CP1402/CP1802 Assignment
Networking Case Study
Introduction
This case study consists of five components.
You are to design a network, research and source appropriate devices justifying choices
(feasibility, efficiency, etc.), subnet the network, assign IP addresses to the appropriate devices,
and provide an executive summary of the project. You are also to provide a proposal for
incorporating cloud computing.
Scenario
A European software development company has asked you to assess and redesign their network. They
are opening new branches in Porto and Riga, which will require new equipment. They have existing
contracts and hardware to maintain fibre optic leased line WAN links between sites.
PART 1 - Executive summary
PART 2 - Network diagram
PART 3 - Subnet the network and assign IP addresses to the appropriate devices
PART 4 - Research and source appropriate devices justifying choices (feasibility, efficiency, etc.) with
a Weighted Scoring Model (WSM)
Note: This is not a group project. Each student must individually
complete all parts of their submission.
Students must start with a new document and they must not have another
person’s file in their possession at any time. Students may discuss the task
with each other, but each student must write their assignment
independently and not show their work to other students.
James Cook University takes academic misconduct very seriously, and
penalties will apply both for copying another student’s work, and
providing work to another student.
PART 1 - Executive summary
Describe the purpose, scope, and objectives of the project for each of parts 2, 3 and 4. Why is it
important to produce a well-designed network diagram? What goals are you trying to achieve with the
hardware you select for the procurement project?
Purpose
The first thing you need to do when starting on a project is ask “why”? What problem are you
trying to solve? Once you explicitly define the problem, it becomes easier to evaluate possible
solutions.
Scope
A project’s scope defines the outputs or deliverables of a project. What is the overall outcome
of the project? How will the output of the project solve the problem? What features will the end
result have?
Objectives
The objectives are areas of focus of the project, and can be listed as discrete goals. Projects are
usually constrained by an overall budget and time-frame. Objectives can break down the
overall constraints of the project and apply them to individual aspects. Typically, good
objectives follow the SMART principle, in that goals must be:
o Specific – well-defined and clear output
o Measurable – You know when the goal has been accomplished, or how much progress
has been made
o Attainable – Goals are realistic and can be achieved within the project’s constraints
o Relevant – The goals are worthwhile and make sense in the context of the project
o Time-bound – Goals should have a time limit
The executive summary should be well-articulated: clear, concise, and use correct spelling and
grammar. The intended audience for the executive summary can be assumed to have basic technical
knowledge, but are not networking experts. You should aim for 200 to 300 words.
PART 2 - Network specifications and diagram
Network Specifications
You have been given a rough sketch of the network topology below. You are to draw the network
using Visio, subnet the network (see case study part 3), and assign router interfaces and IP addresses to
router interfaces and servers.
Network Structure
Hardware
Only include one switch in your diagram for each LAN or WLAN
The Internet router port address is 31.167.22.43/30
The Aarhus router is connected to the Internet, and provides access to the public backbone
containing a web server and a mail server.
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PART 3 - Subnet the network and assign IP addresses to the appropriate
devices.
Each location has the following number of hosts
Aarhus, Dublin, and Riga all have WLANs.
Location Workstations Expected Peak Wi-fi Users
Aarhus 600 50
Dublin 300 35
Milan 100 n/a
Oslo 200 n/a
Porto 20 n/a
Riga 65 15
Subnetting
Create subnets for the LANs and WLANs using a public class B network. Create subnets for the
WANs using a public class C network. You are to use the table format below to provide the subnet
details.
Table 1. LAN WLAN Subnets
Spreadsheet Columns: Subnet name, subnet address, subnet mask (in slash format), first
useable address, broadcast address, static address range, and DHCP address range (all
addresses to be in dotted decimal notation)
Table 2. WAN Subnets
Spreadsheet Columns: Subnet name, subnet address, subnet mask (in slash format), first
useable address, broadcast address (all addresses to be in dotted decimal notation)
Table 3. Router Interfaces
Spreadsheet Columns: Location, interface, IP address, subnet mask (in slash format)
Table 4. Servers
Spreadsheet Columns: Location, server name, IP address, subnet mask (in slash format)
Additional requirements:
Servers at a given location should be placed within a “server subnet” rather than as part of the
same subnet used for workstations.
Wi-fi at the Riga location is intended for use by clients, not employees.
The size of your subnets should be large enough to satisfy the required number of hosts, but no
larger. As we are using static subnetting in this subject, all LANs and WLANs should have the
same size. (If you wish to create VLSM subnets, you are welcome, but the onus will be on you
to teach yourself the technique and create a correct solution and there will be no additional
marks.)
DHCP will to be used for IP address allocation for hosts in each subnet and these ranges are to
be allocated for each LAN. You may assume that DHCP will be provided by the router.
Static IP addresses are to be allocated where appropriate.
The ISP has given us an IP address of 31.167.22.43/30 for the Internet connection at Aarhus.
PART 4 - Research and source appropriate devices justifying choices
(feasibility, efficiency, etc.)
You are to research and submit a project procurement plan for the new Oslo and Riga networks. The
devices you must include are routers, switches, and wireless access points. Make sure the devices you
select can handle the number of workstations required at each site, and provide a good quality of
service to wired and wireless users.
The Riga offices include a meeting area for clients. It is only necessary to provide wi-fi access within
this area, which is an open space that measures 10 × 20m. Choose your wireless access point/s
accordingly.
Your project plan and final recommendations should be based on a Weighted Decision Matrix (similar
to the WDM you completed in the Procurement Practical). You are to compare five (5) devices from
each category and to base the decision on (at least 4) reasonable and well-justified attributes.
You are to justify the choices of attributes on which you compare your devices, and the scores that you
give each device.
Note that Oslo and Riga have differing requirements, and therefore you should produce different
WDMs for the devices at each site; although you may choose the same models of devices to compare,
the criteria may differ.
The client would like to keep the budget for all procurement under $10,000. You may exceed this
amount if you can justify it well. All hardware should be available new and still supported by the
manufacturer.
This section should include:
For each Weighted Decision Matrix
Table 1 indicating the attributes chosen for comparison and the justification for these attributes
Table 2 outlining the devices to be compared, their prices, links to where they can be
purchased, and justifications for the scores you’ve given each attribute
Table 3 the WDM itself
Create your WDMs in Excel and copy and paste them into your Word doc
Each table should be well presented and easy to read
Budget
Create a well-presented table of the prices of all devices and the total cost
Include hardware only, not labour