Network Design Proposal for UMUC: Customization, Optimization, Data Protection, Monitoring, Log Storage and Troubleshooting

This proposal outlines the technical requirements, proposed computer systems hardware, and justification for network customization and optimization, data protection and backup, network monitoring, log storage and management, and troubleshooting methodology for UMUC. The proposal includes details on cloud-based storage, security-as-a-service, backup-as-a-service, network monitoring solutions, log management tools, and the bottom-up troubleshooting methodology. The proposal is relevant to UMUC courses related to network design, cybersecurity, and information technology.

Running head: NETWORK DESIGN PROPOSAL
Network Design Proposal
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1NETWORK DESIGN PROPOSAL
Table of Contents
Network Customization and Optimization......................................................................................3
A. Network and Cloud Based Storage......................................................................................3
Technical Requirements..........................................................................................................3
Proposed Computer Systems Hardware..................................................................................3
Justification..............................................................................................................................4
B. Data Protection and Backup.................................................................................................4
Technical Requirements..........................................................................................................4
Proposed Computer Systems Hardware..................................................................................4
Justification..............................................................................................................................5
C. Network Monitoring............................................................................................................5
Technical Requirements..........................................................................................................5
Proposed Network Monitoring Solutions................................................................................6
Justification..............................................................................................................................6
D. Log Storage and Management.............................................................................................6
Technical Requirements..........................................................................................................6
Proposed Logging Solution.....................................................................................................7
Justification..............................................................................................................................7
E. Troubleshooting Methodology................................................................................................8
Technical requirements............................................................................................................8

2NETWORK DESIGN PROPOSAL
Proposed Computer Systems Hardware..................................................................................8
Justification..............................................................................................................................8
Reference.........................................................................................................................................9

3NETWORK DESIGN PROPOSAL
Network Customization and Optimization
A. Network and Cloud Based Storage
Technical Requirements
UMUC previously had the provision for online teaching. As further enhancements to this
system, the university also wants to implement cloud-based technology. This would require
technical requirements with respect to the education service structure that the university had
before. It has been previously known, for online teaching, UMUC had already adapted few
networking technologies; like using of secured web browsers and authorized UMUC email
addresses [1]. For further cloud implementation, it is essential to have three dedicated server
system and one dedicated client system representing a student. Furthermore, the other technical
requirements are listed as below:
 Cloud controller and Cluster controller
 Enabling of VT
 1 Gbps networking
Proposed Computer Systems Hardware
The hardware for proposed system in UMUC should have Dual core processor, 64-bit
with internal 4 GB RAM 250 and GB Disk Storage [2]. The same specifications would be
required for the server-end as well as the client-end systems. Other than this, connectivity
systems required to support the network is would also be feasible in this regard. To connect these
Virtual Machines or VMs, servers are required. Besides, it is necessary that the cloud security is
also maintained by making the networking system secured.

4NETWORK DESIGN PROPOSAL
Justification
The network requirements for the cloud system implementation are justified as to form a
cloud storage system and continue the process of education along with it requires systems with
minimum storage, convenience and flexibility [3]. The network requirements are listed with such
precision that it can even be modified to expand into a public cloud if the situation arises. Even,
these requirements can be merged with public cloud systems to form a hybrid cloud. These
networking and hardware systems are scalable as well.
B. Data Protection and Backup
Technical Requirements
Data storage, security and backup, can be a tenuous process when done on premises in a
non-technical way. It needs the UMUC to implement SECaaS or Security-as-a-Service and the
BaaS or Backup-as-a-Service. According to the technical infrastructure of UMUC, it is required
that the data that has been stored in secured cloud services like Microsoft Office 365, Google
Apps, Salesforce and others [4]. The minimum technical requirements for this system are as
follows:
 Windows Service Pack 1 OS or the latest versions
 Safari, Chrome or Firefox browser
 Microsoft Office, Outlook or Gmail for email client software
Proposed Computer Systems Hardware
The proposed Hardware for the Computer Systems that are required to support the
proposed technicalities for data protection and backup for UMUC has been listed as below:

5NETWORK DESIGN PROPOSAL
 Computer and Processor: 1 GHz or faster x86 or 64-bit processor with SSE2
instruction set
 Memory: 2 GB RAM
 Disk Space: Minimum 3 GB
 Resolution of Monitor: 1024x768 with ActiveSync
Justification
The proposed software and hardware requirements for the data backup and security
system provide the system with reliability and readily available services. The solutions available
are effective for handling known threats, and the Security-as-a-service solution works together
with the existing and on-premise solutions in a hybrid environment [5]. The requirement also
provides the solutions to privacy and security of the data as well as justifies the backup of the
entire data system in the cloud. This ensures that data once created and stored in the cloud
network is never lost, rather mishandled. The system requirements would also make sure that the
data is not mishandled.
C. Network Monitoring
Technical Requirements
Network monitoring is necessary after implementing cloud solutions to check if the
implementation of the software system is working correctly or not. The UMUC has the initial
structure to support online education system [6]. Therefore, it is necessary to continually check
on the system to monitor technical failures and assess the impending risks in the network. To
help with this feature the system needs to implement technical methodologies. It could be
proposed that the most widely used method can be used for this purpose, called the Ping method.

