IT Infrastructure: Network Design Proposal for a Company

This project proposes an IT network design for a company, focusing on a three-layered hierarchical architecture to improve manageability, scalability, and security. The design incorporates both cloud-based and dedicated server solutions. It analyzes the current IT infrastructure, identifies its shortcomings, and recommends a future design leveraging components like switches, routers, and wireless access points. The proposal details geographical scope, scalability considerations, and the logical design of dedicated servers including file servers, mail servers, web servers, DNS servers, and DHCP servers. It also explores cloud-based solutions like Microsoft Azure and VMware, providing IP addressing schemes and network mask configurations. The document aims to address the organization's need for a scalable and efficient network, offering recommendations for implementation and highlighting the benefits of the proposed design over the existing flat switched network.

Introduction
Networking in IT infrastructure that act of connecting the devices with a purpose to enable
resource sharing this may include the data, printers and other many more (Mitchell, 2017). Many
network in computers may be with designs and this always depend on the size of the
organization and what need to be implemented (JoshWepman, 2015). This proposal is for
provision of network design that should be adapted by the given company where we have to
apply both the cloud-based and dedicated server techniques.
Objectives
The main aim is to achieve the various objectives that will the help an organization in conducting
its service a more effective and much more efficiently (Coleman, 2012). The idea here will help
in achieving both the operational and business objectives. The following objectives shall need to
be followed and they are vital in the network to be laid.
 Scalability- This is the idea where the network design to be set up to have the capabilities
of accommodating more devices when need arise in future. The design should allow
expansion or extensibility in future without necessary having to draw another design from
scratch.
 Secured Organization Services- This network should enhance a more secure environment
for its operations.
 Info processing being effective- The aim of network design is to ensure that all users are
able to retrieve. Processing and storing of info related to the organization operational
services in a more effective and very transparent manner.
Components of Information Technology Infrastructure
There are many components that makes the IT infrastructure and helping in facilitating in
designing a good network design that is needed by different firms. In the case here some of the
components are discussed here below.
1. Switch
This is a hardware device used for connecting the devices over the network within a
single LAN (Mitchell, 2017). They may come with various versions depending on the

size of the network and how scalable the network is. The figure below shows some of the
versions of switches.
Figure 1 Switches
2. Routers
This are devices that are used for connecting the network to the internet. They offer the
provision of all the devices that are embedded on the accelerating encryptions, expansion
slots for DSP, firewall, intrusion preventions, processing calls, services applications and
voice calls.
3. Wireless Access Point (WAP)
This a device in networking used for creating the wireless LAN which is WLAN. The
device is known for using transceiver that broadcasts Wi-Fi signals within the
organization and hence allowing more users to connect to the LAN.
4. Fiber Cable
5. This type of component serves as a transmission media that connects the devices to the
network,
6. Server and the storage components
Components used for managing the access to all resources shared and services in a given
network. This servers may include the DNS server, Web Server, File-Server and the
database server.
7. Workstation devices
This includes devices like computers, Iphones etc. that are connected to the network.
8. Cat 6 Ethernet cable.
This are the cables used for providing the connection of the access layer devices to the
network organization.

9. Operating system components.
This includes the Operating system of the work stations and the servers and not forgetting
the Network operating System (NOS).
All of the above discussed IT infrastructure components are very essential to enhance a
network design that is of good quality for any organization, and in order for us to achieve
the stated objectives the following components will have to be used. The network designs
having to rely with the discussed above components will make it to be successful
(Mbaocha, 2012).
3-Layered Hierarchical Model
This hierarchical networking design is specifically the situation where the flat switched
network is broken in to three layers where each layer in the model performs specific
functions leading to simplification of the network thus making it easy to scaling and
managing the network (CISCO, 2014). The 3 layers of this design are explained here
below.
Figure 2 three-layered architecture
Access layer- the layer offers provision directing the end-user who connect to the LAN

Distribution Layer- this layers used for connecting the components of access layer and also
enabling the access layers connectivity to services (Technet, 2015).
Core Layer – helps in connecting DL to large LAN organizations.
Current IT infrastructure Analysis in The organization
The situation of the current network in the organization is that it poorly designed. The use of the
Flat switched network design in the organization has made it hard in managing the design as well
as conducting the operations in an effective manner when we consider the size of the
organization. The other idea is that the network in place is not scalable (Cisco, Benefits of a
Hierarchical Network, 2009). This means incase the network needs to be expanded we will have
to draw another design from scratch. There will be a lot of problems which are complex when
troubleshooting. Another problem is the network being insecure hence in case it affects the
company everything is paralyzed.
Future IT Infrastructure Analysis in the Organization
The proposed future network design of the organization is based on a three-layered hierarchical
design. The design is highlighting each and every component in each layer in the design (Adato,
2015). The three layer is used for simplifying the whole company network design by making it
flexible, scalable and much more easy to managing and troubleshooting hence improving the
processing speed (Cisco, Small Enterprise Design Profile Reference Guide, 2013). The diagram
below illustrates the above

