HSSN Assignment Research Paper (APIIT)

Hardware, Software Systems and Networks II
Submitted by
Tharanga Chandrasekara (CB002976)
Submitted to
Mr. Balachandran Gnanasekaraiyer
Module Code
CE00382-2
Intake Code
HF09B1COM
Assignment Title
Individual Assignment
Due Date
12th October 2010
Asia Pacific Institute of Information Technology | CB002976

Acknowledgement
I would like to extend my gratitude to those who helped me in completing the
individual assignment for the module Hardware, Software Systems and Networks II.
I would like to express my appreciation and thankfulness to my Hardware, Software

Systems and Networks II module Lecturer Mr. Balachandran Gnanasekaraiyer for giving
me the guidelines towards the successfulness of this project. His expertise on concepts
of networking helped me to complete the assignment in the given timeframe.
I‟m very grateful for his guidance and the manner he helped me with the encountered
problems.
Finally, I would like to thank my institute, Asia Pacific Institute of Information

Technology, for providing me the necessary laboratory and library facilities.

Abstract
This project is an individual assignment in the module Hardware, Software Systems
and Networks for the HF09B1SE.
Main aim if this project is to design a network proposal to a popular business company
in Malaysia. Company would like to invest large amount of money to implement new
network system to the company.
Addition to that owner would like to know about the networks before he make a huge
investment.
So this document is mainly based on research which is conducted on network models

and network devices and new network technologies.

Table of Contents
Acknowledgement ........................................................................................................... 1
Abstract ........................................................................................................................... 3
1 Requirement Analysis .............................................................................................. 9
1.1 Essential requirements ....................................................................................... 9
1.1.1 Create a LAN (Local area network) within the buildings .............................. 9
1.1.2 Connect the sub branches to the main building by a network...................... 9
1.2 Indirect requirements ....................................................................................... 10
1.3 Assumptions..................................................................................................... 11
1.4 Scope ............................................................................................................... 13
2 Research ................................................................................................................ 14
2.1 Data Networks.................................................................................................. 14
2.1.1 What is a network ...................................................................................... 14

2.2 Network types .................................................................................................. 18
2.2.1 Client Server Architecture .......................................................................... 18

2.2.2 Peer-to-peer Architecture .......................................................................... 19
Problem should be expected ..................................................................................... 21
2.3 Connect the computers and other peripherals together to share the resources
within the buildings .................................................................................................... 23
2.3.1 LAN - Local Area Network ......................................................................... 23

Size of the Network ................................................................................................ 23
2.3.2 WLAN – Wireless Local Area Network ...................................................... 24
2.3.3 Network topologies .................................................................................... 25
2.3.4 Device names ............................................................................................ 31
2.4 Connect the sub branches to the main building to share the resources ........... 32

2.4.1 Wide Area Networks (WANs) .................................................................... 32

2.4.2 Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) ................................................................ 37
2.5 Security ............................................................................................................ 40
2.5.1 Firewall ...................................................................................................... 40

2.5.2 Encryption.................................................................................................. 41
2.5.3 Internet Protocol Security Protocol (IPSec) ............................................... 42
2.6 Transmission Media ......................................................................................... 45
2.6.1 Twisted Pair Cables ................................................................................... 45

2.6.2 Coaxial Cable ............................................................................................ 47
2.6.3 Installing Cable - Some Guidelines ............................................................ 49
2.7 Servers ............................................................................................................. 51
2.7.1 Video Server .............................................................................................. 51

2.7.2 Application Server ..................................................................................... 51
2.7.3 SIP server .................................................................................................. 51
2.7.4 Print Server................................................................................................ 51
2.7.5 DHCP server ............................................................................................. 51
2.7.6 Mail Server ................................................................................................ 52
2.7.7 Proxy Server .............................................................................................. 52
2.7.8 File Server ................................................................................................. 52
2.7.9 Database Server ........................................................................................ 52
2.7.10 Backup Server ........................................................................................... 52
2.8 Internet connections ......................................................................................... 53
2.8.1 Broadband ................................................................................................. 53

2.8.2 Dial-Up....................................................................................................... 53
2.8.3 Leased Line ............................................................................................... 53

3 Critical Evaluation .................................................................................................. 54
4 Conclusion ............................................................................................................. 58
4.1 Connect the computers and other peripherals together to share the resources
within the buildings .................................................................................................... 58
4.2 Connect the sub branches to the main building to share the resources. .......... 58
4.3 Maintain a centralized database for all the branches around the world to
access. ...................................................................................................................... 59
4.4 Security ............................................................................................................ 59
4.5 Backup ............................................................................................................. 60
4.6 Communication ................................................................................................ 60
4.7 Monitoring ........................................................................................................ 60
4.8 Transmission media ......................................................................................... 61
4.9 Internet connection........................................................................................... 61
5 Reference .............................................................................................................. 66

List of Tables
Table 1: Comparing P2P and Client Server .................................................................. 20

Table 2 Network Topology ............................................................................................ 26
Table 3: Comparison of the LAN network Topologies ................................................... 27
Table 4: Comparison between LAN and WLAN ............................................................ 28
Table 5: Device Used in LAN networks ......................................................................... 29
Table 6: Price of the Devices (Switches) ....................................................................... 30
Table 7: Main Type of WAN Connections ..................................................................... 34
Table 8: Advantages of WAN Connections ................................................................... 36
Table 9: VPN Types ...................................................................................................... 38
Table 10: Comparison between WAN and VPN ............................................................ 39
Table 11: Encryption Methods ....................................................................................... 41
Table 12: Encrypt Types ............................................................................................... 43
Table 13: Comparison of Security Type ........................................................................ 44
Table 14: Categories of Unshielded Twisted Pair ......................................................... 46
Table 15: Comparison of cables .................................................................................... 48
Table 16: Cable standards ............................................................................................ 50

List of Figuers
Figure 1: Client Server Architecture .............................................................................. 18

Figure 2: WAN Network................................................................................................. 33
Figure 3: Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) Cable ............................................................ 46
Figure 4:Shielded Twisted Pair (STP) Cable ................................................................. 47
Figure 5: Coaxial Cable Source: University of South Florida (2010) ............................. 47
Figure 6: Main Network Diagram ................................................................................... 62
Figure 7: Overview of the main building network ........................................................... 64
Figure 8: VPN Connection............................................................................................. 65

1 Requirement Analysis
Company requirements can be separate into main 2 parts which are essential
requirements and indirect requirements.
1.1 Essential requirements

According to the company their essential requirements are
1. Connect the computers and other peripherals together to share the

resources within the buildings
2. Connect the sub branches to the main building to share the resources.
3. Maintain a centralized database for all the branches around the world to
access.
1.1.1 Create a LAN (Local area network) within the buildings

Under this main requirement following are the sub requirements,
i. Must be able to connect more than 40 computers to the network.

ii. Must be able to connect printers to the network.
iii. Must be able to connect LCD projectors to the network.
iv. Must be able to connect Audio Devices and microphones.
v. Must be able to connect multifunctional peripherals devices such as fax
machines, telephones and bar code readers etc.
1.1.2 Connect the sub branches to the main building by a network

Under this main requirement following are the sub requirements
i. Must be able to connect all the sub branches to a network.

ii. Must be able to expand the network in the future.

