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ICT120 Introduction to Computer Networks Task 2 Semester 2, 2019 ICT120 Introduction to Computer Networks Assignment 2 Page 2 of 9 Assessment and Submission Details Marks: 30% of the Total Assessment for the Course Due Date: 11:59pm Friday, Week 12 Submit your assignment to Blackboard Task 2. The submission link will be open a week before the due date. Please follow the submission instructions in Blackboard. The assignment will be marked out of a total of 100 marks and forms 30% of the total assessment for the course. ALL assignments will be checked for plagiarism by SafeAssign system provided by Blackboard automatically. Refer to your Course Outline or the Course Web Site for a copy of the “Student Misconduct, Plagiarism and Collusion” guidelines. Assignment submission extensions will only be made using the official Faculty of Arts, Business and Law Guidelines. Requests for an extension to an assignment MUST be made to the course coordinator prior to the date of submission and requests made on the day of submission or after the submission date will only be considered in exceptional circumstances. ICT120 Introduction to Computer Networks Assignment 2 Page 3 of 9 Background Information: Credit Crunch Credit Crunch (CC) has been operating a debt recovery service for banks and other financial lending institutions for 10 years and is looking to upgrade its system. Due to the collection of personal and financial information, data maintained by CC is considered highly sensitive. As in any business payroll and financial information is considered sensitive to those inside as well as outside the organisation. Currently, CC leases a floor in Sydney for its head office, staff and (security) are: 1. 3 x Executive Managers (Full Access) 2. 5 x Accounting /HRM (Access to Internet, Microsoft Exchange, Financial System, and Payroll System) 3. 5 x Account Managers (Access to Internet, Microsoft Exchange, Customer Relation Management System and Debt Recovery system) 4. 2 x Information Communication Technology (Full Access) 5. 3 x Call Centre Supervisors (Microsoft Exchange, Debt Recovery System) 6. 80 x Call Centre Operators working shifts on 40 workstations (Microsoft Exchange, *Limited Debt Recovery System) Executive Managers and Account Managers may bring the own devices and connect to the network via a wired or wireless connection. All other staff work only on wired workstations. The core system of the business is the debt recovery system (DRS). The DRS contains two separate software systems operating on different servers: 1. Predictive Dialler Software (PDS) – is connected to the company’s telephony board and makes calls to debtors based on a list of phone numbers and debtor ID’s imported each morning. When a call is answered it’s forwarded to a phone at an available operator’s workstation and a message is sent via DCOM of the Debtor ID to the client of the Debtor Database System at that workstation. 2. Debtor Database Software – is a client / server DBMS. When a client receives a DCOM message from the PDS it requests data from the server via TCP/IP pertaining to the Debtor ID. The server sends the requested data to the client who modifies and saves the data. The operator then selects whether they are ready to receive more calls or take a break and the message is sent back via DCOM to the PDS. The server uses timed backup to send modifications of the database at regular intervals to an offsite location via TCP/IP. Given that the person being called has already answered the phone prior to it being passed through to the operator, time is critical, both in terms of the operator answering the phone and having the debtor’s data accessible to the operator. * Limited Debt Recovery System – Call Centre Operators should only have access to records forwarded to them by the server but not access to the full debtor’s database. End of Case Study ICT120 Introduction to Computer Networks Assignment 2 Page 4 of 9 Assignment Task You have been engaged as a member of a network planning team by a member of the executive management of Credit Crunch to prepare a business report on a network plan for their business. Although this is a business report it is also an academic assignment. All theory must be referenced, and all arguments put forward, supported by scholarly references. As your target audience includes executive businesspeople, who have extensive business experience, but may have limited ICT knowledge, the report needs to explain why your recommended networking technologies/solutions are the most appropriate and how they will benefit their business. You may need to compare your recommendations with other available technologies. Specifically, your report must address the questions in topic 1 and one of the questions in Topic 