Programme HND in Computing

Student Name Mohamed Naveed

ANC ID 1001502

Unit Number and Title Unit 2: Networking

Academic Year SU23 - 2023

Unit Tutor Indika Thilaksiri

Assignment Title Principles and Design of Networked Systems

Issue Date 08-July-2023

Submission Date 23-September-2023

Higher National Diploma in Computing
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Learning Outcomes and Assessment Criteria

Pass Merit Distinction

LO1 Examine networking principles and their protocols

P1 Discuss the benefits and constraints of

different network types and standards. M1 Assess common networking principles
and how protocols enable the effectiveness of
P2 Explain the impact network topologies
networked systems.
have on communication and bandwidth D1 Evaluate the topology and
requirem ents. protocol suite selected for a given
scenario and how it demonstrates the
LO2 Explain networking devices and operations efficient utilisation of a networking
system.
P3 Discuss the operating principles of
networking devices and server types. M2 Explore a range of server types and
justify the selection of a server for a given
P4 Discuss the interdependence of scenario, regarding cost and performance
workstation hardware and relevant optimisation
networking software.

LO3 Design efficient networked systems D2 Critically reflect on the

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 P5 Design a networked system to meet a
given specification. M3 Analyse user feedback on your designs
with the aim of optimising your design and
P6 Design a maintenance schedule to improving efficiency.
support the networked system.
implemented network, including the
design and decisions made to
LO4 Implement and diagnose networked systems
enhance the system.
P7 Implement a networked system based on
a prepared design. M4 Recommend potential enhancements for
the networked systems.
P8 Document and analyse test results
against expected results.

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Higher Nationals – Grading Rubric

Achieved/Not
Grading Criteria Comment
Achieved

P1 Discuss the benefits and constraints

of different network types and
standards.

P2 Explain the impact network

topologies have on communication and
bandwidth requirements.

M1 Assess common networking

principles and how protocols enable
the effectiveness of networked
systems.

P3 Discuss the operating principles of

networking devices and server types.

P4 Discuss the interdependence of

workstation hardware and relevant
networking software.

M2 Explore a range of server types

and justify the selection of a server for
a given scenario, regarding cost and
performance optimisation

D1 Evaluate the topology and protocol

suite selected for a given scenario and
how it demonstrates the efficient
utilisation of a networking system.

P5 Design a networked system to meet

a given specification.

P6 Design a maintenance schedule to

support the networked system.

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 LO 1. Examine networking principles and their protocols

Section1.1 – Discuss the benefits and constraints of different network types and standards

1.1.1 Definition of a Network

A network consists of two or more computers that are linked in order to share resources (such as
printers), exchange files, or allow electronic communications. The computers on a network may
be linked through cables telephone lines, radio waves, satellites, or infrared beams.
There are many different types of network types
*LAN (Local Area Network)
*PAN (Personal Area Network)
*MAN (Metropolitan Area Network)
*WAN (Wide Area Network)
LAN (Local Area Network)

LAN (Local Area Network)

 A Local Area Network is a group of computers connected to each other in a small area
such as a building, office. This network type is used for connecting two or more personal
computers through a communication medium such as twisted pair, coaxial cable, etc. It is
less costly as it is built with inexpensive hardware such as hubs, network adapters, and
Ethernet cables. The data is transferred at an extremely faster rate in Local Area Network.
This network type provides with higher security.

Pro’s Con’s
*Faster communication *Limited Range

*Sharing resources *Security Risks

*Enhanced security *Maintenance and upkeep

*Centralized Management *Cost

*Collaboration *Compatibility issues

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 PAN (Personal Area Network)
 Personal Area Network is a network arranged within an individual person, typically
within a range of 10 meters. Personal Area Network is used for connecting the computer
devices of personal use is known as Personal Area Network. Thomas Zimmerman was
the first research scientist to bring the idea of the Personal Area Network. Personal Area
Network covers an area of 30 feet. Personal computer devices that are used to develop
the personal area network are the laptop, mobile phones, media player and play stations.
 There are 2 different types of PAN
1. Wired Personal Area Network
2. Wireless Personal Area Network

Pro’s Con’s
*Security *Unreliable

*Easy to use *Fragmented

*User-friendly *Multiple connections

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 *Low cost *Low priority

MAN (Metropolitan Area Network)

 A metropolitan area network is a network that covers a larger geographic area by

interconnecting a different LAN to form a larger network. Government agencies use
MAN to connect to the citizens and private industries. In MAN, various LANs are
connected to each other through a telephone exchange line. The most widely used
protocols in MAN are RS-232, Frame Relay, ATM, ISDN, OC-3, ADSL, etc. It has a
higher range than Local Area Network (LAN).

