You have been asked to help upgrade the LAN at a very successful CPA firm with five departments in one building and a total of 560 employees. Although the firm's employees understand accounting, they haven't spent much time improving their network. Currently, it runs lOBase-T Ethernet and relies on 35 hubs to connect every user workstation to the network. Most of these workstations were purchased within the past two years, when the firm experienced a growth spurt. The hubs are connected to the backbone via switches. The CPA firm wants to upgrade its LAN, but not at great cost. It also wants to ensure that it can easily expand its LAN in the future. It has already decided to use a version of Linux as its network operating system. What kind of LAN will you design for this company? Describe its physical and logical topologies, what access method it will use, and what Physical layer standard this access method should rely on. What types of infrastructure upgrades are necessary to implement your suggested network?
you must first invent your own network machines and install them in your damn company and if your machines are not enough to your employees you must eliminate them.
You have been asked to help upgrade the LAN at a very successful CPA firm with five departments in one building and a total of 560 employees. Although the firm's employees understand accounting, they haven't spent much time improving their network. Currently, it runs lOBase-T Ethernet and relies on 35 hubs to connect every user workstation to the network. Most of these workstations were purchased within the past two years, when the firm experienced a growth spurt. The hubs are connected to the backbone via switches. The CPA firm wants to upgrade its LAN, but not at great cost. It also wants to ensure that it can easily expand its LAN in the future. It has already decided to use a version of Linux as its network operating system. What kind of LAN will you design for this company? Describe its physical and logical topologies, what access method it will use, and what Physical layer standard this access method should rely on. What types of infrastructure upgrades are necessary to implement your suggested network?
You have been asked to help upgrade the LAN at a very successful CPA firm with five departments in one building and a total of 560 employees. Although the firm's employees understand accounting, they haven't spent much time improving their network. Currently, it runs lOBase-T Ethernet and relies on 35 hubs to connect every user workstation to the network. Most of these workstations were purchased within the past two years, when the firm experienced a growth spurt. The hubs are connected to the backbone via switches. The CPA firm wants to upgrade its LAN, but not at great cost. It also wants to ensure that it can easily expand its LAN in the future. It has already decided to use a version of Linux as its network operating system. What kind of LAN will you design for this company? Describe its physical and logical topologies, what access method it will use, and what Physical layer standard this access method should rely on. What types of infrastructure upgrades are necessary to implement your suggested network?
You have been asked to help upgrade the LAN at every successful CPA firm with five departments in one building and a total of 560 employees. Although the firm¡¦s employees understand accounting, they haven¡¦t spent much time improving their network. Currently, it runs 10Base-T Ethernet and relies on 35 hubs to connect every user workstation to the network. Most of these workstations were purchased within the past two years, when the firm experienced a growth spurt. The hubs are connected to the backbone via switches. The CPA firm wants to upgrade its LAN, but not at great cost. It also wants to ensure that it can easily expand its LAN in the future. It has already decided to use a version of Linux as its operating systems.
Based on the information given above, prepare a detailed report for CPA firm. You will need to write at least one (1) paragraph when explaining the kind of LAN you will design for this company, and include the description of the different topologies that they can use, the access methods etc. Your proposal/report should answer the following questions:
„h What kind of LAN will you design for this company?
„h Describe its physical and logical topologies
„h What access method it will use
„h What physical layer standard this access method should rely on
„h What type of infrastructure upgrades are necessary to implement your suggested network
TOTAL MARKS:40
Based on the given scenario, I would suggest designing a LAN using the Ethernet technology with a Star physical topology and a logical topology based on a switched Ethernet network. The access method that should be used is Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Detection (CSMA/CD), which relies on the IEEE 802.3 Ethernet standard.
To implement the suggested network, the following infrastructure upgrades will be necessary:
1. Replace Hubs with Switches: Since the current setup uses 35 hubs, it is recommended to replace them with switches. Switches provide better performance, as they allow for simultaneous data transmission between multiple devices. This upgrade will improve network efficiency and reduce collisions.
2. Implement Cat6 or higher Ethernet Cabling: To ensure high-speed data transmission and to future-proof the network, it is advisable to upgrade the existing cabling infrastructure to Cat6 or higher. Cat6 offers higher bandwidth and better signal quality than the older Cat5e cables, reducing the chances of data loss or interference.
3. Upgrade Network Backbone: As the firm plans to expand its LAN in the future, it is important to upgrade the network backbone to a high-capacity backbone switch or multiple switches interconnected with link aggregation. This will provide sufficient bandwidth and scalability for the growing network and allow for easy expansion.
4. Configure VLANs: To improve network security and efficiency, consider configuring Virtual Local Area Networks (VLANs). VLANs can separate network traffic logically, ensuring that sensitive data is isolated and reducing network congestion.
5. Implement Network Monitoring and Management Systems: Deploy network monitoring and management tools to monitor network performance, identify bottlenecks, and troubleshoot issues. This will help ensure the network operates optimally and proactively address any problems that may arise.
6. Implement Network Security Measures: As a CPA firm handles sensitive financial data, it is crucial to implement robust network security measures. This can include firewalls, Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS), secure authentication mechanisms, and regular security audits.
7. Use Linux as the Network Operating System: Since the CPA firm has already decided to use Linux as its network operating system, ensure appropriate Linux distribution is installed on network servers. Configure and optimize the Linux servers to provide stable and secure network services such as DHCP, DNS, and file sharing.
By implementing these upgrades and design choices, the CPA firm will have a cost-effective LAN that offers improved performance, scalability, security, and future expandability.