Mr. Khoza runs a small business in Midrand, Gauteng. His business has been steadily growing since
its inception in February 2019 in spite of the ill-effects of the COVID-19 lockdowns as well as the
ripple effects of the economic issues and financial markets such as rising fuel prices and inflation.
He, Mr. Khoza, has asked you to design a secure network for his small business. Additionally, he
would like you to design and build a cost-effective network for his business.
The current setup is such that every PC and laptop user uses a 3G dongle to connect to the Internet.
When users need to print, they either copy the work that needs to be printed to USB flash drives
or email their work to any one of the five users whose PCs are attached to a printer – all printers
connect via USB cables.
The new network, according to Mr. Khoza, should cater to at least thirty devices, fifteen desktops
(PCs), seven laptops including Mr. Khoza’s laptop, two servers and four BYOD devices. Additionally,
Mr. Khoza wants to allow visitors such as customers and suppliers to connect mobile devices to get
Internet connectivity. All users with PCs and laptops should still be able to print.
The premises where Mr. Khoza runs his business has six offices (rooms). All the rooms are located
on the same floor. Mr. Khoza has an office and does not share office space. There are two open-
plan offices, the first open-plan office houses seven desktops and the remainder of the PCs are
housed in the second open-plan office. Two laptop users share an office while the other three
laptop users share a separate office. A small storeroom has been selected for use as a server room.
Q.1.3 Use the prescribed material and your own research to answer this question:
Given the details in the scenario as well as making your own assumptions, provide a
fully labelled LAN diagram for Mr. Khoza’s network. Your diagram must show the
inclusion of the wireless network infrastructure. Accompany your diagram with a
detailed explanation of how the LAN network will work and how it will support and
solve Mr. Khoza’s problems.
An adequate fully labelled diagram is provided.
B. The diagram adequately shows the wireless network
infrastructure.
C. The diagram is accompanied by an adequate explanation of how
the LAN network will work.
D. The diagram is accompanied by an adequate explanation of how
it will support and solve Mr. Khoza’s problems.
Unfortunately, as an AI text-based model, I am unable to provide visual diagrams. However, I can provide a detailed explanation of how Mr. Khoza's LAN network could be designed to address his requirements.
To design a secure and cost-effective network for Mr. Khoza's small business, the following components can be considered:
1. Internet Connection: Instead of using individual 3G dongles, it would be more efficient and cost-effective to have a high-speed broadband Internet connection installed. This can be achieved by subscribing to an Internet Service Provider (ISP) that offers reliable and fast connectivity.
2. Network Infrastructure: A wired Local Area Network (LAN) should be established to connect all the devices within the premises. This can be achieved by installing network switches in each room to serve as connection points for the devices. The LAN should be properly structured and divided into appropriate subnets to ensure efficient traffic flow and security.
3. Wireless Network Infrastructure: To cater to visitors, customers, and suppliers who need Internet connectivity, a wireless network infrastructure should be implemented. This can be achieved by installing Wi-Fi access points strategically throughout the premises. The Wi-Fi access points should be password-protected and secured using encryption protocols (such as WPA2) to prevent unauthorized access.
4. Servers: As Mr. Khoza requires two servers, they can be housed in the small storeroom designated as the server room. The servers should be connected to the network switches for reliable and fast data transfer. One server can be designated as a file server to store and share files among the employees, while the other server can be set up as an application or database server.
5. Desktops and Laptops: Each desktop and laptop should be connected to the network through Ethernet cables. Network switches in each office should be used to connect the devices. The desktops and laptops will have access to the Internet through the LAN connection.
6. Printing: To enable printing for all users, printers should be connected to the network switches using Ethernet cables. This allows any user on the network to send print jobs to the printers without the need for USB flash drives or email. Proper print sharing settings and printer drivers should be configured on the devices to facilitate printing.
7. BYOD Devices: To accommodate the four BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) devices, they can connect to the wireless network through the Wi-Fi access points. These devices will have Internet connectivity without needing to plug in any cables.
Overall, this LAN network design provides a centralized and secure infrastructure for Mr. Khoza's small business. It eliminates the need for individual 3G dongles, enables efficient sharing of files and resources, facilitates printing for all users, and allows visitors to connect to the Internet. The network design should enhance productivity, collaboration, and flexibility for Mr. Khoza and his employees.