1.2 Indirect requirements

Indirect requirements can be categorized as follow,
1. Security
a. Establishing a secured network within the branches.
b. Establishing a secured connection between branches when
communicating.
2. Backup
a. Backing up the database and secured them.
3. Communication
a. Establishing a cost effective and fast communication method
between the branches
b. Establishing a cost effective and fast communication method within
the branch.
4. Monitoring
a. Establishing a secured and reliable method to monitor the work
station from a different location.( security purpose)
b. Establishing a secured and reliable method to monitor the payroll
system.
5. Other
a. Establish a reliable method to provide the e-mail accounts to the
company staff.
b. Establishing a fast and reliable system to input the product data to
the system.
c. Establishing a secured and reliable way to make online payments.
10

1.3 Assumptions
Following are the main assumptions.
1. Companies have one main branch and other 3 branches are sub branches
which are located in different countries in Asia.
2. Main branch will handle all the main functionality of the business.
3. Main branch building will have all the main servers
4. Sub branches can access to the database and other servers via internet
5. Main branch and other sub branches have proper internet connections.
6. Sub branches will have the internet capacity to access the servers without
a delay.
7. Cabling is done using the air duct of the building to protect the cables.
8. Building air duct is magnetic fields and noise free.
9. Cables which are connecting the floors are going only through the building
air duct.
10. Cables are well protected within the floors.
11. Each user will need to have a valid username and password to log to the
system
12. Coverage of the Wi-Fi access –point devices are sufficient to the each
floor of the building
13. Backup servers are placed in the main building and it will back up every
transaction on real time.
14. All the diagrams shown in the document are to represent the connections
between the devices.
15. The places of the devices can be changed according to the situation and
the location; diagrams are used to illustrate the logic of the network.
16. All the main switches are locked in a safety box in order to prevent any
damage taken by.
11

17. Cabling within the floor is done on the ceiling so the noise signal
interference will be less.
18. Main branch has 40-50 staff members currently and will grow tit with the
time.
19. Staff will not grow up to 70 within next 2 years.
20. Sub branches has a staff of around 30-40 currently and will grow it with
the time.
21. Printers and other private equipments which are connected to the network
will share among the staff members within the building.
22. In future they will be allowing customers to purchase items online (
electronic commerce)
23. They have a security room to place the CCTV monitors.
24. Each member of the staff want so have their own personal office mail box
25. Each staff member wants to keep their files in the server so they can aces
sot them anytime they want.
26. They already have the CCTV cameras installed in the buildings
27. Company has their own server rooms to place the new servers.
28. User levels are given to the users to authenticate the transactions
29. Transaction will process and data will be copied to the backup server only
after the relevant authorized person gave the approval to the transaction.
30. Backup has 2 partitions. And one partition will hold the old database and
other part will hold the daily updates done to the server.
31. Daily updates should be rolled in by the authorized person after the
transactions are over (daily).
32. All the equipments are mention in this proposal are available in the market
33. Company will buy all the necessary computers to the system.
34. This network proposal is valid for next 2 years
35. Sufficient technically capable people are available in the company to
access the new system
12

1.4 Scope
Main scope is to create the network within the company and connect the sub
branches to the main branch so the main branch can monitor the activities happened in
the sub branches around the world. Also to maintain a centralized database which will
allow other sub branches to access and retrieve the data from the main servers.
13

2 Research
Following research part is based on the fact finding of requirement gathering
process. This chapter will include the technical diagrams and technical reports on
selected topics.
2.1 Data Networks

According to the Cisco Systems, Inc (2003, p.44) Data networks were created in
order to exchange and share the electronic information and electronic resources across
long distance and also business needs to address the following problems with the time
 To avoid the data duplication
 To communicate efficiently
2.1.1 What is a network

According to the Andrew Tanenbaum (2006, p.4) network is “an attempt to end of
the tyranny of geography”. And also there is another explanation to the network which is
according to the Lysis (2009) “network is a group of computers share information via
wireless or wired technology”.
14

2.1.1.1 Advantages and disadvantages of using networks

There are many advantages and disadvantages in using the networks in the
businesses process.
According to the Tanenbaum (2006, p.3) following are the main advantages of
having a network within a business,
Advantages of using networks
 Resource sharing
To make all computer programs, equipments and company data available

to anyone who connected to the network and who have the authentication to
use them without regarding the physical location of the resource or the user.
 Do business electronically
Company can do business with other companies electronically where they

can save the company resources. As a example it will allow placing orders in
real time where it reduce the need of placing large orders so company can
invest the money on other development project of the company.
 Provide a powerful communication medium
Users can work on a project simultaneously where others will see the
changes on real time and also video conferencing also a main benefit of
having a powerful communication medium where company can hold meeting
without regarding the physical location of the users.
15

 Do business with customers over the internet (E-Commerce)
This will allow the company to reach to the international market with a very small
invest on the technology where customers can purchase or place the orders via
internet and make the payment using electronic payment method.
According to the Buzzel (2010) following are the main disadvantages of having a
network within a business
Disadvantages of using networks
 Security Issues:
Major drawback of computer network is the security of the data and the network.
Unauthorized people can connect to the network and access the company resources
and data without a problem if there is no mechanism to monitor the network traffic and
to do the authentication.
 Rapid Spread of Computer Viruses:
It is possible to spread the viruses within the network with a very short period of
time if a network computer system gets affected with a computer virus and it might
affect the entire business process by damaging the servers or Programs or the
company database if there is no good mechanism to control the viruses‟ attacks.
 Initial cost will be high
Initial cost of setting up a computer network will be high because it is necessary

to buy network devices such as Hubs, switches or network cards which are really
expensive, but this cost will be a onetime cost.
16

