2.2. Analysis of intranetworking and all necessary connectivity . . 6 2.3. Analysis of appropriateness of the backup, failsafe and load balancing solutions . . . . . . . 9 3. PROPOSED NETWORK INFRASTRUCTURE SOLUTIONS . . 10 4. TECHNICAL ISSUES AND CONCERNS . . . . . 16 4.1. Critically discuss systems integration issues . . . . 16 4.2. Critically discuss systems maintenance issues . . . . 16 4.3. Analysis of the future changes . . . . . . 17 5. APPLICATION OF ANY THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK, MODEL OR GUIDELINES . . . . . . . 17 6. REFERENCES . . . . . . . . . 18 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1. Problem/Scenario The company's details include: Two headquarters in Salford and London 100 locations (point of sales) Main business: retailing of clothing The top management of the company is not sure about all the networking functionality they might need either now or in future. Therefore, your task is to identify the main needs in functionality and present them in your report. The estimated total budget for this project is 95,000. Please consider that ambiguity of this scenario gives you a freedom of choice and should be seen as a basis for your creativity. The existing network infrastructure consists of standalone LANs in both headquarters and not networked computer systems in other locations. The Internet access is limited to a shared ISDN line in each of the headquarters and a dial-up access in the point of sales, the web presence and e-mail support are outsourced to Yahoo Small Business Services. All users suffer from having numerous usernames and passwords to access various IT systems/applications they have in use. There is no remote access to the company's data. The both headquarters have an urge in establishing reliable and cost-effective printing solutions. Notes: Demonstrate a clear and holistic approach towards addressing the company's factual needs while designing an appropriate networking infrastructure. All solutions and hardware choices you have made during your design should be highlighted and justified. 1.2. Drawing of existing scenario using DIA software Figure 1. Existing network infrastructure solution 2. NEEDS ANALYSIS The purpose of the needs analysis is to analyze the business objectives and produce requirements for a network infrastructure to be used in the proposed network infrastructure solution. The proposed network infrastructure solution follows in Section 3. 2.1. Analysis of company's networking needs 2.1.1. Business objectives or requirements 1. To establish interconnection to standalone local area networks (LANs) in both headquarters. 2. To establish local area networks (LANs) in other locations. 3. To upgrade internet connection in both headquarters to digital subscriber line (DSL) internet connection. 4. To establish local area networks (LANs) in each point of sale (POS) locations. 5. To upgrade internet connection in each point of sale (POS) locations to digital subscriber line (DSL). 6. To maintain the outsourcing of web presence and e-mail services to Yahoo Small Business Services (SBS). 7. To reduce the use of numerous usernames and passwords to one username and one password per client computer. 8. To outsource company's enterprise resource planning system (ERP) and databases. 9. To establish remote access to company's enterprise resource planning (ERP) and databases. 10. To establish reliable and cost effective printing solutions. 2.1.2. Technical specifications 1. Implement interconnection to standalone local area networks (LANs) in both headquarters. 2. Implement local area networks (LANs) in other locations. 3. Implement upgrading of internet connection in both headquarters to digital subscriber line (DSL). 4. Implement local area networks (LANs) in each point of sale (POS) locations. 5. Implement upgrading of internet connection in each point of sale (POS) locations to digital subscriber line (DSL). 6. Implement maintenance of outsourcing of web presence and e-mail services to Yahoo Small Business Services (SBS). 7. Implement reduction to one username and one password per client computer. 8. Implement outsourcing of enterprise resource planning system (ERP) and databases. 9. Implement remote access to company's enterprise resource planning (ERP) and databases. 10. Implement reliable and cost effective printing solutions. 2.2. Analysis of intranetworking and all necessary connectivity The best type of connection between offices and points of sales for a geographically spread retail company is by using the digital subscriber line (DSL) technology and implementing an outsourced virtual private network (VPN) solution hosted in an outsourced dedicated host server located in the host company premises. According to Microsoft, DSL Stands for Digital Subscriber Line, a recently developed (late 1990s) digital communications technology that can provide high-speed transmissions over standard copper telephone wiring. DSL is often referred to as xDSL, where the x stands for one or two characters that define variations of the basic DSL technology. Currently, ADSL (Asymmetric DSL) is the form most likely to be provided, but even it is, as yet, available only to limited groups of subscribers. According to Microsoft Corporation (2003), a virtual private network (VPN) is the extension of a private network that encompasses links