Pro’s Con’s
*High bandwidth capacity *High cost
*Cost-effective *Security risks
*Secure *Technical Complexity
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 *Scalable *Limited Access

Uses of MAN (Metropolitan Area Network)

o MAN is used in communication between the banks in a city.

o It can be used in an Airline Reservation.
o It can be used in a college within a city
o It can also be used for communication in the military

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 WAN (Wide Area Network)
 A Wide Area Network is a network that extends over a large geographical area such as
states or countries. A Wide Area Network is quite bigger network than the LAN. A Wide
Area Network is not limited to a single location, but it spans over a large geographical
area through a telephone line, fiber optic cable or satellite links. The internet is one of the
biggest WAN in the world. A Wide Area Network is widely used in the field of Business,
government, and education.
 Examples of Wide Area Network –
-Mobile Broadband
-Last Mile
-Private Network

Pro’s Con’s
*Centralized data *Slow in speed

*High bandwidth *Complex

*Wider geographical area *Difficult to maintain

*Sharing of software and resources *Costly

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 1.2 Explain the impact network topologies have on communication and
Bandwidth requirements

1.1.2 Definition of a network topology

Network topology defines the layout, virtual shape, or structure of the network, not only
physically but also logically. A network can have one physical topology and multiple
logical topologies at the same time.
In computer networks, there are mainly 2 types of topologies namely

1. Physical Topology – The way in which the computer nodes are connected with
each other in a computer network.
2. Logical Topology – The way data flows from one computer to another. It is
bound to the network protocol and defines how the data is moved and which path
it takes.
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In a computer network there are mainly 6 types of physical topologies namely
1. Bus Topology
2. Ring Topology
3. Star Topology
4. Mesh Topology
5. Tree Topology
6. Hybrid Topology

 Bus Topology
Bus topology is the simplest kind of topology in which a common bus or channel is used for
communication in the network. The bus is connected to various taps and droplines. Taps are the
connectors, while droplines are the cables connecting the bus with the computer. In other words,
there is only a single transmission line for all nodes.
When a sender sends a message, all other computers can hear it, but only the receiver accepts it
(verifying the mac address attached with the data frame) and others reject it. Bus technology is
mainly suited for small networks like LAN, etc.

In this topology, the bus acts as the backbone of the network, which joins every computer and
peripherals in the network. Both ends of the shared channel have line terminators. The data is
sent only in one direction and as soon as it reaches the end, the terminator removes the data from
the communication line (to prevent signal bounce and data flow disruption).

In a bus topology, each computer communicates to another computer on the network

independently. Every computer can share the network's total bus capabilities. The devices share
the responsibility for the flow of data from one point to the other in the network.

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 Pro’s Con’s
*Simple to use and easy to install *If bus fails, network will fail
*Less cabling *Security issues
*Cost-efficient to implement *Less efficient when nodes are increased
*If a node fails, it will not affect others *Congestion and traffic

 Ring Topology
Ring topology is a topology in which each computer is connected to exactly two other computers
to form the ring. The message passing is unidirectional and circular in nature.

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This network topology is deterministic in nature, i.e., each computer is given access for
transmission at a fixed time interval. All the nodes are connected in a closed-loop. This topology
mainly works on a token-based system and the token travels in a loop in one specific direction.

In a ring topology, if a token is free then the node can capture the token and attach the data and
destination address to the token, and then leaves the token for communication. When this token
reaches the destination node, the data is removed by the receiver and the token is made free to
carry the next data.