 Dependency on the Server.
If the main server of the computer network fails to perform properly the entire
network system will not be functioning properly. So it is necessary to use a server with
high performance and security as a main server.
17

2.2 Network types
2.2.1 Client Server Architecture

According to the Cisco Systems, Inc (2003, p.228) network services are located
on a dedicated computer which is called as a server which replies to the requests of the
clients. These central computers are continuously available to respond the client‟s
requests for file, print, application, and other services. Servers are designed to handle
the request form many clients.
Client server architecture simplify the work of a network administrate and also
make the easier to backup and maintain and it also allow to add more servers to extend
the network with the time. Following illustration will illustrate the architecture of the
Client-Server architecture.
Figure 1: Client Server Architecture
Cisco Systems, Inc (2003, p.228)
18

2.2.2 Peer-to-peer Architecture

According to the Cisco Systems, Inc (2003, p.227) networked computers acts as
an equal partner to the each other, each computer can act as a server or a client at one
time. In P2P network individual users control their own resources.
No central point of control to the admin so the individual users have to backup
their own system to recover the data and also of user computers will reduce the
performance as the computers needs to respond the requests of the other users.
Following illustration will illustrate the architecture of the peer-to-peer architecture.
19

Table 1: Comparing P2P and Client Server
Advantages of a Peer-to-Peer Network Advantages of a Client-Server Network

Less expensive to implement. Provides for better security and scalability.
Does not require NOS server software. Easier to administer when the network is
large because administration is
centralized.
Does not require a dedicated network All data can be backed up on one central
administrator location.
Disadvantages of a Peer-to-Peer Disadvantages of a Client-Server
Network Network
Does not scale well to large networks and Requires NOS software such as in
administration becomes unmanageable Windows
NT/2000/XP, Novell NetWare, or UNIX.

Each user must be trained to perform Requires expensive, more powerful
administrative tasks. hardware for the server machine.
Less secure. Requires a professional administrator.
All machines sharing the resources Has a single point of failure if there is only
negatively impact the performance. one server, and user‟s data can be
unavailable if the server is down.
Source: Cisco Systems, Inc (2003, p.229)
20

2.3 Problem should be expected

Following are the main problems that can be cause in a network
 Network cable failure
In wired LAN network connection failures caused mainly because of the

problems with the connection cables. So it is really important to lay the cables in
secured manner and maintain them with a great care.
 System Services Failure
System service failure can cause problems to the availability of the network. To
fix these problems it is need to get the services of a network admin.
 Virus outbreak
There are various types of virus can be infected to the network system. These
viruses can cause networking environment to be flooded with the huge traffic
which slow down the network performance also it can harm the files in the
network.
 Network Devices Failure.
These kinds of network failures may cause grate deal of problems to the network
it will affect to the segments of the network and fill affect the entire network
performance.
21

According to the Mitchell (2010) following are the other problems that can be arising in a
network;
 Special Devices Won't Join the Network
 Certain Network Applications Won't Function
 Computers Can't Get on the Internet
 Network is Too Slow
22

2.4 Connect the computers and other peripherals together to share

the resources within the buildings
Following are the main types of networks types which will enable the users to create a
small network.
1. LAN - Local Area Network
2. WLAN – Wireless Local Area Network
2.4.1 LAN - Local Area Network
According to the Cisco Networks (2010) a LAN is a:
“High-speed data network that covers a relatively small geographic area, It typically
connects workstations, personal computers, printers, servers, and other devices “
Size of the Network
According to the IEEE (2004) (802 LAN and MAN standards) LAN is capable of
supporting around 200 end stations within the area of 2Km, but the distance can be
expanded by using repeaters.
23

2.4.2 WLAN – Wireless Local Area Network

According to the Indiana univercity.com (2010):
A wireless local area network (WLAN) is a local area network (LAN) that doesn't rely on
wired Ethernet connections. A WLAN can be either an extension to a current wired
network or an alternative to it.
According o the U.S. Robotics (nd) following are the reasons to choose wireless
networking over traditional wired networks include:
 Running additional wires or drilling new holes in an office could be prohibited
 Flexibility of location
WLAN has its own IEEE standards which are 802.11a, b, or g standards (this also
known as Wi-Fi).
According to the Indiana univercity.com (2010):
 802.11a: Data transfer rates up to 54Mbps, with this standard it is tested that
it has less interference in an area with high radio frequency. This will
broadcast in the range of 5GHz which will unable to go through the physical
barriers.
 802.11b: Data transfer rates up to 11Mbps; it has up to a 300feet radius

transmission range which is better than 802.11a. With the frequency of
2.4GHz it will have more interference comparing to the 802.11a
 802.11g: Data transfer rates up to 54Mbps; range is 120 feet which is shorter
than 802.11b. This use the same frequency which used by the 802.11b so it
has the same problems with the interference.
24

2.4.3 Network topologies

According to the Cisco Networks (1999) LAN topologies describe the ways which
devices are connected to the network. There are main 4 topologies exists
 Ring
 Bus
 Star
 Tree
Following table will describe the main 4 topologies of the LAN.
25

Table 2 Network Topology
Name Description Graphical Representation
Ring LAN architecture consists of the devices

which are connected to the each other and
perform a loop.
Ring IEEE 802.5Token Ring topology is the main
standards used in here.
Bus topology is a linear architecture where

each device is connected to the main
communication line and a packet put in to the
main communication media will be received to
Bus all the end stations.
And IEEE 802.3 networks- bus topology is the
main standards used in here.
Star topology is the architecture where the end

points are connected to the centralized device
Star such as Hub, Switch
A tree topology is a LAN architecture which is

mostly liked as bus topology but in the
Tree branches multiple nodes are available in here.
26

Table 3: Comparison of the LAN network Topologies
Comparison of the LAN network Topologies
Implementation Maintenance Suited for No of stations Performance