across shared or public networks like the Internet. A VPN enables you to send data between two computers across a shared or public internetwork in a manner that emulates the properties of a point-to-point private link. The act of configuring and creating a virtual private network is known as virtual private networking. (Microsoft Corporation, 2003) To emulate a point-to-point link, data is encapsulated, or wrapped, with a header that provides routing information allowing it to traverse the shared or public transit internetwork to reach its endpoint. To emulate a private link, the data being sent is encrypted for confidentiality. Packets that are intercepted on the shared or public network are indecipherable without the encryption keys. The portion of the connection in which the private data is encapsulated is known as the tunnel. The portion of the connection in which the private data is encrypted is known as the virtual private network (VPN) connection. (Microsoft Corporation, 2003) VPN connections allow users working at home or on the road to connect in a secure fashion to a remote organization server using the routing infrastructure provided by a public internetwork (such as the Internet). From the user's perspective, the VPN connection is a point-to-point connection between the user's computer and an organization server. The nature of the intermediate internetwork is irrelevant to the user because it appears as if the data is being sent over a dedicated private link. (Microsoft Corporation, 2003) VPN technology also allows a corporation to connect to branch offices or to other companies over a public internetwork (such as the Internet), while maintaining secure communications. The VPN connection across the Internet logically operates as a wide area network (WAN) link between the sites. (Microsoft Corporation, 2003) In both of these cases, the secure connection across the internetwork appears to the user as a private network communication-despite the fact that this communication occurs over a public internetwork-hence, the name virtual private network. (Microsoft Corporation, 2003) VPN technology is designed to address issues surrounding the current business trend toward increased telecommuting and widely distributed global operations, where workers must be able to connect to central resources and must be able to communicate with one another. (Microsoft Corporation, 2003) To provide employees with the ability to connect to organization computing resources, regardless of their location, a corporation must deploy a scalable remote access solution. Typically, corporations choose either a department solution, where an internal information systems department is charged with buying, installing, and maintaining organization modem pools and a private network infrastructure; or they choose a value-added network (VAN) solution, where they pay an outsourced company to buy, install, and maintain modem pools and a telecommunication infrastructure. (Microsoft Corporation, 2003) Neither of these solutions provides the necessary scalability, in terms of cost, flexible administration, and demand for connections. Therefore, it makes sense to replace the modem pools and private network infrastructure with a less expensive solution based on Internet technology so that the business can focus on its core competencies. With an Internet solution, a few Internet connections through Internet service providers (ISPs) and VPN server computers can serve the remote networking needs of hundreds or thousands of remote clients and branch offices. (Microsoft Corporation, 2003) According to Microsoft Corporation (2003), the following are the ways of sharing existing resources using the virtual private network (VPN): 1. Remote access over the Internet - VPNs provide remote access to organization resources over the public Internet, while maintaining privacy of information. 2. Connecting networks over the Internet - there are two methods for using VPNs to connect local area networks at remote sites: 1. Using dedicated lines to connect a branch office to an organization LAN. 2. Using a dial-up line to connect a branch office to the Internet. 2.3. Analysis of appropriateness of the backup, failsafe and load balancing solutions Back-up solutions and the schedule for archiving is done automatically by the dedicated host server as part of its solutions package. The load-balancing solution is built-in an outsourced dedicated host server services from a host company, and there's no need for it to be implemented in-house. The absence of connection to the company's enterprise resource planning (ERP) and databases is a remote possibility for an outsourced dedicated host server services since the host company implements a redundant array of inexpensive disks (RAID) solution, other solutions and techniques to make sure that their hosting services will be at all times up and running, thus makes the service fault tolerant. 