Pro’s Con’s
*Easy installation *If a node fails, the whole network fails
*Less cabling *Slow data transmission speed
*Easy to troubleshoot *Difficult to reconfigure
*Reduces chances of data collision

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  Star Topology
Star topology is a computer network topology in which all the nodes are connected to a
centralized hub. The hub or switch acts as a middleware between the nodes. Any node requesting
for service or providing service, first contact the hub for communication.
The central device (hub or switch) has point to point communication link (the dedicated link
between the devices which cannot be accessed by some other computer) with the devices. The
central device then broadcast or unicast the message based on the central device used. The hub
broadcasts the message, while the switch unicasts the messages by maintaining a switch table.
Broadcasting increases unnecessary data traffic in the network.

In a star topology, hub and switch act as a server, and the other connected devices act as clients.
Only one input-output port and one cable are required to connect a node to the central device.
This topology is better in terms of security because the data does not pass through every node.

Pro’s Con’s
*Centralized control *If central device fails, network fails
*Less expensive *Number of devices in the network is limited
*Easy to troubleshoot
*If a node fails, it will not affect others

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  Mesh Topology
Mesh topology is a computer network topology in which nodes are interconnected with each
other. In other words, direct communication takes place between the nodes in the network.
2 type of mesh
1. Full Mesh – Each node is connected to every other node in the network
2. Partial Mesh – Some nodes are not connected to every other node in the network
In a fully connected mesh topology, each device has a point to point link with every other device
in the network. If there are 'n' devices in the network, then each device has exactly '(n-1)' input-
output ports and communication links. These links are simplex links, i.e., the data moves only in
one direction. A duplex link (in which data can travel in both the directions simultaneously) can
replace two simplex links.

If we are using simplex links, then the number of communication links will be 'n (n-1)' for 'n'
devices, while it is 'n(n-1)/2' if we are using duplex links in the mesh topology.

Pro’s Con’s
*Dedicated links facilitate direct *Complex to implement and takes large space
communication to install network
*Very fast communication *Very high cabling required
*Maintains security due to separate channel *Cost inefficient to implement
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 for communication
*No congestion or traffic problems *Difficult installation and maintenance

 Tree Topology
Tree topology is a computer network topology in which all the nodes are directly or indirectly
connected to the main bus cable. Tree topology is a combination of Bus and Star topology.
In a tree topology, the whole network is divided into segments, which can be easily managed and
maintained. There is a main hub and all the other sub-hubs are connected to each other in this
topology.

Pro’s Con’s
*Large distance network coverage *High cabling and hardware cost
*Least or no data loss *Complex to implement
*Fault finding is easy *Requires high maintenance
*Large number of nodes can be connected *If main bus fails, network fails
directly or indirectly

 Hybrid Topology

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A Hybrid topology is a computer topology which is a combination of two or more topologies. In
practical use, they are the most widely used.
In this topology, all topologies are interconnected according to the needs to form a hybrid. All
the good features of each topology can be used to make an efficient hybrid topology.

Pro’s Con’s
*Handles large volume of nodes *Complex design

*Provides flexibility to modify network *Multi-Station Access Unit (MSAL) required

according to our needs

*Very reliable *Expensive to implement

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Hence, after learning the various computer network topologies, we can conclude that some
points need to be considered when selecting a physical topology:
 Ease of Installation.
 Fault Tolerance.
 Implementation Cost.
 Cabling Required.
 Maintenance Required.
 Reliable Nature.
 Ease of Reconfiguration and upgradation.

Section 1.3 Assess common networking principles and how protocols enable
the effectiveness of networked systems.

 ARP (Address Resolution Protocol)

ARP translates IP addresses to MAC addresses and vice versa so LAN endpoints can
communicate with one another. ARP is necessary because IP and MAC addresses are different
lengths. Below is a breakdown of the various address lengths:
 IP version 4 (IPv4) addresses are 32 bits.
 IPv6 addresses are 128 bits.
 MAC addresses -- a device's physical hardware number -- are 12 hexadecimal digits split
into six pairs.
Translations between these addresses must occur for proper device communication. ARP isn't
required every time devices attempt to communicate because the LAN's host stores the translated
addresses in its ARP cache. As a result, the ARP translation process is mainly used when new
devices join the network.

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  Domain Name System
DNS is a database that includes a website's domain name and its corresponding IP addresses.
People use a domain name to access a website, while devices use an IP address to locate a
website.
DNS translates the domain name into IP addresses, and these translations are included within the
DNS. Servers can cache DNS data, which is required to access the websites. DNS also includes
the DNS protocol, which is within the IP suite and details the specifications DNS uses to
translate and communicate.
DNS is important because it can provide users with information quickly and enable access to
remote hosts and resources across the internet.

 Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP)

DHCP assigns IP addresses to network endpoints so they can communicate with other network
endpoints over IP. Whenever a device joins a network with a DHCP server for the first time,
DHCP automatically assigns it a new IP address and continues to do so each time a device
moves locations on the network.

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When a device connects to a network, a DHCP handshake takes place. In this handshake process,
the device and DHCP server communicate using the following steps:

1. The device establishes a connection.

2. The server receives the connection and provides available IP addresses.
3. The device requests an IP address.
4. The server confirms the address to complete the process.

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  File Transfer Protocol (FTP)
FTP is a client-server protocol, with which a client requests a file and the server supplies it. FTP
runs over TCP/IP -- a suite of communications protocols -- and requires a command channel and
a data channel to communicate and exchange files, respectively. Clients request files through the
command channel and receive access to download, edit and copy the file, among other actions,
through the data channel.

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FTP has grown less popular as most systems began to use HTTP for file sharing. However, FTP
is a common network protocol for more private file sharing, such as in banking.

 Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP)

Like FTP, HTTP is a file sharing protocol that runs over TCP/IP. But HTTP primarily works
over web browsers and is commonly recognizable for most users. When a user enters a website
domain and aims to access it, HTTP provides the access. HTTP connects to the domain's server
and requests the site's HTML, which is the code that structures and displays the page's design.
Another form of HTTP is HTTPS, which stands for HTTP over Secure Sockets Layer or HTTP
Secure. HTTPS can encrypt a user's HTTP requests and webpages. This provides more security
to users and can prevent common cybersecurity threats, such as man-in-the-middle attacks

 Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP)

SMTP is the most popular email protocol, is part of the TCP/IP suite and controls how email
clients send users' email messages. Email servers use SMTP to send email messages from the
client to the email server to the receiving email server. However, SMTP doesn't control how
email clients receive messages -- just how clients send messages.
That said, SMTP requires other protocols to ensure email messages are sent and received
properly. SMTP can work with Post Office Protocol 3 or Internet Message Access Protocol,
which control how an email server receives email messages.

LO 2. Explain networking devices and operations

2.1 Discuss the operating principles of networking devices and server types

Networking devices / infrastructure promote effective communication between users within the
network as well as external networks. At their core, network devices are communication devices.
They are the required components for communication and interaction between hardware on a
computer network. This hardware could be electronic devices like fax machines, computers,
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printers, and other IT infrastructure. The primary purpose of network devices is to transmit and
receive data quickly and securely. "Network Devices" is a broad term that encompasses a range
of communication equipment including hubs, switches, routers, bridges, gateways, load
balancers, modems, repeaters, and more.

 Hub
A Hub is a connectivity device where cables are attached together to form a network segment.
They connect multiple computer networking devices. Hubs can also act as a repeater or amplifier
for information that has to travel over long distances. Typically, a hub doesn't filter data, and
instead just retransmits it. Hubs can handle both digital and analogue data as long as settings
have been properly configured to use that data type. For example, if the incoming data is digital,
the hub will transmit it in packets; but if the incoming data is analogue, it will pass it on via a
signal.
 Switch
Switches are more sophisticated than hubs, which are generally considered to be the simplest of
network connecting devices. With both switches and hubs, each computer is connected through a
single line, but switches are more intelligent about where it sends the data that comes through its
ports. It does this by reading the hardware addresses of incoming packets and basing forwarding
decisions on guidelines that are provided in the headers of the TCP/IP protocols. While switches
and hubs perform a similar function, switches are often preferred because they improve network
efficiency and network security. There are also multilayer switches, which function as both a
switch and a router.

 Router
Routers filters and forward data based on logical addresses, for example, the IP address. Routers
can perform several functions. They store information about networks, can be configured to be
packet-filtering firewalls and can use access control lists. Routers play a critical role in
controlling traffic on the network as well as promoting efficiency.
 Bridge
A0 bridge is a networking device that filters and forwards packets based on a physical address.
Bridges are used to connect two or more network segments together and store and forward
frames between the different segments. They are also used to divide more extensive networks
into smaller sections and manage the flow of data between the sections.