 Very High.
 Achieve the isolation of the each node
Star Small, Medium Depend on the  Failure of the central device (Hub,
Easy to Implement Very Easy
business central device. Switch) causes the entire network
failure.
 Perform well with small number of

nodes
Limited to the
Bus Easy to implement Easy Small Business  Damage of the main cable will affect
length of the cable.
the entire network
Hard to implement, Can connect the  One fail of the node will cause the
and Central server is stations but it will entire network failure
Ring not required to Hard Small Business increase the  Changes of the nodes affect the
maintain the collision rate of the performance of the network.
connection. packets.
 Very High.
 Achieve the isolation of the each node
Allow more devices
 Failure of the central device (Hub,
Tree Good for the to connect due to
Hard to implement Easy Switch) causes the entire network
Business. the secondary
failure.
Hubs
 Allow more device to connect
Source: Buzzel.com, 2010 and Angek.C, 2010
27

Table 4: Comparison between LAN and WLAN
Comparison between LAN and WLAN
Cost
IEEE Standard
Performance
Installation
Reliability
Security
Mobility
Cost to Cost to
Imple Mainta
ment in
IEEE 802.3
networks- bus
High
topology
LAN Hard High Less High High Low
100-
IEEE
Mbps
802.5Token
Ring
54 Mbp
Easy, but s
IEEE 802.11a
have Rea
11 Mbp
WLA IEEE 802.11b interferenc sona Very
s.
Low Low High
N IEEE 802.11g e from bly high
54 Mbp
other s High
devices
Source: the Mitchell (2010
28

According to Cisco Networks (2010) following are the Device Used in LAN networks
Table 5: Device Used in LAN networks
Description
Hubs/Switches According to the Cisco Networks (2010)
A HUB is a physical layer device which enable user to connect multiple user
stations via a dedicated cable. Hub will not look on the routing it will
redistribute the packets which it gets from a port to all the other ports available
in the Hub. So these devices are good to mirror the traffic to another network.
But Switch functions differently. Switches have main 2 categories
1. Layer 2
According to the Sridhar.T (1999) A multiport switch mainly works according

to the MAC (Media Access Control) address. It will have a table of all the MAC
address and port address of the devices which are connected to the particular
switch. These switches ensure that every frame reach to its destination
according to the destination MAC address and it will not send any packet to
other ports.
2. Layer 3
According to the Sridhar.T (1999) Layer 3 switches mainly based on its

hardware. The Layer 3 switches use routing protocols such as Open Shortest
Path First (OSPF) or Routing Information Protocol (RIP), by using these
protocols Layer 3 switches build their own routing table which enable it to
select the best path to route the packets.
Repeaters According to the Cisco Networks (2010) A repeater is a physical layer device
which uses to connect the fragment of the same network, main function of the
repeaters is to amplify the signal which it gets and re transmit to the media. By
this network can keep a steady signal throughout the communication and
prevent the signal deterioration by long cable lengths and number of
connected devices.
WLAN According to the windowsnetworking (2010) wireless access points allow the
Access-point : other wireless systems to connect to the network by using wires
communication method, these wireless access points connect to each other by
using cables.
Network According to the windowsnetworking (2010) these network cards are used to
Interface card connect to the Access-Points, normally modern laptops are equipped with
these cards, but desktop computers will not have these cards installed.
29

Table 6: Price of the Devices (Switches)
Price of the Devices (Switches)

No of Ports
8 Port 16 Port 24 Port 48 Port
L1 L2 L3 L1 L2 L3 L1 L2 L3 L1 L2 L3
10100 21000 47300 73900
Cisco - - - - - - - -
(12) (10) (11) (2)
33500 51600 48500 539900 71700
D-Link - - - - - - -
(4) (5) (14) (3) (6)
13000 20200 76300 199300 54800
Netgear - - - - - - -
(13) (9) (8) (1) (7)
(Authors work)
30

2.4.4 Device names
1. Netgear Pro Safe GSM7328S-200NAS

2. Cisco SLM2048 48-Port Gigabit Smart Switch
3. D-Link 24-Port DGS-3627G xStack® Gigabit SFP Stackable
4. D-Link DGS-3200-10 Security Gigabit
5. D-Link KVM 16-Port KB
6. D-Link Switch 48-Port 10
7. NETGEAR FSM7352S PROSAFE 48-PORT 10/100MBPS & 4-PORT GIGABIT
8. NETGEAR - PROSAFE 24PORT GIGABIT STACKABLE SMART POE SWITCH
9. Netgear® FS116P ProSafe™ 16-Port 10/100 Desktop Switch
10. Cisco SR2016 16-Port 10/100/1000 Gigabit Switch
11. Cisco SR224G 24-Port
12. Cisco SD208P
13. Netgear Prosafe 8-Port Gigabit Smart Switch
14. D-Link xStack DES-3528 Ethernet switch
31

2.5 Connect the sub branches to the main building to share the
resources
According to the businesslink.com(2010) Following are the main ways to create a

network within the large geographical area.
1. Wide Area Networks (WANs)
2. Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)
2.5.1 Wide Area Networks (WANs)
According to the Cisco Networks (1999) A WAN is a:
Data communications network that covers a relatively broad geographic area and
that often uses transmission facilities provided by common carriers, such as
telephone companies.
32

Figure 2: WAN Network
Source: Cisco Networks (1999)
WAN allows the computers, printers and other devices on a LAN to be shared using
WAN.
According to the Cisco Networks (1999) WAN is designed to do the followings,
 Function over large geographically areas such as in different continents.

 Allow users to engage in real time communications.
 Provide full-time remote resources connected to local services
 Provide e-mail, World Wide Web, file transfer, and e-commerce service
33

According to the Cisco Networks (1999) Main Type of WAN Connections
Table 7: Main Type of WAN Connections
Description Visual Representation

Provide a single pre-establish Wan
communication path through a carrier network.
Point to Point lines are often called as leased
lines.
Point-to- For a leased line the provider allocate a pair of
Point Links wires and facilitate the hardware to the lines.
Point to Point connections are generally more
expensive and the price is based on the
bandwidth and the distance between the
connections.
Data connections that can be initiated when
needed and terminated the connection when the
communication process is completed.
When a router has data to be transmitted,
switched circuit is initiated with the circuit
Circuit number of the remote network. The devices
Switching actually dial a call to the telephone number of
the remote ISDN circuit.
After the 2 networks are properly connected and
authenticated they can transfer the data
between 2 locations and after the transmission is
done it simply disconnect the connection.
34

This method allows users to share a common

carrier resource. Cost of this method is low when
comparing to the point to point type.
Packet In here many customers have connection to the
Switching carrier network and many customers share the
same carrier network. When the data need to be
transmit it create a virtual circuits between 2
locations to make the connection secure.
Source: Cisco Networks (1999)
35

