Data communications:
Introduction:
The aim of this assessment is to allow students to demonstrate an understanding of data communications concepts, current implementations of these concepts and the application of data communications to providing networked services.
Learning outcomes (and tasks that cover them):
Answers to the assignment tasks will demonstrate that a student can:
1. Demonstrate a critical knowledge and understanding of data communications principles
2. Demonstrate a critical knowledge and understanding of networking components and apply this in the design of data communication systems
3. Implement and support networked systems
4. Write technical reports in language that is appropriate to the target reader.
Scenario:
Edinburgh Zoo is a major tourist attraction based in the capital city of Scotland and run by The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland. As well as allowing visitors to see a wide range of animals (including endangered species such as Giant Pandas), the Zoo works with many partners around the world in conservation, research and breeding programmes. The Zoo is located on the western side of the city. Further details can be found at https://www.edinburghzoo.org.uk/.
As a result of continued development, the Zoo now finds that its local area network is both out of date and limiting in many ways. They wish to install new computers and network facilities to allow access to their internal systems from the many offices around the park, make use of modern technologies and allow their visitors access to the Zoo’s information and the Internet.
This is a large site in LAN terms, covering an area approximately 1km x 1.5km. Therefore it has some interesting challenges when it comes to networking.
A map showing the Zoo’s location can be found at:
https://streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?x=320852&y=673539&z=120&sv=edinburgh+zoo&st
=3&tl=Map+of+Edinburgh+Zoo,+Edinburgh+[Place+of+Interest]&searchp=ids.srf&m
app=map.srf
and a detailed map of the site can be found at:
https://www.edinburghzoo.org.uk/export/sites/default/common/documents/maps-and-guides/EZ-June-Park-Map-2013.pdf
Note: Edinburgh Zoo is a real establishment and is run by the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland. The location and map of the zoo from the links above are real. However, the remainder of the material in this assignment is fictitious, being designed to provide a suitable scenario for the tasks. Do not contact the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland or the Zoo about this assignment as they will not know what you are talking about!
You are to design an appropriate local area network infrastructure for this site. You may make assumptions about what is required but these assumptions must be appropriate to the scenario given and must be stated.You must as a minimum include switches, wired workstations, servers, an Internet connection and wireless access points in your design. This assignment is split into tasks detailed below that cover the required aspects of the design. Not all aspects of the network design are asked for in order to keep the assignment to an appropriate size. Only cover the things that are asked for.
Task 1 Benefits of Networking (Guideline length 500 words)
Write a brief report for the management explaining how a zoo wide network would benefit the zoo. This must be clearly focussed on things that are relevant to the zoo and not just be a generic list of the benefits of networking.
Task 2 –Network Design (Guideline length diagram plus 900 words)
Design an appropriate local area network infrastructure for the zoo. You must as a minimum include a switch and a wireless access point in your design.
a) Provide logical network diagrams showing how the zoo might provide the required services and connections. This may be one or more diagrams as you see fit. Any suitable drawing package can be used and you will not be graded on the drawings themselves; just the network design.
b) Outline the cabling requirements for your design. You will obviously need a basic plan of the zoo for the physical layout design to determine the cabling requirements. You can use the link above to get a map of the zoo site. Identify and justify the type(s) of cable used. Provide rough costs based on referenced supplier information found by searching the Internet. Since the zoo is in the UK, the supplier and price must be UK based.
c) Explain each infrastructure device, what its function is and why you have selected that device for the job. This explanation must focus on the zoo and its requirements.
d) Identify and justify TWO specific products that could be used for each infrastructure device, including the exact make and model along with a supplier and price. Since the zoo is in the UK, the supplier and price must be UK based.
Remember that this is a business and covers a large site, so equipment designed for home network use will not be appropriate.
Task 3 – IPv4 Addressing (Guideline length 300 words)
For the network you designed in task 2, devise appropriate IPv4 address allocations and explain how these will be implemented. You need to include both static and dynamic addresses in your scheme. You should cover the following:
a) Actual addresses and address ranges used, with justification.
b) Methods used by different devices to acquire their address, with justification.
Task 4 – Network Services (Guideline length 500 words)
Every network depends on the services provided to make it useful. These include obvious foreground user services such as e-mail and less well known background services such as the Domain Name Service (DNS).
Identify an appropriate set of services (both foreground and background) for the zoo to run on their network. For each service, clearly explain why it is necessary and how it helps the zoo either in running their network (background services) or operating a major tourist attraction (foreground services).
Task 5 –Network Monitoring (Guideline length 300 words)
Identify one specific network monitoring tool that the zoo could use to ensure that their network continues to perform correctly. You should identify the type of tool, a specific product (including manufacturer, product and exact version or model number as appropriate) including supplier and price. This should be appropriate to the size of the organisation, their budget and their network.
For the tool you have identified, explain what it does and how the information it supplies can be used by the zoo.
Task 6 – Security (Guideline length 500 words)
As with any computer system, security is an issue with a new network. Identify three possible security issues that the zoo will face with their new network and outline how they can provide appropriate levels of protection.