Create a network addressing scheme based upon your current knowledge. How do you plan to group the various host devices?
To create a network addressing scheme, I would use the IP addressing system which is most commonly used in computer networks - IPv4. IPv4 addresses consist of 32 bits divided into four octets (8 bits each) separated by periods. Each octet can have a value ranging from 0 to 255, allowing for a total of approximately 4.3 billion unique addresses.
To group the various host devices, I would follow the concept of subnetting. Subnetting allows for efficient utilization of IP addresses and helps in organizing hosts based on their network requirements. This involves dividing a large network into smaller subnetworks or subnets.
Here is an example of a network addressing scheme using subnetting:
Let's say I have been allocated the IP address range 192.168.0.0/24 (CIDR notation). The "/24" signifies that the first 24 bits (3 octets) are fixed, leaving the last octet for host addressing, giving us a total of 256 available addresses (0-255).
To group the various host devices, I could create subnets based on specific requirements. For example, consider the following subnets:
1. Network Management:
- Subnet: 192.168.0.0/26
- Host IP Range: 192.168.0.1 - 192.168.0.62
- This subnet can be used for managing network devices such as routers, switches, and servers.
2. Employee Devices:
- Subnet: 192.168.0.64/26
- Host IP Range: 192.168.0.65 - 192.168.0.126
- This subnet can be used for assigning IP addresses to employee computers, laptops, and other devices.
3. Guest Network:
- Subnet: 192.168.0.128/26
- Host IP Range: 192.168.0.129 - 192.168.0.190
- This subnet can be used for guest devices accessing the network temporarily, such as visitors' smartphones or tablets.
4. Servers:
- Subnet: 192.168.0.192/26
- Host IP Range: 192.168.0.193 - 192.168.0.254
- This subnet can be used for critical servers and other network infrastructure.
By grouping devices into subnets based on their specific requirements, network administrators can better manage traffic, security, and overall network performance. This addressing scheme allows for efficient allocation of IP addresses and enhances network organization.