 Gateway
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A gateway is a node that acts as a "gate" between two autonomous networks that each can have
their own routing algorithms, protocols, domain name service, and topology. It allows traffic to
flow in and out of the network but also acts as a critical stopping point for data on its way in or
out of the network. It can also translate data it receives from outside the network into a format or
protocol that is recognized by devices in the internal network. Put simply, a gateway is a router
with additional functionality. For example, if a router has translation functionality, it becomes a
router.

Server Types

 File Server
A file server stores data files for multiple users. They allow for faster data retrieval and saving or
writing files to a computer. This is a basic type of server used commonly by organizations where
lots of users need access to files that are more conveniently and safely stored on a server than a
personal computer.

 Mail Server
A mail server stores and delivers mail for clients through email service platforms. Because mail
servers are set up to continually connect to a network, individual users can access their email
without running any systems through their own devices.

 Proxy Server
Proxy servers act as a bridge between a host server and a client server. A proxy sends data from a
website to your computer IP address after it passes through the proxy's server. This practice adds
a layer of security since the information is requested then transferred from the source to the
proxy server and never directly from a client to another user. A proxy server can filter out
various harmful internet entities.

2.2 Interdependence of workstation hardware and relevant networking software

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Organizations that use workstation hardware need to have a dedicated networking operating
system to ensure that their devices can communicate with each other properly. While there are
many different types of networking operating systems available, workstation hardware is
typically only compatible with a handful of them. This can make it difficult for organizations to
switch to a new networking operating system if their current one is no longer supported.
Workstations are computers that are used by a group of people to do business or work
independently. A workstation, also known as a PC or mainframe terminal, is a piece of hardware
located on a local area network (LAN). To connect a computer workstation to the network, a
network interface card (NIC) must be installed. A collection of software programs designed with
a specific goal in mind. Hardware includes input devices, processing units, output devices, and
auxiliary storage devices. It manages hardware resources on computers. The server is a piece of
hardware and software that stores data, manages network resources, and performs client tasks.
One of the most important types of operating systems is the network operating system. The
Network Operating System is installed on a server and enables it to manage data, users, groups,
security, applications, and other network functions. In the software and hardware industries,
there is no distinction between them. It is the responsibility of both of them to make a computer
useful. The use of software necessitates the installation of necessary hardware. The hardware
cannot be used unless it is supported by a set of programs.

2.3 Explore a range of server types and justify the selection of a server for a
given scenario, regarding cost and performance optimization.

As Reliance is a company that specifies in providing customer services across multi-national

organizations, it can be considered a huge scale company thus arising the needs for servers.
When it comes to selecting servers for Reliance, there’s a huge range to select from. Below are
some examples for a range of servers
i. Database Server - When it comes to fast and easy access to company files, a
database specifically for Reliance can be seen as crucial as it can increase
profits by providing efficient and effective services to its customers, while it
also saves time. It is optimized for data retrieval and management, ensuring
that customer service representatives can access and update customer
information efficiently.

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 ii. VPN Server – As Reliance is a company that serves customers over multi-
national companies and also as the headquarters are located in the US, the
need for a secure connection between the head-office located in the US and
the branch located in Colombo is necessary, thus arising the need for a VPN
server. The purpose of the VPN server is to provide encrypted information
between two locations, which results in data privacy and security.

iii. Backup Server – As Reliance is a Mass scale company dealing with a huge
quantity of customer data, the ability of there being a data breach or loss of
data is eminent, therefore arising the need of a Backup Server. This server
makes sure that the data is backed up automatically to the server making it
easy to access the data in case of a data breach or loss of data.

iv. Email Server – As email is seen as a common mode of communication

whether it be among the different hierarchies or employees or the customers
or among the different branches, the need of an Email server can be seen as
important. This server provides secure email access.

v. File Server – As seen by the customer base of Reliance and the amount of data
it has to deal with on a daily basis, a file server can be seen as an important
addition to the company as it acts as a centralized storage center for the
company which results in easy management of the company data, client data
and other important information related to the company.

