You are a Technology Specialist in your organisation. You have been tasked to run a workshop on network system design specifically looking into the requirements and constraints. You have decided to approach the task by studying the components of a network system and the relationship between network systems and related areas.
Thus far, you have realised that you will base your workshop on the exhibit extracted from Serpanos and Wolf (2011)
Q.1.1
Identify a suitable network scenario/case that can be used to explain and discuss the relationship of concepts in the exhibit. Ensure that you provide details of the following aspects of the scenario:
A. Description of the scenario.
A suitable network scenario for discussing the relationship of concepts in the exhibit could be a large multinational company with multiple office locations across the globe. The company requires a robust and efficient network system to connect all of its offices, enable seamless communication and collaboration between employees, and ensure secure and reliable data transfer.
In this scenario, the company's network system needs to be able to handle a high volume of data traffic, support various types of applications and services such as video conferencing, file sharing, and remote access, and provide sufficient bandwidth for smooth operations. The network should also have proper security measures in place to protect sensitive data and prevent unauthorized access.
The company operates in different time zones, so the network system needs to be designed in such a way that it can provide reliable connectivity and performance across multiple regions. Additionally, there may be specific regulatory requirements or compliance standards that need to be taken into consideration when designing the network system.
Overall, the network system of this multinational company should be scalable, flexible, and adaptable to meet the growing needs of the organization, while also ensuring high performance, security, and reliability.
A. Description of the scenario:
The scenario for the workshop will revolve around a medium-sized company called XYZ Corp. XYZ Corp is experiencing rapid growth and is in need of a new network system to support their operations. The company currently has multiple departments, including finance, marketing, human resources, and IT. The primary goal of the network system is to provide seamless communication and data exchange between these departments, enhance collaboration, and improve overall productivity.
The network system needs to cater to the following requirements and constraints:
1. Scalability: The network should be able to handle the company's expansion and accommodate future growth without significant reconfiguration or infrastructure changes.
2. Security: The network should prioritize data security and provide mechanisms to protect sensitive information. Access controls, firewalls, and secure communication protocols should be implemented to safeguard against unauthorized access and data breaches.
3. Performance: The network should ensure fast and reliable access to resources across different departments. Bandwidth allocation and Quality of Service (QoS) mechanisms need to be implemented to prioritize critical applications and minimize network congestion.
4. Redundancy and fault tolerance: The network should have redundancy features to ensure high availability and minimize disruptions in case of equipment failure or system outages. This can be achieved through redundant network devices, backup power supplies, and fault-tolerant networking protocols.
5. Cost-effectiveness: The network solution should strike a balance between meeting the company's requirements and constraints while also being cost-effective. This includes considerations for initial setup costs, maintenance expenses, and the utilization of existing infrastructure wherever feasible.
By using this scenario, participants in the workshop will be able to explore and understand the various concepts related to network system design, such as scalability, security, performance, redundancy, and cost-effectiveness, and how they all interrelate to create an optimized network solution for XYZ Corp.