Table 8: Advantages of WAN Connections
Good when
 Long connect times
Point-to-Point
Links  Short distances
 Critical traffic requirements that must be guaranteed
 A backup connection is required.
Circuit
Switching  You have a small site.
 Short-term on-demand access is needed.
 Long connect times
Packet  Large geographic distances
Switching  High link utilization
 High peaks of critical traffic
(Authors work)
Advantages Disadvantages
 covers a large geographical area  Low Security
 can shares software and resources  High Latency
 Cost is High
 Slow connection
 Maintenance big hindrance
 Need full skilled IT workers
(Authors work)
36

2.5.2 Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)
According to the Cisco Systems, Inc (2003, p.56) A virtual private network (VPN)
“Is a private network that is constructed within a public network infrastructure

such as the global Internet”
VPN maintain the same security and management policies as a private network and
VPN is the most cost-effective method of creating a point-to-point connection between
remote and enterprise user.
According to the Cisco Systems, Inc (2003, p.56) there are two common types of VPN
1. Remote-access VPNs
2. Site-to-site VPNs
o Intranet-based
o Extranet-based
37

Table 9: VPN Types
Types Description
“Remote-access VPNs are also called virtual private

dial-up networks. These are user-to-local area network
(LAN) connections used by businesses with employees
who need to connect to the private network from remote
Remote-access VPNs
locations and use it as if they had a direct connection to
the business LAN”
“If a business has one or more remote locations that it

wishes to join into a single private network, it can create
an intranet VPN to connect LAN to LAN. This allows all
Intranet-based parts of the business full access to data, as if they were
on a single LAN.”
Site-to-site
VPNs
“If a business wants to connect directly to a partner,

supplier or customer, it can build an extranet VPN. This
Extranet-based
Provides limited access, only to those data areas that
each party wishes the other to see.”
38

Table 10: Comparison between WAN and VPN
Availability Bandwidth Cost Ease of Reliability Access

management control
WAN Low. Good. Very High Hard to Good ( Good

manage with having a
( Some ( But cost ( mainly the Backup
technologies lots of depend on technology. connection
may not be money for the might be
available in a higher connection necessary)
all the parts bandwidth) bandwidth
of the world) and the
time)
VPN High Very Good Low. ( can Easy to Good ( Good

( Cost may be manage having a
be differ establish Backup
according by using connection
to the normal might be
connection internet necessary)
speed) connection)
(Authors work)
39

2.6 Security
According to the Tyson.J (2010) a well designed VPN and Networks used several
methods to secure the data, following are the main methods to secure the data:
 Firewalls
 Encryption
 IPSec
 Proxy Server
2.6.1 Firewall
According to the Tyson.J (2010) Firewall acts as a barrier between the private
network and the internet. Company network administration can restrict the open ports
and can set the rules such as what type of packets are passed through and which
protocols are to be used. Traffic from the trusted side is not restricted. All other traffic
such as mail traffic, ftp, snmp, etc. would not be allowed across the firewall and into the
intranet
To enable the public servers such as web, ftp and e-mail while maintaining tight security
of the intranet companies used method call DMZ (demilitarized zone). In this there are 2
firewalls been used, one between the external network and the DMZ, and another
between the DMZ, all the public servers are placed on the DMZ in here also firewall
should be well programmed to incorporate with new setup. Internal firewall can block all
the incoming connections
40

2.6.2 Encryption
This has 2 categories,
 Symmetric-key encryption
 Public-key encryption
Table 11: Encryption Methods
Type Description
Symmetric-key encryption “Each computer has a secret key (code)

that it can use to encrypt a packet of
information before it is sent over the
network to another computer. Symmetric-
key encryption is essentially the same as a
secret code that each of the two computers
must know in order to decode the
information. The code provides the key to
decoding the message”
Public-key encryption
“This uses a combination of a private key and
a public key. The private key is known only to
user computer, while the public key is given by
user computer to any computer that wants to
communicate securely with it. To decode an
encrypted message, a computer must use the
public key, provided by the originating
computer and its own private key”
Source: Tyson.J (2010)
41

2.6.3 Internet Protocol Security Protocol (IPSec)
According to the NLST(2010) IPsec is a
Framework of open standards for ensuring private communications over IP networks

which has become the most commonly used network layer security control. It can
provide several types of protection, including maintaining confidentiality and integrity,
authenticating the origin of data, preventing packet replay and traffic analysis, and
providing access protection.
According to the Tyson.J (2010) IPSec has two following encryption modes:
 Tunnel
Tunnel encryption mode encrypts the header and payload of the each packet.
 Transport.
Transport encryption mode only encrypt the payload of the each packet
IPSec can encrypt data between various devices, such as:
 Gateway-to-gateway
 Host-to-gateway
 Host-to-host.
42

Table 12: Encrypt Types
Model Name Description
Gateway-to-gateway “It connects two networks by deploying a gateway to each network and establishing a VPN
connection between the two gateways. The gateway-to-gateway is most often used when
connecting two secured networks. Gateway-to-gateway VPNs are typically transparent to users
and do not involve installing or configuring any software on clients or servers “
Host-to-gateway It connects hosts on various networks with hosts on the organization’s network by deploying a
gateway to the organization’s network and permitting external hosts to establish individual VPN
connections to that gateway. Communications are protected between the hosts and the gateway,
but not between the gateway and the destination hosts within the organization. The host-to-
gateway model is most often used when connecting hosts on unsecured networks to resources on
secured networks, VPNs are typically not transparent to users because each user must
authenticate before using the VPN and each host must have VPN client software installed and
configured.
Host-to-host. It connects hosts to a single target host by deploying VPN software to each host and configuring
the target host to receive VPN connections from the other hosts. This is the only VPN model that
provides protection for data throughout its transit. The host-to-host model is resource-intensive to
implement and maintain because it requires configuration on each host involved, including the
target.
Source: NLST(2010)
43

Table 13: Comparison of Security Type
Name Primary Strengths Primary Weaknesses
- Can only protect IP-based communications

+ Already supported by most operating systems
- Requires client software to be configured (and installed
+ Can provide strong encryption and integrity
on hosts without a built-in client) for host-to-gateway and
protection
IPsec host-to-host architectures
+ Transparent to clients in gateway-to-gateway
- Does not protect communications between the clients
architecture
and the IPsec gateway in gateway-to-gateway
+ Can use a variety of authentication protocols
architectures
+ Can protect non-IP protocols