As for the type of server I would choose to have at Reliance, I would select a database server as
this server massively contributes to the efficiency and productivity of the company where it
reduces time and cost related to inserting and retrieving of data. The addition of this database
server to the company is going to allow the employees and the clients of Reliance to efficiently
and effectively insert and retrieve their data from any given place, time and instance.

LO3 Design efficient networked systems

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3.1 Design a networked system to meet a given specification.
The following is the network diagram that I designed for the newly proposed network system for
Reliance.

3.2 Design a maintenance schedule to support the networked system.

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  Monthly Maintenance

i. Performance Monitoring – A performance check on the network must be done

in order to make sure that the network traffic and systems are working and
flowing smoothly using relevant network monitoring tools and if any issues
were to be found, they have to be looked into and fixed immediately

ii. Backup Checks - Check on the backups and make sure that the data have
been backed up successfully by comparing the data from the backup servers to
the file servers. Do scenario tests to make sure the backup server are running
as planned

iii. System Checks – Check the system/network for any security bugs and update
all security features to date.

 Quarterly Maintenance

i. Hardware inspection – As time goes by and by heavy loads and usage,

hardware might take a toll, therefore take a look on the hardware in order to
make sure that there are no issues in the network and that all processes flow
smoothly. Clean off all the dust remains from having not touched the devices
in a long time.

ii. Access of Users – Check on the user permissions and roles and the privileges
that each user has.

 Middle of the Year Maintenance

i. Updates – Make sure that the Hardware drivers and the Software being used
are up to date.

 Yearly
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 i. A complete assessment of the security – Run a complete check of the network
to assess the security status of the network, if any issues identified, take
relevant measures to fix them up.

3.3 Analyze user feedback on your designs with the aim of optimizing your design and
improving efficiency.

One of the methods of collecting feedback from the user is by designing a form page with the
relevant questions and submitting it to the user in the form of a report that is needed to be filled.
A template of that form is shown as follows

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Through the above form let’s take into assumption 3 possible replies:

I. Kasun

LO4 Implement and diagnose networked systems

4.1 Implement and diagnose networked systems

The above created network design was implemented on Cisco Packet Tracer. The results are as
follows:

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  Installation and Configuration

To go ahead with the Configuration process, first an IP address must be selected for this network,
then it has to be Subnetted for each and every Layer and then they can be configured.

Subnetting

i. For this Network, I chose the IP address 192.168.10.0 / 24. As there are 2
Floors and 1 room dedicated for the servers, the above IP address has to be
subnetted into 3 portions.
 The subnetting looked as follows

Subnet No Range Subnet Mask

Floor 1 192.168.10.0- 255.255.255.192
192.168.10.63
34 Floor 2 192.168.10.64- Mohamed Naveed
255.255.255.192
192.168.10.127 1001502
Server Room 192.168.10.128- Networking
255.255.255.192
192.168.10.191
  Configuration

Below shows the configuration process for each and every device on the Network

I. Server Configs

DNS Server

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The ip address 192.168.10.131 has been assigned to the DNS server under the Default Gateway
address 192.168.10.129.

II. Mail Server

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For this particular server, the ip 192.168.10.130 has been assigned and the mail service has been
enabled

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Enabling services and setting up for the host PC’s

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  Floor 1

I. PC configuration

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VPN
As the Head-Quarters of US has to access the branch in Colombo, VPN connections need to be
setup for secure communications.

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Making sure that the servers work

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 I. Mail server
In order to test the connection of the Mail server with the rest of the devices, we need to ping
them. In this instance we are going to take the IP address from one of the pc’s in a specific floor
and we are going to ping it to test the connection

As we see here, a connection has been established among the pc’s and the mail server as there
has been no packet loss, we can prove that the mail server is connected and working as desired.

