LAN Infrastructure: Design, Security, Performance and Troubleshooting

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of Local Area Network (LAN) technologies, focusing on design, implementation, security, and performance evaluation. It begins by examining various LAN technologies such as Token Ring, Ethernet, FDDI, DHCP, VTP, and STP, highlighting their functionalities and applications. The report analyzes traffic-intensive services like audio, video, and textual data, and their impact on network performance, recommending QoS techniques to optimize bandwidth and minimize latency. Security is a key focus, with recommendations for implementing access control lists, wireless security measures, data encryption, and VPNs to protect organizational data. The design and implementation of a LAN infrastructure for Foot-Fall Marketing Ltd are detailed, including the selection of suitable components and configuration of network devices. The report also covers network testing, troubleshooting, and monitoring strategies for post-implementation issues, providing recommendations for further network enhancement. Desklib offers this report along with a wealth of study tools and resources for students.

LOCAL AREA NETWORK

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................2
1.1 Different LAN technologies..............................................................................................2
1.2 Analysis traffic intensive services and their performance [M1].......................................7
1.3 Recommendations to sustain LAN security..........................................................................9
TASK 2..........................................................................................................................................12
2.1 Design the LAN infrastructure............................................................................................12
2.2 Suitability of LAN components...........................................................................................13
M2. Select/ design and apply appropriate methods/ techniques................................................16
TASK 3..........................................................................................................................................18
3.1 Build and configure the network.........................................................................................18
3.2 Implementation of network security on a LAN...................................................................23
D2. Take responsibility for managing and organizing activities...............................................27
3.3 Critically review and test a Local Area Network................................................................28
D3. Demonstrate convergent, lateral and creative thinking......................................................30
TASK 4..........................................................................................................................................31
4.1 critically discuss how this LAN infrastructure will be monitored and managed (via
troubleshooting) if there is any issue during post implementation period.................................31
4.2 Resolve LAN issues to improve security, performance and reliability...............................33
4.3Critically evaluate the performance of Local Area Network................................................35
M3. Present and communicate appropriate findings.................................................................36
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................37
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................38

LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Address allocation...........................................................................................................22
Table 2: Testing of the Local Area Network.................................................................................28

LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: Token ring........................................................................................................................2
Figure 2: Ethernet network..............................................................................................................3
Figure 3: FDDI dual ring.................................................................................................................4
Figure 4: DHCP...............................................................................................................................5
Figure 5: VTP client and server.......................................................................................................5
Figure 6: Network using STP for finding the best path...................................................................6
Figure 7: ACL..................................................................................................................................9
Figure 8: Virtual Private Network.................................................................................................10
Figure 9: Port security restricts access by MAC address..............................................................11
Figure 10: Infrastructure of the LAN.............................................................................................12
Figure 11: Client and server in a computer network.....................................................................13
Figure 12: Network Hub...............................................................................................................14
Figure 13: Network interfacing Card.............................................................................................14
Figure 14: Router...........................................................................................................................15
Figure 15: Network switches for connecting computers together.................................................16
Figure 16: Switch configuration....................................................................................................18
Figure 17: Router configuration....................................................................................................19
Figure 18: Firewall configuration..................................................................................................20
Figure 19: Configuration of DHCP on Cisco IOS.........................................................................21
Figure 20: VLAN configuration....................................................................................................21
Figure 21: Configuration of Local client.......................................................................................22
Figure 22: configuration for VLAN membership..........................................................................23
Figure 23: Implementation Access control list..............................................................................24
Figure 24: Domain name service configuration............................................................................24
Figure 25: Configuration of ether channel on Cisco switch..........................................................26
Figure 26: Configuration of spanning tree protocol......................................................................26
Figure 27: Microsoft network monitor tool...................................................................................31
Figure 28: GFI LAN guard............................................................................................................32