6NETWORK DESIGN PROPOSAL
Proposed Network Monitoring Solutions
Facilitating a proper Network Monitoring solution is necessary for a cloud computer
environment especially for the likes of the universities UMUC. This is fulfilled by Quick Ping
Monitor, a graphic monitoring tool that can monitor the states of over thousand of IP equipment
working at the same time [6]. The enormous organization of IBM, Motorola, Cisco and others
use the Quick Ping Monitor as their Network Monitoring tool. Therefore, to monitor the IP
equipment for UMUC as well, Quick Ping Monitors could be used.
Justification
Quick Ping Monitor is an essential solution for Network Monitoring that has provided
elucidation to various to the webmaster, server administrators and network administrators.
Different gigantic companies also have been using this solution to support their network
monitoring. Compared to other Network Monitoring solutions, such as the SuperPinger, Shinken,
Pandora and others, Quick Ping Monitor is more efficient, stable, and provides the user with a
friendly User Interface [6]. Therefore, it is justified that UMUC implements the Quick Ping
Monitor to offer to support the Network Monitoring system.
D. Log Storage and Management
Technical Requirements
For the UMUC University, it is fundamentally vital that log management is used. This
process maintains all the log data and stores it in one place to be used for varied purposes in the
future. To aid to this system, the University technical structure needs to have appropriate server
logs and applications that would form the eyes and ears for a developer who would help in the

7NETWORK DESIGN PROPOSAL
maintenance of this log data [7]. It is essential that the following should be present in the server
system to aid the storage and management of log data generated from the university:
 Logging frameworks, such as log4net, Nlog, log back, and others
 Full-text searching tool
 Log tailing, monitoring and alerting tools
Proposed Logging Solution
In this particular scenario, it could be recommended that the University of Maryland
University College or UMUC uses the solution called the Retrace Log Management tool. The
log management and storage tool called Retrace does not only correlate application logs but in
addition to it also integrates the user experience with APM transaction tracing capabilities [7].
Therefore, this solution should be used as a sufficient log data sharing and storing tool or
solution.
Justification
Traditional log storage and management software systems fail to provide the tracking and
identification of application errors. Even the other methods fail to help the users with robust
monitoring of mistakes or the functionalities that a proper developer requires [8]. Naturally, a
developer looks for multiple solutions for the problem opting for different log management tools.
In comparison, the Retrace log management tool helps a developer with the viewing of the logs
and errors that have been grouped by individual group requests and SQL queries. Therefore, it is
justified to use the Retrace log management tool since it can perform all the tasks at once.

8NETWORK DESIGN PROPOSAL
E. Troubleshooting Methodology
Technical requirements
The most effective troubleshooting methodology that can provide the UMUC with agile
solutions when any physical problem is suspected in the OSI model of the system is the Bottom-
up Troubleshooting Methodology [9]. The technical requirements for this approach include all
the above-mentioned hardware and software components and an OSI model. It also models for
the tools required to parse a textual document. The visual requirements include Paladin GUI
screen are stored in an XML document.
Proposed Computer Systems Hardware
The hardware systems require physical components of the network with Open Systems
Interconnection or OSI models since the bottom-up approach encapsulates the physical layer of
the OSI model and then moves towards the application layers.
Justification
The troubleshooting approach that goes bottom-up makes use of the OSI model guiding
as its principle along the physical layer which is the bottom layer of the OSI stack. This is
regarded as the starting point [10]. The method results in the eliminating of potential problems
faster and is expected to implement a full bottom-up or top-down approach. Therefore, it is
considered that the divide-and-conquer method is one of the most effective troubleshooting
approaches and should be readily applicable to the troubleshooting methodology for the UMUC.

9NETWORK DESIGN PROPOSAL
Reference
[1]W. Chen and Y. Shang, "Security Design and Implementation of the Cloud-based Online
System", DEStech Transactions on Computer Science and Engineering, no., 2016.
[2]M. Chen, "Design and Implementation of Information Management System Based on Cloud
Computing Mode", Applied Mechanics and Materials, vol. 556-562, pp. 6685-6688, 2014.
[3]B. Martini and K. Choo, "Cloud Forensic Technical Challenges and Solutions: A
Snapshot", IEEE Cloud Computing, vol. 1, no. 4, pp. 20-25, 2014.
[4]Y. Ghazi, R. Masood, A. Rauf, M. Shibli and O. Hassan, "DB-SECaaS: a cloud-based
protection system for document-oriented NoSQL databases", EURASIP Journal on Information
Security, vol. 2016, no. 1, 2016.
[5]"Effects of firm strategies on customer acquisition of Software as a Service (SaaS) providers:
A mediating and moderating role of SaaS technology maturity", Journal of Intelligence and
Information Systems, vol. 20, no. 3, pp. 151-171, 2014.
[6]R. Michalak, "Microsoft Office 365; https://products.office.com/en-us/business/explore-
office-365-for-business", Technical Services Quarterly, vol. 32, no. 4, pp. 449-451, 2015.
[7]"The Practice of Network Security Monitoring", Network Security, vol. 2014, no. 10, p. 4,
2014.
[8]"An Exploratory Survey of Hadoop Log Analysis Tools", International Journal of Computer
Applications, vol. 75, no. 18, pp. 33-36, 2013.
[9]S. Smirnova, MySQL troubleshooting. Sebastopol, CA: O'Reilly Media, 2012.

10NETWORK DESIGN PROPOSAL
[10]"COULOMB BLOCADE AND SINGLE-ELECTRON TRANSISTOR WITHIN
“BOTTOM – UP” APPROACH IN MODERN NANOELECTRONICS AND WITHIN
TRADITIONAL “UP – BOTTOM” CONCEPT", Sensor Electronics and Microsystem
Technologies, vol. 14, no. 3, pp. 5-23, 2017.