LAN Technologies: Network Infrastructure Design and Implementation

This report outlines the design, implementation, and management of LAN technologies for Sysco.co.uk, a company with four departments needing a new network infrastructure. The proposed network emphasizes availability, scalability, and confidentiality, covering network topologies, traffic-intensive services, and the implementation of a hierarchical network design. The report details the selection of a hybrid topology (Star-bus) for its reliability and scalability, along with QoS parameters and VoIP implementation. It also includes an IP addressing scheme, network component design, and security measures such as firewalls and anti-malware solutions. Furthermore, the report delves into router, firewall, and switch configurations, VLAN designs for each department, data center design considerations, trunking, and testing procedures. The report concludes with network monitoring tools, strategies to improve network security, reliability, and performance, and recommendations for Sysco.co.uk.

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LAN TECHNOLOGIES
By: (STUDENT NAME)
(COURSE TITLE)
(PROFESSOR NAME)
(UNIVERSITY NAME)
(DATE)

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Table of Contents
Table of figures................................................................................................................................4
Executive summary.........................................................................................................................5
1.1 Network Topologies...............................................................................................................5
Mesh topology..........................................................................................................................6
Star topology............................................................................................................................6
Ring topology...........................................................................................................................7
Hybrid topology.......................................................................................................................8
Bus topology.............................................................................................................................9
Proposed network topology......................................................................................................9
1.2 Traffic Intensive services.......................................................................................................9
1.3 Why Sysco.co.uk need to implement hierarchical network design.....................................10
How hierarchical network model is used to improve security, performance, and reliability.11
Task 2: LAN infrastructures..........................................................................................................12
2.1 Network infrastructures........................................................................................................12
IP addressing scheme.................................................................................................................12
2.2 Network components and design.........................................................................................14
Task one vs. task two.............................................................................................................14
How to secure the network.....................................................................................................14
Task 3: Implementing LAN infrastructures...................................................................................14
3.1 Configurations......................................................................................................................14
Router configuration commands............................................................................................14
Firewall configuration............................................................................................................15
Switch configuration..............................................................................................................15
Technology and Security...........................................................................................................15
VLANs design for each department.......................................................................................15
Data Center design.................................................................................................................16
Trunking.................................................................................................................................17
Security...................................................................................................................................18
3.2 Testing..................................................................................................................................18
Areas of improvement............................................................................................................19
Task 4: Managing LAN infrastructures.........................................................................................19

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4.1 Network tool available to monitor the organization network..............................................19
Network troubleshooting tool.................................................................................................20
4.2 How to improve network security, reliability, and performance.........................................20
4.3 How to improve network performance................................................................................21
Recommendation...........................................................................................................................21
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................22
Works Cited...................................................................................................................................22

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Table of figures
Figure 1: Mesh topology..................................................................................................................5
Figure 2: Star topology....................................................................................................................6
Figure 3: Ring topology...................................................................................................................7
Figure 4: Hybrid topology...............................................................................................................8
Figure 5: Bus topology....................................................................................................................9
Figure 6: VoIP network display.....................................................................................................10
Figure 7: proposed physical Design..............................................................................................12
Figure 10: VLAN...........................................................................................................................16
Figure 8: Proposed physical cabling..............................................................................................17

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Executive summary
Sysco.co.uk is a company with four departments; the Finance departments, Design, HR,
and sales departments. The company is planning to design a new network infrastructure which
consists of email, file, web, and DNS server. All the departments are required to access all the
servers but departments cannot access each other. This paper will provide how to go about the
re-designing sysco.co.uk network. This network proposal will emphasize in availability,
scalability, and confidentiality. The paper will have four parts; the first part will be
understanding the impact of LAN. Second, to design LAN infrastructures. Lastly is to implement
and managing LAN infrastructures
Introduction
Before embarking in the network design, it is very important to carefully consider the
scope of the design. Designers must first gather the necessary network requirements to avoid
creeping of scope. This enables the designers to meet the four to six months deadline. Other
issues to consider in this design is the overall costs and infrastructure. Some of the technical
issues that will be considered in this design are high availability, quality of service, security,
traffic isolation, and scalability (Blanc & Cotton, 2014)
Task1: Understanding the impact of LAN network topologies

