Computer Network Design for Accounting Firm - CSCI 3150 Project

This project details the design of a local area network (LAN) for an accounting firm, addressing the firm's specific needs and constraints. The assignment considers the existing office layout, the number of employees, and the president's requirements, including the location of the color laser printer. The solution presents two network design options: a premium design incorporating an email server and cloud storage for file backup and high-quality printing, and a low-cost design utilizing existing hardware and physical storage devices. The project includes a network design diagram, a quotation of prices, and references to relevant research papers. The student's design prioritizes cost-effectiveness while ensuring reliable printing and data storage solutions to meet the firm's operational demands. This project effectively demonstrates an understanding of network design principles and practical application within a business context.

Running head: - ACCOUNTING FIRM NETWORK
ACCOUNTING FIRM NETWORK
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1ACCOUNTING FIRM NETWORK
Table of Contents
1. Justification of network design:.............................................................................................2
1.1. Premium network design:............................................................................................2
1.2. Low-cost network design:...............................................................................................3
2. Network Design:....................................................................................................................4
3. Quotation of prices:................................................................................................................5
4. References:.............................................................................................................................6

2ACCOUNTING FIRM NETWORK
1. Justification of network design:
The network particularly designed for the firm addresses to solve the rising issues that
have been visibly identified to be faced by the firm. In regards to all the issues, the network
has been designed considering the current layout of the office premise.
1.1. Premium network design:
To solve the issues of the firm and concerns of the president, the following network
services are to be included within the layout1. These are,
 Inclusion of an email server. Since the employees need to carry the documents in a
jump drive or a CD, an email server can be provided to provision the employees to
mail documents for printing to the secretary. The secretary will view the same from
its computer and do the printing through the colour laser printer. This solves the
printing issue and the concern of the president for not moving the printer to his office.
 A cloud storage can be added to the network to allow all the employees to store
important documents and back up data for future reference solving the problem of file
backup.
Advantages:
 Provision of file backup systems and access to them anywhere at any point of time.
 High quality printing of documents through colour laser printer.
Disadvantages:
 Requirement of high revenue and costing for cloud storage and email server.
1 Ma, Jinghuan, Lingyang Song, and Yonghui Li. "Optimal power dispatching for local area packetized power
network." IEEE Transactions on Smart Grid 9.5 (2017): 4765-4776.

3ACCOUNTING FIRM NETWORK
1.2. Low-cost network design:
The low-cost design that can be used to address the problems of the accounting firm
are,
 Connecting each of the workstations belonging to the employees to the colour printer
that is present in the secretary office for printing the documents2.
 Installation of hardware storage devices only for the purpose of backing up or storing
of files for future references.
Advantages:
 Lowering of the required revenue than that of installing servers.
 Low costs in terms of cloud storage if physical data storage systems are installed.
Disadvantages:
 Increase of connecting wires that might get damaged and stop the printing procedure.
 The physical data storage systems might be affected by viruses and result in loss of
data.
2 Yu, Tong, Andy Stamm, and Ronny Hartanto. "Design and implementation of a Bluetooth low energy-based
local area network for fall detection." Multidisciplinary digital publishing institute proceedings. Vol. 2. No. 6.
2018.

4ACCOUNTING FIRM NETWORK
2. Network Design:
Figure-1: Accounting Firm Network Design
(Source- Created By Author)

5ACCOUNTING FIRM NETWORK
3. Quotation of prices:

6ACCOUNTING FIRM NETWORK
4. References:
Ma, Jinghuan, Lingyang Song, and Yonghui Li. "Optimal power dispatching for local area
packetized power network." IEEE Transactions on Smart Grid 9.5 (2017): 4765-4776.
Yu, Tong, Andy Stamm, and Ronny Hartanto. "Design and implementation of a Bluetooth
low energy-based local area network for fall detection." Multidisciplinary digital publishing
institute proceedings. Vol. 2. No. 6. 2018.