Learning Outcomes: At the end of the assignment, student should be able:
• To explain the phases of transition from classic data center to virtual data center and then to the Cloud.
• To describe virtualization technology at compute, storage, network, desktop, and application layers of IT infrastructure.
• Explain the key characteristics, services, and deployment models of Cloud.
• Describe the Cloud infrastructure components and service management processes.
Background
Forsan Inc. was founded in 2005 and delivers different IT solutions for personal or commercial users. After a few years the company began to grow and extended its services nationally. It established several branches across the country and trained IT technicians and specialist placed in every branch.
In order to provide central management and also communication facilities between branches, high speed leased lines were rented from Telecommunication Company. In this way all-financial task like billing, payrolls, etc. as well as administrative jobs could be handled from the central branch.
As the number of customers grew, several issues were raised and have been taken into consideration (e.g. increasing the number of employees and Quality of Service, customer satisfaction, complicated administrative tasks, business continuity, etc....) that all lead to have more expenses and to buy more equipments etc. and it became a serious problem for the company. The management of the company decided to optimize the IT infrastructure and its services related to network and communications. They reduced the number of manpower and suggested the following changes:
- Current latest technologies should be implemented and installed to reduce the cost of branch communication.
- Services to personal users should become online and accessible from anywhere.
- Online services will be extended from nationally to internationally, so appropriate techniques and methodologies should be defined.
- Since the volume of communications and service requests are increasing every day, it is necessary to combine branch resources in an integrated manner for further services.
- Online services should be able to continue its operation on 24/7 bases without interruption. Therefore backup or recovery strategies needed to be applied in the system.
- New solutions should be as much cost effective as possible.
As their network consultant, your team was given approximately 6 weeks to complete this project, which includes coming out with a strategy, putting into a plan, providing testing schedules, setting up implementation strategies and eventually documenting a project close-out to ensure project reappraisal had been done to deem the project being successfully completed.
Existing Technology
• Network Connectivity
- LAN connection for office automation with bus/star topology used with Ethernet LAN transmission medium.
- MAN connection with leases lines.
• Applications
- All applications used in branches are dedicatedly designed for administrative tasks.
- All services are offered through a web server located at central branch.
Individual Deliverables (Research & Documentation by individual members)
1. Corporate communication including new cloud based infrastructure, i.e. transition from older IT infrastructure to virtual data center and then to the Cloud.
2. Type of cloud used, type of services that need to be migrated to cloud, cloud migration process including Virtualization with all hardware, software and architecture requirement, plus cost benefits.
Notes:
- All sections above should include proper evaluation of alternatives.
- An effort to ensure there is standardization must be indicated in all designs.
- Use appropriate diagrams wherever possible to illustrate your proposals.
Deliverables
Based on the above deliverables, you are required to: -
a. Submit a softcopy of the document indicating each member's areaof responsibility on blackboard.
b. This includes type of cloud used, type of services that need to be migrated to cloud, cloud migration process including Virtualization with all hardware, software and architecture requirement, plus cost benefits.
c. Justification must be provided for each cloud-based solution with rough estimates of cost to be provided. The purpose of this project is to convince the top management that
you know what you are doing, and can successfully implement a cloud based solution to keep the company operational in any situation.
d. You can make assumptions in support of your report, but these assumptions MUST BE STATED.
e. Your softcopy should also be in Microsoft Word or pdf compatible format
• These areas of responsibilities must be provided in a summarized workload matrix and marking matrix, indicating the individual members in the team. This should be inserted at the bottom centre of the coverpage of the document.
Please Note: Failure to include this matrix on the documentation cover will result in a mark deduction of 10% of the marks.
• Each individual section must use proper citing techniques and have a separate research references list/bibliography etc. at the end of that section
• Your report(s) must combine all the deliverables in one coherent document.