Local Area Network Infrastructure: Design, Implementation, Analysis

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of Local Area Network (LAN) technologies, design, implementation, and management. It begins with a critical evaluation of different LAN technologies, including Ethernet, VLAN, VTP, STP, and Wireless LAN, highlighting their features and benefits. The report then analyzes traffic-intensive services and their impact on network performance, focusing on Quality of Service (QoS) parameters such as jitter, delay, and packet loss. It discusses LAN concerns related to network security, reliability, and performance, recommending a hierarchical network design for optimal traffic flow. The report details the design of a LAN infrastructure for Foot-Fall Marketing Ltd, evaluating the suitability of components like clients, servers, network interface cards, network operating systems, routers, and switches. It includes steps for building and configuring the LAN, implementing network security measures, and critically reviewing and testing the LAN. Finally, the report addresses post-implementation monitoring, troubleshooting, and performance evaluation, offering solutions to improve security, reliability, and performance.

LOCAL AREA NETWORK

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction..........................................................................................................................1
Task 1...................................................................................................................................2
A.C 1.1 critically evaluate different LAN technologies......................................................2
A.C 1.2 critically analyse traffic intensive services and their performance........................4
A.C 1.3 Discuss LAN concerns and make recommendations to sustain network security,
reliability and performance..................................................................................................5
Task 2...................................................................................................................................6
A.C 2.1 design a LAN infrastructure for the company which will facilitate all of their
requirements.........................................................................................................................6
A.C 2.2 critically evaluate the suitability of LAN components...........................................7
M2. Select/ design and apply appropriate methods/ techniques........................................11
Task 3.................................................................................................................................12
A.C 3.1 build and configure a LAN (including services) to meet a given requirement....12
A.C 3.2 implement network security on a LAN................................................................18
D2. Take responsibility for managing and organizing activities.......................................21
A.C 3.3 critically review and test a LAN...........................................................................22
D3. Demonstrate convergent, lateral and creative thinking...............................................23
Task 4.................................................................................................................................24
A.C 4.1 critically discuss how this LAN infrastructure will be monitored and managed
(via troubleshooting) if there is any issue during post implementation period..................24
A.C 4.2 resolve LAN issues to improve security, reliability and performance.................26
A.C 4.3 critically evaluate the performance of a LAN......................................................27
M3. Present and communicate appropriate findings..........................................................28
Conclusion.........................................................................................................................29
References..........................................................................................................................30

LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Ethernet type......................................................................................................................2
Table 2: Different layer in network..................................................................................................5
Table 3: Address allocation............................................................................................................17
Table 4: Network test.....................................................................................................................22

LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: network design for the organization.................................................................................6
Figure 2: Client and server architecture computer network.............................................................7
Figure 3: Network interfacing Card.................................................................................................8
Figure 4: Cisco internetwork operating system................................................................................8
Figure 5: Aviom Pro64 network manager........................................................................................9
Figure 6: Router in a network.........................................................................................................10
Figure 7: Network switches............................................................................................................10
Figure 8: Router configuration.......................................................................................................12
Figure 9: Configuring router with Class C IP address...................................................................13
Figure 10: Configuration of switch in network..............................................................................14
Figure 11: Configuration of firewall on server..............................................................................15
Figure 12: configuration of computer............................................................................................16
Figure 13: DHCP configuration.....................................................................................................16
Figure 14: VLAN membership.......................................................................................................18
Figure 15: Implementation Access control list...............................................................................19
Figure 16: ethernet channel configuration on Cisco switch...........................................................20
Figure 17: Image of Microsoft network monitor tool....................................................................25
Figure 18: GFI software.................................................................................................................25

Introduction
Local Area Network in computer networking is a network of computer that are linked together
for communication and transmission of data in a limited geographical area. The report will
discuss various LAN technologies along various techniques for achieving quality of service.
Presently, Foot-Fall Marketing Ltd is an organisation of medium size, the report will provide
with LAN infrastructure along with associated suitable components and their configuration.
Various parameters are discussed for effectively testing the network for functionality and
productivity along with security. Various issues related with the network will be discuss along
with recommendation and mitigation technique for further improving the network for the
organisation.
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Task 1
A.C 1.1 critically evaluate different LAN technologies
LAN or Local Area Networkis computer network that is restricted over a small range like for a
home, building or group of buildings that helps in establishing communication and transmission
of data from one system to another. LAN based in Ethernet technology is used in a network
where all the systems are interlinked through a hub or switch for data and resource sharing.
However, wireless LAN or Wi-Fi is applied in the network that is effective in reducing the
implementation cost due to less cabling.
Different LAN technologies are illustrated below:
Ethernet: - One of the most commonly used network technology is Ethernet. It can be found in
almost every network for transmission of data with appropriate speedusing CSMA/CD
technology. CSMD/CD avoid data collision in a network. Ethernet standards are applied which
are effective to define all the connectors and physical media which are useful in linking the
devices. IEEE 802.3 and Ethernet standards describe LAN with bus-topology LAN which
functions at 10 Mbpsbaseband signaling rate. On the basis of distance and speed of data transfer
Ethernet is classified into two types:
Table 1: Ethernet type
Type of Ethernet Description
Gigabit Ethernet
(802.ae)
This technology functions at the transmission speed of 1 Mbps to 1000
Mbps through fiber cable or UTP.
Fast Ethernet
(802.3u)
This technology of ethernet offers data transmission of 1 Mbps to 100
Mbps over a distance of only 100 meters through Cat-5 and Cat-6 cable.
Virtual LAN/ VLAN: In LAN network, systems are grouped for sharing mutual broadcast
domain. Whereas, single broadcast domain is in VLAN. VLANs are formed in a network for
enhancing network security and performance over a switched environment by the means of
regulated propagation of the broadcast (Kottomtharayil, et al 2015).
2

