Improving Metropolitan Hotel Network Protocols

The Metropolitan Hotel chain is undergoing changes in management and ownership. The new owners and management team aim to improve service, accessibility, and technology integration to attract local and international clients. To achieve this, they need to review and update their current systems and networks to accommodate new features such as online reservations, staff access, and in-room services. Additionally, the hotel's IT networks and communications require exploration to support improved functionality and access.

Scenario – The Metropolitan Hotel
The Metropolitan Hotel has recently had a change of management due to a recent sale of its national
collection of hotels spanning a number of UK cities. The Metropolitan chain of Hotels across the
United Kingdom are well known for their affordability and have been very successful in light of the
well known‐ international hoteliers proving to be a stronger competitor in the local market share.
Due to the new acquisition, the owners (the TATA Group of Industries based in Mumbai, India) and
the management board of the Metropolitan Hotel chain in the UK wish to improve upon their already
well respected level of service and accommodation by improving their offering to the local, national
communities and also look to attract international interest from tourists and potential business
clientele alike.
Currently, the service offered by the Metropolitan Hotel chain has been very personal and face to
face with all its guests. Although, this is a well liked‐ characteristic routinely commented and praised
by its numerous guests staying at the hotel, its new management team feel it’s also important to
embrace the technological advances that the hotel and hospitality industry has available to it.
In light of this desire to improve accessibility of services; expand market share; have a greater online
presence; allow for online reservations to be made; give staff and the management greater access to
hotel information systems both internally and securely from remote off site‐ locations; introduce
technological advances to their corporate conference facilities giving delegates and business clients
an opportunity to make use of their own laptops, mobile platforms and use them seamlessly with the
technology available to them, such as wireless printers, tablet devices and projectors at the hotel it
has been identified that the current systems and networks will need reviewing and updating to
accommodate this new vision of the future for the hotel.
Also, on the agenda for improvements is to introduce integrated in room‐ services to allow guests to
have access to Hotel Guides (e.g. details of hotel facilities, emergency information, menu’s for dining,
information about local transportation, local events and nightlife). For business clients staying at the
hotel it is desired they will have access to Microsoft Office based productivity software and secure
access to their corporate email to ensure they are not restricted by their accommodation. For guests
not on business, it is desired that the in room‐ services available to them should also meet with their
needs and expectations. The envisaged in room‐ services to meet their needs have been identified to
include a TV Service, access to music, ability to social network and have access to the hotel’s
selection of online games. Obviously, the customary automated in room‐ services will also be
available to include a wakeup call service, the ability to schedule room service, make payments from
the comfort of the guests’ hotel room with the aid of an integrated payment system, concierge
services, along with a VoIP telephone service.
The final requirement of the management and the new owners of the Metropolitan Hotel chain is to
link all city‐wide Metropolitan Hotel information systems together so that they can integrate the
details from all their inner city hotels to manage their bookings, reservations allowing hotel staff to
make bookings, reservations and transfer guests to other alternative Metropolitan Hotel sites within
the city, and manage the overall services being offered to all their guests more effectively.
In order to accommodate the above improvements it has been identified that the IT Networks and
Communications of the Metropolitan Hotel will need to be explored in depth and adapted to allow
for greater functionality and access to information systems services to flourish in this demanding
industry of hospitality.

Define the following network protocols and discuss their use.
TCP/IP,FTP,SMTP,NETBEUI and HTTP
Based upon the needs for protocols to be utilized in order to carry out the day to
day activities on the network within the hotel, define with support of examples the
following protocols listed below:
a) TCP/IP
b) FTP
c) SMTP
d) NETBEUI
e) HTTP
Your response is required to identify the purpose to using this protocol within the
Metropolitan Hotel and should take into account the potential volume of network traffic
that may be carried upon the network, the accuracy, the reliability and speed of data
transmission over the network