+ Can support multiple sessions per tunnel
- Requires client software to be configured (and installed
L2TP + Can use authentication protocols such as RADIUS
on hosts without a built-in client)
+ Can use IPsec to provide encryption and key
management services
- Can only protect TCP-based communications

- Requires application servers and clients to support
+ Already supported by all major Web browsers
SSL/TLS SSL/TLS
+ Can provide strong encryption
- Typically implemented to authenticate the server to the
client, but not the client to the server
Source: NLST(2010)
44

2.7 Transmission Media

According to the University of South Florida (2010) following are the main network
cable types
1. Twisted Pair Cables
o Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) Cable
o Shielded Twisted Pair (STP) Cable
2. Coaxial Cable
3. Fiber Optic Cable – (will not be discussed in here)
2.7.1 Twisted Pair Cables

Twisted-pair cables are mostly used in modern telecommunications and modern
Ethernet networks. Cable name itself describes the physical appurtenance of the cable.
Two wires form a circuit which can transmit the data and the pair of cables is twisted to
provide the protection over the crosstalk.
Twisted-pair cables have divided into 2 types of sub categories according to the
cover of the cable,
1. Unshielded twisted pair (UTP)

2. Shielded twisted pair (STP)
45

2.7.1.1 Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) Cable

Name itself indicate the specialty of the cable, UTP do not have special cover or
shield to protect the cable form external damages and external magnetic fields, UTP
cables mainly relies on the method of twisting the cable to minimize the unwanted signal
interference to the transport signal.
Figure 3: Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) Cable
Source: Cisco Systems Inc, 2006
Registered Jack 45 (RJ-45) is the connecters mainly used in the UTP and it has 8 wire
connectors to connect the end station to a local LAN.
2.7.1.2 Categories of Unshielded Twisted Pair
Table 14: Categories of Unshielded Twisted Pair
Category Speed Use

1 1 Mbps Voice Only (Telephone Wire)
2 4 Mbps LocalTalk & Telephone
3 16 Mbps 10BaseT Ethernet
4 20 Mbps Token Ring (Rarely used)
5 100 Mbps (2 pair) 100BaseT Ethernet
5e 1,000 Mbps Gigabit Ethernet
6 10,000 Mbps Gigabit Ethernet
Source: University of South Florida (2010)
46

2.7.1.3 Shielded Twisted Pair (STP) Cable

STP is designed to provide a proper protection to the cable from the external
physical damages and noise interferences to the medium. Each pair of the cable is
wrapped with a metallic foil and the four pair of wires is wrapped with another metallic
foil.
Figure 4:Shielded Twisted Pair (STP) Cable
Source: Cisco Systems Inc, 2006
STP use special data connectors to connect to the local LAN, however Registered Jack
45 (RJ-45) can also be used to connect.
2.7.2 Coaxial Cable

Coaxial cable has a single copper conductor in the center of the cable and plastic
layer around it provide the protection to the center copper conductor and it will also
provide the insulation between the center conductor and the braided metal shield. This
metal shield provides a good barrier to the outside interference. This metal mesh also
covers with the plastic cover.
Figure 5: Coaxial Cable

Source: University of South Florida (2010)
Bayone-Neill-Concelman (BNC) connectors are the main type of the connecters
used to connect the Coaxial cable. There are different types of BNC connectors
available, such as T-connector, barrel connector, and terminator. Connectors
47

Table 15: Comparison of cables
Speed and Average Maximum

throughput cost per cable Advantage Disadvantage
node length
Shielded 10 to 1000 Bit 100 m  Provide High protection against  Cable is more prone
Twisted Mbps expensive crosstalk to electrical noise and
Pair (STP)  Easy to use interference
Cable  Small size can be helpful during  Distance between
installation signal boosts is
 Easy to install shorter
 Less expensive
 Can be used with most of the major
networking architectures
Unshielded 10 to 1000 Least 100 m  Provide protection against crosstalk  Cable is more prone
Twisted Mbps expensive  Easy to use to electrical noise and
Pair (UTP)  Small size can be advantageous interference
Cable during installation  Distance between
 Easy to install signal boosts is
 Less expensive shorter
 Can be used with most of the major
networking architectures
Coaxial 10 to 1000 Inexpensive 500 m  Cheaper for a physical bus topology  Thickness of the
Cable Mbps  Can be run with fewer boosts from cable
repeaters for longer distances  Hard to use
between network nodes
(Authors work)
48

2.7.3 Installing Cable - Some Guidelines
It is good to follow following steps when layering the cables,
 Always use more cables than in necessary and leave plenty of slack for future
enlargement of the network.
 Check each cable after it install.
 Check every part of the network even though the cables are brand-new
 Select the lowest interference areas of the building to lay the cables
 If the cables are run across the open areas of the building cover the cable by
cable protector.
 Label the both end of the cables
 Use cable ties to keep the cables in same location together
49

Table 16: Cable standards
Maximu
m
Techni Cable/ Max.
number Specificatio
cal Wire Segment/w Advantages Speed
of ns
Name type ire Length
Nodes/S
egment
10Base Thick Long cable IEEE 802.3j
500 meters 100 10
5 coaxial length
Mbits/s
RG58
10Base IEEE 10
(thin) 185 meters 30 Low cost
2 802.3ab Mbits/s
coaxial
Twisted
10Base pair (like Easy to 10
100 meters 1024 IEEE 802.3i
T telephon maintain Mbits/s
e wire)
10Base Fiber- 2,000 No noise
1024 10
F optic meters interference IEEE 802.3j
Mbits/s
Source: Networkdictionary, 2010 and eeherald.com, 2010 and Cisco Networks, 1999
50

2.8 Servers
2.8.1 Video Server

According to the cctvcamerapros.com (2008) network video servers also known
as IP video servers, it turns any CCTV camera into a network security camera. The
main function of a network video server is to convert the analog signal getting from the
cameras into a digital and also IP based video stream.
2.8.2 Application Server

It is a server in a network which provides the business logic for an application
program, I other words it used to run the applications in the network.
2.8.3 SIP server

It is the main components of the IP PBX, and dealing with all the setup of SIP
calls in a network. SIP server is also known as a SIP Proxy or SIP Registrar. Even
though the SIP server is called as the most important part of the SIP based phone
system it only handle the call setup and call tear down. It will not handle any audio
signals.
2.8.4 Print Server