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1.1 Computer Network Topologies
A network topology said to be the logical and physical arrangement of an organization
network. The physical arrangement defines how servers, connectors, cables, and workstations are
connected together. Logical arrangement defines how servers, cables, connectors, and
workstations relate to each other in relation to workflow. According to Beal, the network
topology is how network nodes are arranged and communicate with each other. There major
topologies utilized by organizations these are bus, tree, mesh, star, hybrid and ring topologies.
Mesh topology
In mesh topology, it is where devices or gadgets are connected with redundant
interconnections between network nodes. Every node in the network is connected to each other.
There two major types of topologies which are partial and full mesh topology. Full mesh
topology is costly to implement as compared to partial topology. Figure 1: shows mesh topology
Figure 1: Mesh topology
Star topology
This is one of the most common network topologies in home and office network. This
because of ease of troubleshooting and requires a low cost. One advantage of this type of
topology if one node then it does not affect other nodes. As shown by figure 2, each and every

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node is connected to a central hub. One drawback of star topology is in case the central switch or
hub fails then the entire organizational network fails (CiscoNetworkingAcademy, 2014).
Figure 2: Star topology
Ring topology
This type of topology where network gadgets or devices are organized along a
transmission path so that transmitted information passes via each and every station before it
returns to its point of origin.
Figure 3: Ring topology

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Hybrid topology
This a type of topology which combines two or more network topologies to form one
complete network. Example it can be combination of bus and star topology.
Figure 4: Hybrid topology

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Bus topology
This is a type of topology where nodes or stations are organized along a single length
cable. This type of topology entails a coaxial cable like RG-58 A/U cable which is used with the
10Base2 Ethernet Local Area Networks (Matthews, 2007).
Figure 5: Bus topology
Proposed network topology
From the above topologies Bus topology is the most economical topology and above it is
the easiest topology to set-up. On the other hand, ring topology is the costliest and very
complicated in terms of installation. For this case, Sysco.co.uk need to go for hybrid topology
(Star-bus topology). This would be the most reliable type of topology where all the network
devices are connected in each department are connected via a central hub. The departments and
the servers are then connected in a bus type of topology. This type of topology is scalable and
reliable. In addition, this type of topology us very easy to manage and diagnose in cases of
problems. Also, the hybrid type of topology is constructed in a modular fashion which allows
easy integration of new components (Odom, 2009)
1.2 Traffic Intensive services
Quality of Service (QoS) is measured with help of various parameters like bandwidth,
packet loss rate, delay variation, and delay. Differentiated ServiceCode Point is the one that
marks those packets which enter the organization network with certain Ingress and class nodes

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which can support scalability and complex functions. On the other hand, Voice over IP is a group
of network technologies used for delivery of the voice communication and the multi-media
sessions over the IP. The figure below displays how sysco needs to display their VoIP
Figure 6: VoIP network display
1.3 Why Sysco.co.uk need to implement a hierarchical network design
To meet the organizations and technical goals one need to have a network topology
which consists of lots of interrelated components. Network engineers developed a hierarchical
network design to help in developing a topology in distinct layers. A hierarchical network
topology comprises of 3 layers which are; the core layer which contains high-end switches and
routers that are adjusted for performance and availability. It consists of a distribution layer which

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implements the topology procedures. On the other hand, the third layer which is the access layer
interconnect the organization computer users through lower-end switches and wireless access
points.
For this scenario, Syco.uk need to implement hierarchical network model since it
provides fast, logical, and efficient traffic forwarding patterns for the organization network
topologies while at the same minimizing the cost for connecting multiple network devices. In
addition, hierarchical network design adapts well to organization expansion, and network
security models (Odom, 2009).
How hierarchical network model is used to improve security, performance, and reliability
The hierarchical model is the process of dividing the organization network into discrete
layers. This, in turn, helps the network engineer to select the correct software and hardware thus
achieving the feature of reliability. The hierarchical model divides the organization network into
access, distribution, and core layer. The Access layer helps in achieving availability, port
security, and Address Resolution Protocol Inspection (ARP). The distribution layer provides
what network engineers refer to as policy-based security and routing services between VLANs,
and LANs. The core layer provides fault-tolerance and reliability. It also provides scalability by
providing very high-speed switching

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Task 2: LAN infrastructures
2.1 Network infrastructures
Figure 7: proposed physical Design
When designing Campus LAN that satisfies the need of large organization such as
Sysco.co.uk, the design or the plan is more likely to be successful if a hierarchical design model
is implemented as shown by figure 7. Compared to other topologies a hierarchical design is very
manage, expand and one can be able to solve network problems quickly. Campus LAN design
that interconnects the WAN, the data center and the endpoints.