Figure 3Future IT infrastructure
Geographical Scope of the Network
The geographical scope would be the many as to many as we consider the network to extend to
more than one building hence enabling the connectivity between the given number of LANs
(requirement, 2014). The geographical requirement in the three hierarchical layers will be as
follows.
Access Layer
In this layer there is provision of the interface with the end-users such as PCs, printers that will
help in enabling the access to entire network. The main idea is ensuring that connections of the
devices in the network to the network and controlling the communication modes as located on
each network (CISCO, 2014)
Figure 4 Access layer
Distribution Layer
The purpose of this layer known as distribution provides an interface in between the components
of both the access layer and of the core layer in the specific network. The network access
functions, the intelligent routing and the switching occurs in this layer for the entire network.

This will ensure that there is high availability of the core in accessing the layer of the end user
gadgets.
Core Layer
This layer includes routers used for acting like a central hub enabling the functions of the
network to access the internal and external networks respectively. it is known for bringing
together all the distribution layer switching from all organizations, this layer make it easy as it is
scalable, flexible, reliable and much more its high speed in providing the connectivity. The
diagram below shows how the core layer functions.
Figure 5 Core layer

Scalability of Network
If each module of the design of the network is enabled in replicating the various components of
the network as the network expands it make it possible in conducting an expansion in planning
and implementation to be easier than it is in the current situation. This is sometimes done by
adding more distribution layers switches so that they can accommodate more access layers and
end users (Guide, 2011) .
Dedicated Server Design Proposal
Dedicated server is a central PC used for storing info and allowing one to share and access the
info to various devices in the network (Hope, 2017). Some of this stated servers are such as the.
File Server- used for managing the storage and data files transfer across the whole network of the
organization (Rouse, 2009).
Mail-server- is an application server used for managing the incoming mails from all devices in
the network domain. The server is used in forwarding the emails when delivered to their intended
destinations. It used for managing all emails communications within the company.
Web-Server- its purpose is using the http in providing services to the users who requested the
webpage a file.
DNS Server- a server that match all the corresponding domain names with their IP addresses
associates within the company network and they are offered by the internet service providers. It
normally processes by requesting from the devices and locating the response using the IP
address.
Dynamic Host Configuration Server. (DHCP)
A network server that is used for generating and automatically assigning the IP addresses and the
defaults gateways to the end users devices that are connected to the company network.
Logical Design for dedicated Server Design

The logical design for all dedicated servers will be represented in the diagram below. From the
diagram below the data center is used for hosting all the dedicated servers on the proposed
network design of the given company. All the request from the networking devices are processed
at the data center where all the servers are located. The dedicated server network design below
shows three layer hierarchical design of the anticipated network for the company.
Figure 6 Logical diagram of the dedicated servers
IP Addresses and The Network mask.
Considering we have more that 1000 computers in the organization which are distributed the
given buildings which are adjacent to each other. With the given info above then it will be

appropriate in allocating the IP addresses to all available workstations and hence able to give
allowances for scalability in future. Assuming each building has about 500 workstations
therefore we will have to apply Class B of IP address for the proposed network design of the
Company (Subnetting, 2010). The figure illustrates the Ip addressing details.
Figure 7 IP addressing general details
Figure 8 IP Addressing of the Company
The given IP addressing details are scalable in the manner that in case any new person or device
connected to the organization can be accommodated and hence achieving the objective of
scalability.
Cloud-Based Design.
There are many organization that offers the networking services to organizations. Instead of a
company using the physical dedicated servers it may seek services from cloud organizations
institutions like explained here below.
Microsoft Azure.
MS is known for offering provision of services such as the storage services, management of data,
messaging and the CDN. Based on the organization needs there are various servers located in the
cloud acting as the data center for the company. The organization can host its servers (mail-
servers, data management and the storage databases) using the MS Azure. The provider here is
very reliable and scalable and he is controlled by the MS Azure Fabrics by ensuring the services

and the Infrastructure that is laid do not crash and hence able to make it more reliable (Macken,
2016).
VMware
Another cloud service is the VMware which offers the provision of services such as the storage,
advanced networking, and the integration of the enterprise environments and services such as the
data recovery. This VMware has a very advanced security measures which ranges from the
security of the private networks to the compliance certificates they hold. This VMware also offer
provision for enterprise platforms in IT for the reconstruction of the data centers which has
enabled many organizations in addressing their needs without necessary changing all the already
implanted processes (cloud-services, 2017).
Conclusions and Recommendations
From the above it has been clearly seen that the organization will need a network design that
would be easier in managing and most of it all scalable than the existing system (Meena, 2017).
The recommendations in this scenario will be that the organization to adapt to a new proposed
design of the network which is simply the three-layered hierarchical architecture which is clearly
defining and addressing the problem by making it easier in knowing which part of the network is
performing which operations.

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