According to the wisegeek.com (2010) printer server is a simple device which
allows computers to communicate one or more printers which are connected to the
network.
2.8.5 DHCP server

Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server automatically assign an IP
address to a computer or network devices form a defined range of number.
51

2.8.6 Mail Server

According to the wisegeek.com (2010) mail server is a computer that works as
an electronic post office for emails. Mail exchanges are happen via the mail server and
it has specially designed software to handle the mails in the network.
2.8.7 Proxy Server

Proxy server is a computer that offers a computer network service to allow the
user to make direct connection to the other network service. Proxy server acts as an
agent between a user and the Internet, so that the network can ensure security,
administrative control.
2.8.8 File Server

File server allows the users to share information over a network without
transferring the files physically.
2.8.9 Database Server

A database server is computer program or a computer which provide the
database services to the other computer programs. These servers need the DBMS
software to manage the databases.
2.8.10 Backup Server

It is a server which will save server data according to the rules which have
predefined by the network administrations.
52

2.9 Internet connections

There are 3 different types of internet connections available in the current market
those are
1. Broadband
2. Leased Line
3. Dial-Up
2.9.1 Broadband
Broadband connection allows high speed and support data, voice and video
information. It is called as broad because multiple kinds of information can be traveled
across the wire. Broadband connections typically always on and no need to dial to
connect to the servers and it provide a very cheap connections as well.
2.9.2 Dial-Up
Dial up is an old method of the internet connection. It has a slow data rate and
cost will be really high. User need to dial each time to connect to the server.
2.9.3 Leased Line

Connect two locations for a private voice or data telecommunication services. It is
not a dedicated Leased Line reserved circuit between two points. And cost will be bit
high comparing with the broadband.
53

3 Critical Evaluation
 According to the research based on the „Network types‟ there are main 2 types
have been identified. Those are peer-to-peer and client server architecture.
 Peer-to-Peer architecture is less expensive to implement when comparing to the
Client-Server architecture. Each computer in Peer-to-Peer need to take backups
itself to recover the data but in client server model one centralized location can
take the backups so it is easy to maintain the network in client server model.
 Security also a major drawback in Peer-to-Peer architecture but in client server
architecture it is easy to maintain the security due to the main server architecture.
 Client server architecture is high costly when comparing with the peer-to-peer
architecture because it need to purchase more network equipments to
implement.
 Considering the all the facts it is good to use client server architecture to a
network because it provides security, availability, high performance and ease of
management.
 According to the research which was conduct based on the small area network
wired LAN technology provides greater values to the network than the wireless
LAN. Wired LAN provides a better connection speed comparing with the wireless
LAN. Even though wireless LAN do not provide much of a security to the network
like wired LAN it provide greater mobility to the network which is really important
factor to the users. But most of these security issues can be overcome using
newly build security mechanisms. Cost to implement is relatively less in wired
LAN comparing with the wireless LAN even though maintain cost of wired LAN is
really high.
54

 Four types of network topologies have been identified in the research; those are
ring, bus, tree and star. Tree and star topologies are commonly used in the
industry due to its performances. Tree topology provides a network which allows
connecting more devices than other topologies.
 Switches and repeaters are used to create wired LAN.
 Wireless access points and WLAN Network Interface card are been used in
addition to switches and repeaters to connect wireless LAN.
 CISCO, D-Link, Netgear are the most famous network device providers in the
market.
 According to the research which was conduct based on the “Connect the sub
branches to the main building to share the resources”; Wide Area Networks
(WANs) and Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) are been identified as the best
method to create a network.
 WAN network type covers a large geographical area; it has 3 main types depend
on the connection type those are Point-to-Point Links, Circuit Switching, and
Packet Switching.
 Point-to-Point links are good when it needs to have long connections in a shorter
distance.
 Circuit switching good when the network needs to create in a small area and a
backup connection will be preferred.
 Packet switching mechanism is used when it need a long connection time in a
large geographical area.
 WAN has some major drawbacks. Such as the low security, high latency,
implementing and maintain cost is very high and also the connection is very slow.
Addition to that the company will need to have well skilled IT workers to maintain
the system
 VPN provide a great value to the modern networking concepts VPN has main 2
types Remote-access VPNs, Site-to-site VPNs.
55

 According to the research VPN is the best method to connect or share resource
with a long distance network. Availability of the WAN is low in some parts of the
world but the availability of VPN is really high comparing to the WAN.WAN
provide a lesser bandwidth when comparing to the VPN and cost to implement is
very high in WAN. Management is very easy with the VPN comparing to the
WAN but having a backup connection will be a good implementation to both the
methods.
 Security is a main aspect of the modern networking. According to the research
conduct there are various methods used to implement security features to the
system.
 Firewall is a good method to restrict the unwanted traffic to the network. Firewall
can be implemented using hardware and software. DMZ (demilitarized zone) is a
new concept to use in order to allow the users to connect to the public servers.
 Encryption also a good way to maintain the security and it also can be achieved
using different encryption mechanisms.
 IPsec, L2TP, SSL are the main frameworks which ensuring private
communications over IP networks. Each of these have its own positive and
negatives.
 IPsec support most of the operating systems and provide strong encryption
mechanism. But the main drawback is it only can protect IP based
communications and also need a client software to configured. Also does not
protect the communication between client and the IPsec gateway in gateway-to-
gateway architecture
 L2TP is a tunneling protocol provides various features. It can protect non IP-
protocols and support multiple sessions per tunnel. L2TP is used along with
IPsec to provide encryption and key management services. L2TP also need to
have client software to be installed and configured.
56

 SSL can provide strong encryptions and support all the major systems. But this
only provides TCP based communications and requires application servers and
clients to support SSL/TLS.
 IPsec addition with L2TP is the best encryption protocol to use with VPN.
 According to the research based on the „Transmission media‟ main 3 categories
have been identified. Twisted Pair Cables, Coaxial Cable and Fiber Optic Cables.
 Shielded Twisted Pair (STP) Cable and Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) Cables
are the sub types of the Twisted Pair Cables
 STP cables and UTP cables both provide same speed and throughput. STP
cables are bit more expensive comparing with the UTP.
 UTP cables more prone to electrical noise and interference than UTP. UTP cable
need more signal boosters than STP to maintain a proper signal voltage.
 Coaxial cables offer a great speed and throughput comparing with the twisted-
pair cables. It also reduces the electronic interference form the outside and
carries the signal with minimum interrupts. Thickness of the cable will be a
disadvantage over the implementation and also can be run with the fewer signal
boosters.
 It is clear that Coaxial cable is a very good transport media to transport signal
when comparing with the twisted pair cables.
57