4.2 Document and analyse test results against expected results

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 I. Network Connectivity test

Test Test Objective Expected Result Actual Result Analysis

*Network *To make sure *All the devices *If any device Success
connection that all the are able to has problems
devices are connect to the connecting,
connected and are network without check the
working as any issue problem and
planned find a solution,
apart from that
all devices
connected
successfully

II. Email Server Communications Test

Test Test Objective Expected Result Actual Result Analysis

*Testing the *Make sure that *Able to send and *Works as Success
mail server by the Mail server receive mails expected
sending mails to is working as without any issue where mails
the PC planned are send and
received when
needed

III. VPN Test

Test Test Objective Expected Result Actual Result Analysis
*Testing VPN Verify the *VPN connects *Head Success
verifying the working status successfully and Quarters
ability of the US of the VPN HQ is able to connect
HQ to connect to between US and communicate with successfully
the colombo Colombo the Colombo PC’s creating as
PC’s safely safely, secure
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 connection
between the
US and
Colombo

IV. Hardware Test

Test Test Objective Expected Result Actual Result Analysis

*Testing *Make sure that *All hardware *As expected, Success
hardware all hardware is kept in a safe only those with
functionality and secured in a safe place where only authority have
Security manner authorized access to the
allowed access hardware to
avoid any
accidents or
vulnerabilities

V. Wireless Access Control Test

Test Test Objective Expected Result Actual Result Analysis
*Testing the *Access to *Authorized users *As planned *Success
connectivity Authorized able to access and only
between the personnel and control the wireless authorized
wireless access secure access users are able
points and end connections to access and
devices those without
authority, the
wireless
access is not
made visible
to them

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4.3 Recommend potential enhancements for the networked systems.

i. Employee training – By giving the employees the necessary training and

knowledge through workshops, seminars etc. they are made more aware of
what needs to be done and what they need to look out for

ii. Monitoring And Management – Through constant monitoring and

management of the network system, potential issues could be identified at
their early stages and the necessary solutions could be given making the task
more easier rather than when the problem is a lot more worse.
*Consider a Network Operation Centre to closely examine the
networks24/7/365

iii. Enhanced Wireless Security – As wireless connections can be vulnerable in

the face of hackers and other threats, strong encryptions methods need to be
used to secure this wireless connection. As a method , constantly updating and
setting strong passwords is recommended

iv. Recovery – Due to there being the possibility of data breaches and losses,
regular data backups and other procedures need to be taken to make sure that
the data is being secured in case of loss of hardware/software or any data
breach/loss

v. Feedback from Users – Keep gathering useful information not only from the
end customer but also from the employees when it comes to increasing the
performance, security, efficiency networks. With this information, the
networks need to be updated and improved

References
https://www.comparitech.com/ (2020) Variable Length Subnet Mask (VLSM) Tutorial [online]
Available at: https://www.comparitech.com/net-admin/variable-length-subnet-mask-vlsm-
tutorial/ [Accessed 1 August 2022]
https://www.comptia.org/ (n.d.) What Is a Network Protocol, and How Does It Work? [online]
Available at: https://www.comptia.org/content/guides/what-is-a-network-protocol [Accessed 1
August 2022]

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https://www.ibm.com/uk-en (2021) Networking [online] Available at: https://www.ibm.com/uk-
en/cloud/learn/networking-a-complete-guide [Accessed 1 August 2022]
https://www.ibm.com/uk-en (2022) TCP/IP protocols [online] Available at:
https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/aix/7.2?topic=protocol-tcpip-protocols [Accessed 1 August 2022]
https://www.lifewire.com/ (2022) What Is Bandwidth? Definition, Meaning, and Details [online]
Available at: https://www.lifewire.com/what-is-bandwidth-2625809 [Accessed 1 August 2022]
https://www.adobe.com/ (n.d.) DNS/DHCP/EMAIL VIA PACKET TRACER [online] Available
at: https://express.adobe.com/page/7ogipygZfOh0B/ [Accessed 1 August 2022]
https://techgenix.com/ (2019) Tips and tools for simulating a complex network in a virtual lab
[online] Available at: https://techgenix.com/simulating-network-in-virtual-lab/ [Accessed 1
August 2022]
https://www.eve-ng.net/ (2022) EVE - The Emulated Virtual Environment For Network, Security
and DevOps Professionals [online] Available at: https://www.eve-ng.net/ [Accessed 1 August
2022]
https://www.serverwatch.com/ (2021) Network Server [online] Available at:
https://www.serverwatch.com/servers/network-server/ [Accessed 1 August 2022]
https://www.techtarget.com/ (2022) IoT gateway [online] Available at:
https://www.techtarget.com/iotagenda/definition/IoT-gateway [Accessed 1 August 2022]

Turnitn Report

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