3. PROPOSED NETWORK INFRASTRUCTURE SOLUTION The task at hand is designing a comprehensive network infrastructure for a geographically spread retail company. The type of business currently being considered is a retailing business. A shared database or an enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution is needed to store and distribute information about logistics, stocks, supply chain management, and others. The enterprise resource planning (ERP) server will be outsourced and hosted in a dedicated host server from a host company with services favourable to the company. A remote access to the company data using virtual private network (VPN) with a remote authentication dial-in user service (RADIUS) will be implemented. Database organisation and synchronisation will not to be considered an issue since the company will be using only one enterprise resource planning (ERP) and database system hosted in a dedicated host server located in host company premises. A considerable help, improvement or benefit will be brought about by the change of existing network infrastructure towards the existing way of doing business. It will contribute more efficiency to the company, in dealing company clients and everyday transactions. It will also make the company more effective, in applying the company's strategic use of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT). Outsourced virtual private networking (VPN) solutions is best suited for a company running network infrastructure for a geographically spread retail business. A cost-effective printing solution is a must in every company. This may be implemented by using a laser printer attached in each of the headquarters (HQ) and other location servers. The network laser printer will be responsible for all the printing needs of each of the headquarters (HQ) or locations. The hardware technical descriptions and costs will be easily obtained in the computer centre/store in the locality where each of the headquarters (HQ) and other locations are situated. It will be managed, administered and accessed through the Internet using an outsourced virtual private network (VPN) solution. A remote authentication dial-in user service (RADIUS) will be implemented as part of the security of the virtual private network (VPN). According to Microsoft Corporation (2003), the remote authentication dial-in user service (RADIUS) protocol is a popular method for managing remote user authentication and authorization. RADIUS is a lightweight, UDP-based protocol. RADIUS servers can be located anywhere on the Internet and provide authentication (including PPP PAP, CHAP, MS-CHAP v2, and EAP) and authentication for access servers such as NASes and VPN servers. In addition, RADIUS servers can provide a proxy service to forward authentication requests to distant RADIUS servers. Many ISPs have agreements to allow roaming subscribers to use local services from the nearest ISP for dial-up access to the Internet. These roaming alliances take advantage of the RADIUS proxy service. If an ISP recognizes a user name as being a subscriber to a remote network, the ISP uses a RADIUS proxy to forward the access request to the appropriate network. (Microsoft Corporation, 2003) 3.1. Drawing of a proposed solution as a network diagram using a DIA Software Figure 2. Proposed network infrastructure solution Definition of Network Terms Internet - A worldwide, publicly accessible network of interconnected computer networks that transmit data by packet switching using the standard Internet Protocol (IP). It is a "network of networks" that consists of millions of smaller domestic, academic, business, and government networks, which together carry various information and services, such as electronic mail, online chat, file transfer, and the interlinked web pages and other documents of the world wide web. Internet service provider (ISP) - A business that provides Internet access to individuals and businesses. Digital subscriber line (DSL) connection - DSL Stands for Digital Subscriber Line, a recently developed (late 1990s) digital communications technology that can provide high-speed transmissions over standard copper telephone wiring. DSL is often referred to as xDSL, where the x stands for one or two characters that define variations of the basic DSL technology. Currently, ADSL (Asymmetric DSL) is the form most likely to be provided, but even it is, as yet, available only to limited groups of subscribers. Digital subscriber line (DSL) modem - A modem used in a digital subscriber line (DSL) internet connection. Firewall - A protective mechanism, usually a combination of hardware and software, designed to act as a barrier, keeping external networks, such as the Internet, completely separate from an internal network. Firewalls forbid access to anyone but individuals authorized to use the network. Server - A computer or device on a network that manages network resources. For example, a file server is a computer and storage device dedicated to storing files. Any user on the network can store files on the server. A print server is a computer that manages one or more printers, and a network server is a computer that manages network traffic. A database server is a computer system that processes database queries. Servers are often dedicated, meaning that they perform no other tasks besides their server tasks. On multiprocessing operating systems, however, a single computer can execute several programs at once. A server in this case could refer to the program that is managing resources rather than the entire computer. Hub - A hardware device to which nodes connect on star-wired networks. Hubs can be passive, active, or intelligent, depending on how they operate. A passive hub simply acts as a connection point; an