2. Topic 1 – Network Upgrade Many of the networking devices are ageing and management has inquired about upgrading the entire network infrastructure. Whist their ISP still operates on IPv4 (IP 120.154.191.1/24) they are keen for the new network to operate (at least internally) on IPv6. Topic 1.1 Structured Cabling Plan You are to prepare a new cabling plan for their existing operations. You need to explain the key components included, as well as the recommendations for cable types and connecting devices. Topic 1.2 Network Topology Diagram You are to use Cisco Packet Tracer to build the proposed topology and include a screenshot of the topology in your report. Topic 1.3 IP Addressing Based on your topology you are to prepare an IPv6 addressing plan. This plan should address the range of IP addresses for any subnets you define and how the system will manage IP addressing. Your discussion may include, but not limited to DHCPv6, switching tables, routing tables. Topic 2 – Choose ONE of the following topics Management have also requested information about the following topics. As part of the networking design team you can choose which question to address. ICT120 Introduction to Computer Networks Assignment 2 Page 5 of 9 Topic 2.1 Additional Site Credit Crunch is looking to open a branch office in Melbourne with similar numbers of staff with the exception that Accounting / HRM staff will remain in Sydney. Management have asked for your recommendations for connecting the two sites. How would your response change if they decided to open a branch in Singapore? Topic 2.2 VOIP The current system uses a telephony system which costs considerable money in call costs. Management have asked you to investigate using Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) for its call centre. What issues should management consider in deciding? What are your recommendations? Does this alter your proposed network topology? Topic 2.3 Redundant Servers Currently the office runs one database server for it’s DRS. If the server crashes (which it’s known to do) all work stops until the server and workstations are rebooted. Management have asked your opinion on running two or more database servers. In terms of networking how might this be achieved? How will you achieve database consistency (you may want to investigate CAP Theorem)? How does this alter your proposed network topology? ICT120 Introduction to Computer Networks Assignment 2 Page 6 of 9 Report Format Your report should be no less than 1,500 words and it would be best to be no longer than 2,500 words long. The formal technical report usually contains many different sections. The following outline is recommended for this assignment: • Title page • Executive Summary • Tables of Contents • Table of Figures, Table of Tables (as needed) • 1.0 Introduction • 2.0 Network Upgrade o 2.1 Structured Cabling Plan o 2.2 Network Topology Diagram o 2.3 IP Addressing • 3.0 Additional Site, VOIP, or Redundant Servers • 4.0 Conclusion & Recommendations • Reference List The report must be formatted using the following guidelines: • Paragraph text 12-point Calibri single line spacing • Headings Arial in an appropriate type size • Margins 2.5cm on all sides • Title Page is not to contain headers, footers, or page numbering, but must contain report title, course code, course title, student name and student number as the report’s author. • Header is to display the Report Title (excluding the title page) • Footer to display your name and the page number (excluding the title page) • Page numbering o Executive summary to the last page of Table of Contents / Figures / Tables to use roman numerals (i, ii, iii, iv) commencing with the executive summary as Page i. o Introduction and onwards to use conventional numerals (1, 2, 3, 4) starting at page 1 from the introduction • The report is to be created as a single Microsoft Word document (version 2007 or later). No other format is acceptable. • The report must use the built-in features of Microsoft Word to create page numbers, section numbers, citations, cross referencing of sections, figures and tables, table of contents, table of figures, table of tables, and reference list. Refer to the following references for details on report structures: Summers, J. & Smith, B., 2014, Communication Skills Handbook, 4th Ed, Wiley, Australia. ICT120 Introduction to Computer Networks Assignment 2 Page 7 of 9 Referencing The report is to include (at least 5) appropriate references and these references should follow the Harvard method of referencing. Note that ALL references should be from journal articles, conference papers, technical papers, recognized experts in the field or vendors’ and service providers’ websites. Marking The assignment will be marked according to the marking sheet at Appendix A. The following guidelines