INTRODUCTION
Local Area Network or LAN is referred to a computer networking system where a group of
computers and other networking devices are interlinked using a common line for communication
or wireless link with the server with in a specific geographical area such as a building or a group
of building. A LAN can be both wire and wireless depending upon the user requirement. In
these report, various LAN technologies is discussed. A network for communication has mainly
three different traffic of audio, video and textual. This present report also discusses about various
techniques to get quality of service for the network by minimising the traffic and attaining high
performance by providing recommendation related to concerns associated with LAN such as
security, performance and scalability is discussed. Foot-Fall Marketing Ltd is a medium size
organization, LAN infrastructure of the organization is provided with suitable component for
the network sustainability and performance. Configuration for LAN is studied in this report
along with the maintenance of security. The network is tested using various parameters and the
results are compared from expected and attained. At last the report discusses about management
and observing of the LAN for any kind of issues during the implementation of the network along
with the methods for resolving those issues and recommendation are provided for further
network enhancement for Foot-Fall Marketing Ltd.
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TASK 1
1.1 Different LAN technologies
Token ring
This technology of LAN is a protocol used for communication in a Local Area network. After
Ethernet, Token ring networks are the most widely used technology. All the computers and
devices in the network are connected either in star or ring topology. Token ring uses method of
token passing access where data over the nodes passes in a sequential manner till source station
is reached. Between nodes on the network until it returns to the source station. Token ring is
specified by IEEE 802.5 standard. Data in these technology is transferred at the rates of 4 or 16
Mbps.
for avoiding congestion and collision, tokens are sent can be used by a node at a time.On the
other hand, this kind of technology is used less because failure of anode effects the whole
network.
Figure 1: Token ring
(Source: https://www.pctechguide.com/networking/token-ring-networks, 2018)
Ethernet
Most commonly used LAN technology is Ethernet. In comparison to other LAN technologies,
Ethernet is easy to implement and understand the structure of the network. Ethernet is defined by
IEEE 802.3 standard (Allan, et al 2016). Ethernet network support both wire and wireless
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connection. All the devices in the network are linked with one another using Ethernet or fiber
cables in wired Ethernet while NIC are used for wireless connection.
Figure 2: Ethernet network
(Source: https://www.shutterstock.com/de/image-vector/lan-network-diagram-vector-illustrator,
2018)
Fiber distributed data interface
FDDI or fiber distributed data interface can be considered as a backbone to LAN for attaining a
speed of 100mbps in the organizational network without any impact on performance. Main
purpose of using FDDI is to enhance the network performance (Forguite et al 2016). It is a set of
ISO and ANSI standard. These protocol in on the basis of token ring that provide communication
for long distance. Dual token passing rings are a used for networking with ting topology.
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Figure 3: FDDI dual ring
(Source: http://ipsit.bu.edu/sc546/sc441Spring2003/fddi/fdditoken.html, 2018)
Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol
DHCP stands for Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol which is basically used for controlling
the configuration of host network using a remote server. In most of the operating system DHCP
is present by default. DHCP is less time consuming that any manual configuration. Dynamic
Host Configuration Protocol works over a client-server model having its messaging set of its
own that are being between the server and client.
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Figure 4: DHCP
(Source: http://study-ccna.com/dhcp, 2018)
VLAN trucking protocol
VLAN trucking protocol or VTP are generally used by switches in a networking system for the
purpose of communication among themselves with respect to VLAN. VTP is used mainly for
adding, modifying and deleting VLAN. Every VTP consist of a revision number that changes
every time a change is made.
Figure 5: VTP client and server
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(Source: https://networklessons.com/switching/introduction-to-vtp-vlan-trunking-protocol/,
2018)
Spanning tree protocol
STP or Spanning Tree Protocol belongs to Layer 2 protocol. It is used by switches and bridges.
STP falls on IEEE 802.1D standard. STP is basically used for is ensuring that no loops are
created on the network paths.
Figure 6: Network using STP for finding the best path
(Source:https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/docs/lan-switching/spanning-tree-protocol/5234-
5.html, 2018:
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1.2 Analysis traffic intensive services and their performance [M1]
In a network, frequency range and internet are considered to be intensive services. When a
network come under the influence of services and applications traffic is experienced in the
network causing various issues while performing other activities within the network. A network
basically faces three types of traffics like audio, video and textual.
Audio traffic
In the organization, employees are provided various audio based communication services hence
it is expected that an efficient bandwidth of 10mbps must be present in the network to avoid any
kind of disturbance. In comparison to videos, communication though audio needs low
bandwidth.
Video traffic
Videos in a networking system are routed in forms of the packets over a continuous sequence for
seamless data transferring for the end users. An adequate bandwidth in the devices allows and
supports high quality data transfer over internet in the networking system.
Text traffic:
In the organization, various communications takes place one of such and most common is in
form of text for different purposes. Textual data are compressed for transmitting them over the
network for minimum bandwidth and resource consumption. So, very low traffic is generated
from textual data.
Quality of service or in short QoS is network’s facility for delivering maximum productivity to
the user though attaining appropriate bandwidth within the network for enhancing the network
performance and minimizing issues like latency and error rate. Quality of service must be
managed properly so that the network as a whole can be managed (Hudson et al 2014). By using
different methods of traffic shipping the QoS for a network can be improved. QoS technologies
are used for clear and proper availability of video, voice and other data to its end users.
Some of the tools for improving the QoS of a network is discussed below:
802.1Q/p CoS
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In the layer 2 of the network, marking of Ethernet frames can be done as per significance by
using User Priority bits. Only 3 bits is used for marking the frame from 802.1p and 802.1Qr as
header. Hence, only 8 classes of the service can be set.
IP precedence
Under RFC 791 IP precedence is defined having IP header. 3 bits are labeled as precedence
which is used to indicate datagram importance. If an IP pocket is of high significance, then it will
have a higher precedence value. Packets with low precedence are dropped first in case of
congestion. IP precedence manages networks along with internetwork.
Differentiated Service Code Point
DSCP denotes an internetwork protocol that is used for networking service for connected with
the computers. DSCP has 6-bit in IP header for Differentiated Services ((Beberlein, et al 2017).).
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