active hub both acts as a connection point and has the ability to regenerate signals; an intelligent hub is one with additional capabilities, such as the ability to configure the network. Switch - A network device capable of forwarding packets directly to the ports associated with particular network addresses. Client/server network - A LAN built around the division of nodes into client machines (users) and server computers that function as providers of services and resources. Servers on a client/server network commonly perform some of the processing work (called back-end processing) for client machines-for example, sorting through a database before delivering only the record(s) requested by the client. Compare peer-to-peer network. Outsourced services- To seek resources outside of an organizational structure, usually to save money and/or exploit the skills of another entity. Typically used in terms of the business world, outsourcing often entails an enterprise using another company, such as a consultancy or application service provider, to provide a service that the enterprise can provide for itself, yet it is cheaper to utilize a third-party's resources. For example, an enterprise might outsource its IT management because it is cheaper to contract a third-party to do so than it would be to build its own in-house IT management team. Or a company might outsource all of its data storage needs because it does not want to buy and maintain its own data storage devices. Or, a business might outsource its human resources tasks to a third-party instead of having its own dedicated human resources staff. 4. TECHNICAL ISSUES AND CONCERNS 4.1. Critically discuss systems integration issues In the proposed network infrastructure solution, a virtual private network (VPN) is known to be compatible with network address translation (NAT) since the virtual private network (VPN) solution is outsourced, the network address translation (NAT) does not propose any problem. 4.2. Critically discuss systems maintenance issues In connecting to the wide area network (WAN), a digital subscriber line (DSL) connected to the internet service provider (ISP) is needed along with the digital subscriber line (DSL) modem to be connected to each of the headquarters (HQ) server. In connecting to the local area network (LAN), a fast ethernet hub or switch should be connected to each of the headquarters (HQ) server using a cross-over unshielded twisted pair (UTP) cable category 5 with RJ-45 connectors in both ends. A fast ethernet hub or switch will be connected to each of the client computers using a straight-through unshielded twisted pair (UTP) category 5 cables with RJ-45 connectors in both ends. The maintenance and upgrade of the point-of-sale (POS) terminals will be done once the local area network (LAN) for each headquarters (HQ) and other locations are already established. The maintenance of the dedicated host server services will be done jointly by the host company and the in-house systems administrators. The upgrades of the firmwares are done simultaneously and automatically whenever there's an upgrade or renewal of the services being subscribed for in the hosted services. 4.3. Analysis of the future changes Gradual in-house network infrastructure implementation and training of IT staff will address the future expansion of the company's network. The increasing number of users/computers, size of database and e-mail addresses and activities will be gradually implemented in-house depending upon the future availability of funds. 5. APPLICATION OF ANY THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK, MODEL OR GUIDELINES The technology to be used in the proposed network infrastructure solution will be the following: an outsourced virtual private network (VPN) solution, an outsourced enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution, and an outsourced database solution. The type of internet connection to be used between the internet service providers (ISP) and the intranet or local area network (LAN) in both headquarters (HQ) and other locations is the digital subscriber line (DSL) internet connection. Client-server architecture will be utilised in the company's intranet or local area networks (LAN). A wired server-hub/switch-client connection will be using the unshielded twisted pair (UTP) category 5 cable and RJ-45 connectors. Fast ethernet hub/switch and a fast ethernet network interface card (NIC) will be also used as part of the local area network (LAN). 7. REFERENCES Microsoft Corporation (2003). Microsoft Windows Server 2003: Virtual Private Networking with Windows Server 2003: Overview. [nl]: Microsoft Corporation Microsoft Corporation (2003). Microsoft Windows Server 2003: Virtual Private Networking with Windows Server 2003: Interoperability. [nl]: Microsoft Corporation Microsoft Corporation (2003). Microsoft Windows Server 2003: Connecting Remote Users to Your Network with Windows Server 2003: [nl]: Microsoft Corporation Tanenbaum, Andrew S. (2003). Computer Networks. 4th ed. New Jersey: Pearson/Prentice-Hall. http://www.microsoft.com/en/us/default.aspx http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/visio/visio2002/plan/glossary.mspx#EZFAE http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/s/server.html http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/o/outsource.html Read More