VLAN is capable of separating numerous LAN segments physically through a logical broadcast
domain structure. It consists of switch port, and each port is assigned to individual VLAN
sharing broadcasts. However, broadcast is not shared among the ports of different VLANs.
segmentation features are offered by VLANs.
VTP: -management domain in the network is provided with VTP. A switch is assigned with a
single VTP domain and through which VLAN information can be shared among other network
switches (Yamamoto, et al 2016). The information of VTP is not shared between Switches
related to different VTP domains. A VTP domain contains and shares various attributes, like the
VTP management domain, VLAN specific parameters, revision number between other
neighboring domains. Whenever a new VLAN is added in the network it’s the job of VTP to
sends the information the network switches.
STP: -Spanning Tree Protocol or STP are applied in a network to offer redundancy in the
network link viathe Layer 2 switch. STP in a network is effective in achieving fault free network
and recovery can be attained. IEEE 802.1D standard defines this STP. Communication between
the switches along with transmission of data as Bridge Protocol Data Units is done through STO
in a network. MAC address of a port is used for sending theframe out for BPDU.
Wireless LAN: - Wireless LAN is implemented in the network which permits the network users
to link the network without any wires or cables. IEEE 802.11 standard, is used for installing the
network devices in the network.
3

A.C 1.2 critically analyse traffic intensive services and their performance
Quality of Service: Thisis defined as various methods that is allied in a network for managing
the network in terms of data loss, bandwidth, jitter, transmission delay occurring in a network.
QoS is implemented either to manage any one or all of the four characteristics mentioned above.
Actual capacity of the network is not affected by the QOS but helps the administrator to
effectively manage the current network bandwidth.Quality of service is facilitating the network
to attain maximum network productivity to the user by proper bandwidth so that performance can
be increase and error rate and latency is reduced.
Jitter: Jitter stands for the alteration between the departure and arrived inter data packet. Jitter
can vary from packet to packet.
Delay: If a network packet takes more time than its anticipated time to reach to its destination
then its known as delay. It can be a result of data processing delay or time required for
communication establishment with the destination, or processing delay at the source. Delay
commonly describes the difference in time the data packet required to reach its destination then
the expected time when compared.
Packet Loss: When data packets are lost while the process of transmission then it’s called as
Packet Loss. This packet loss may be the reason of line errors, buffer congestion and improper
QoS mechanisms which may result in packet drops (Kizza, 2017).
4

A.C 1.3 Discuss LAN concerns and make recommendations to sustain network security,
reliability and performance
Hierarchical Network Design
For structure the organizational network must be implemented in such a way that all the three
categories of traffic flows or other services are outlined to its best (Kavuri et al 2015). This will
result to form a network which is effectual, accessible and can be managed easily.
Table 2: Different layer in network
Layers Access Layer Distribution Layer Core Layer
Definition Access layer in the is
the place in the
network where users
get associated with the
actual network.
Devices at this layer
are called as building
access switches
Distribution layer helps in
interconnecting the access
layer with and core layers
of the organizational
network. Devices of this
layer are alsocalled as
building distribution
switches.
Core layer in hierarchical
Network, is accountable for
providing connectivity of all
devices in distribution-layer.
Core layer is the backbone
of network. It helps in
switching traffic through
core switch.
Device
attributes
Switch port cost is
low
Uplinks are scalable
for higher layers
Devices supports
traffic/protocol
filtering, VLAN
management and
QoS
Multiple uplinks
provided redundancy
Throughput forhandling
the packet is high
The devices in the must
have a combination of
various access-layer
device.
Security is offered
Filtration of packets
and access lists is based
on policy.
QoS is maintained
Devices are Scalable
Throughput in network in
high in Layer 2 or Layer 3
Redundancy is present
for high availability
Unwanted packet
manipulations, less
expensive, packet filtering
and access lists.
Developed QoS
5

Task 2
A.C 2.1 design a LAN infrastructure for the company which will facilitate all of their
requirements
Figure 1: network design for the organization
The organization has used routers to connect with the external network service providers and
used switches to segment the network for the departments. The organization also can use the
network cables as Ethernet cables to achieve the high performance among the devices. Firewall is
also used to achieve access control and performance.
6

A.C 2.2 critically evaluate the suitability of LAN components
For the implementation of a network is design over an organisation, numerous technologies and
tools and devices are implemented for sustaining user demand from the network. Few of the network
components used un the LAN network is illustrated below:
Client
client in the language of computer network is a device or computer that associates with resources
present in remote location or the server. In this organisational network, employees are provided with
individual computers for execution of their task which connects with specific server.
Figure 2: Client and server architecture computer network
Server
Server is a computer program. Objective of a server is accepting and responding to any request that a
client has made. It is the server that id responsible for managing the data and resources in the
network (Tanenbaumand Wetherall, 1996. ). Different types of servers are implemented for serving
different purposes such as database server, file server, web server etc.
Network interface card
Network interface card is generally an electronic circuit board that is installed in computers of the
network for linking them with the network. NIC provides physical connectivity for data
transmission.
7

Figure 3: Network interfacing Card
(Source: https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx, 2018 )
Network operating system
Cisco Internetwork Operating System or IOS is an operating system which is installed in the
organizational network, this IOS are intended for supporting networking devices and other
application like resource sharing, database sharing and workstations (Network operating system).
Figure 4: Cisco internetwork operating system
Network manger
A network manager is used in the network that is generally a program which helps in detecting
system and involuntary device configuration in the network. In a wireless network, the network
8