4 Conclusion
4.1 Connect the computers and other peripherals together to share the
resources within the buildings
Both the Wired LAN and Wireless LAN types been used within the branches to
create a network and to share the resources. Wireless LAN is used in order to give an
access to the Laptop users. Security authentication mechanisms been used in order to
provide the security to network from unauthorized people. Even though the initial cost
will be high to implement both the technologies it will add a great deal of value to the
network.
Virtual LANS will be created within each LAN to categorize the network to different
segments.
4.2 Connect the sub branches to the main building to share the resources.
VPN technology been used over the WAN technology to connect the sub branches
to the main branch because it provide speed and more secure connection. Been small
company and new to the technology it is a must for the company to use more flexible
technology which needs minimum number of technical skilled people to operate.
Addition to that VPN is more cost effective and been a company which operates in Asia
it is good to use a technology which is available in this part of the world
58

4.3 Maintain a centralized database for all the branches around the world to
access.
Client server architecture is used over the peer-to-peer architecture to cope with
the requirement of the company. Client server architecture provides great control over
the security and the maintenance of the servers and can backup the entire
database/server from one location. And also administration can monitor the entire
network from a one place. Addition to all these facts been a new company to the
technology and company also growing its business areas it is a need to expand the
network and add more features to the network in future so the client server architecture
enable to add more servers to extend the network in future without changing the
network architecture.
4.4 Security
To provide the security to the network hardware firewall is been used with a
software firewall. DMZ (demilitarized zone) concept is used when implementing the
firewall to the system because it allows the users to connect to the public servers.
IPsec and L2TP are used over the SSL framework when creating VPN connections
because IPsec support with most of the operating systems and it provide a great
encryption mechanism with the L2TP. It is really need to provide high security to the
VPN connection because remote branches will access the main company building via
VPN connection and they will be transmitting the data via the VPN connection.
.
59

4.5 Backup
Special backup planes been used to backup the database and the connections
and it will be done using a special backup mechanism. Backup is a very essential in this
architecture because entire network is based on the main site of the company and its
servers.
Two internet connections been used in the main company and special database backup
mechanism also been used in here.
4.6 Communication
Voice over IP been used in order to communicate within the branch because it is
cost effective and easy to implement. And also the maintain cost will be really low and
can expand the network without expending lots of money for a normal communication
method.
4.7 Monitoring
Video servers and CCTV cameras were used implement IP cameras to the
network which will allow the company headquarters to monitor the activities of other
branches and its own. This is very cheap method to use to monitor the live activities of
the branches. But to implement this technology it is a must to have a high speed
internet connection.
60

4.8 Transmission media

Shielded twisted pair and unshielded twisted pair cables been used to connect the
devices. Shielded Twisted Pair (STP) cables been used to connect floor the main floor
switch to the main backbone switch. Reason for that is those cables is laid through the
air duct with the electric cables which generate electromagnetic fields, to minimize the
interference STP cables used even though it is bit costly to use STP over UTP.
Unshielded Twisted Pair cables are used within the building floors since there are not
much of noises or interferences to the cables comparing with the air duct.
Even though the policies created like this; if the data been traveled in UTP is very
sensitive then the STP cables been used on those situations.
4.9 Internet connection

Broadband connection been used to connect to the internet because it allow 24/7
connectivity to severs and it is cost effective.
61

Network Diagrams
Figure 6: Main Network Diagram
In here two routers been used to take two connections and that have been done as a
backup connection. Main firewall been used in the system and a separate proxy server
also used to filter the net traffic.
62

All the servers been connected to the one main layer 2 switch and floor switches are
connected to the layer 3 main backbone switch.
Video servers and video cameras are plug to a separate switch which will control the
video traffic of the system. Video record system switch is connected to the main layer 3
switch.
Each floor has its own Wi-Fi access point, which enables the laptop users to work in
different locations.
IP PBX is been used to implement the IP telephony to the network which will reduce the
communication cost of the company.
Separate switch is used to connect database server and the backup server; this is done
to reduce the traffic of the main server switch.
Telephones can be plugged to the switches of the floors to get the connection to them
and also this network implementation allows the company to connect 65 computers to
the network. If they want they can create virtual LAN and section the network.
63

Figure 7: Overview of the main building network
This is the overview of the main building network.
64

Figure 8: VPN Connection
VPN is used in order to connect to the main branch and each branch will have its own
Firewall. Main office will have all the main servers and sub branches can connect to the
servers and work as they are in the same network.
65

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Hardware, Software Systems and Networks II

Hardware, Software Systems and Networks II

Tharanga Chandrasekara (CB002976)

Mr. Balachandran Gnanasekaraiyer

12th October 2010

Asia Pacific Institute of Information Technology | CB002976

I would like to express my appreciation and thankfulness to my Hardware, Software

Finally, I would like to thank my institute, Asia Pacific Institute of Information

Asia Pacific Institute of Information Technology | CB002976

So this document is mainly based on research which is conducted on network models

Asia Pacific Institute of Information Technology | CB002976

1 Requirement Analysis .............................................................................................. 9

1.1 Essential requirements ....................................................................................... 9

1.4 Scope ............................................................................................................... 13

2.1 Data Networks.................................................................................................. 14

2.1.1 What is a network ...................................................................................... 14

2.2.1 Client Server Architecture .......................................................................... 18

2.3.1 LAN - Local Area Network ......................................................................... 23

Asia Pacific Institute of Information Technology | CB002976

2.4.1 Wide Area Networks (WANs) .................................................................... 32

2.5.1 Firewall ...................................................................................................... 40

2.6.1 Twisted Pair Cables ................................................................................... 45

2.7.1 Video Server .............................................................................................. 51

2.8.1 Broadband ................................................................................................. 53

Asia Pacific Institute of Information Technology | CB002976

3 Critical Evaluation .................................................................................................. 54

4.4 Security ............................................................................................................ 59

4.5 Backup ............................................................................................................. 60

4.6 Communication ................................................................................................ 60

4.7 Monitoring ........................................................................................................ 60

4.8 Transmission media ......................................................................................... 61

4.9 Internet connection........................................................................................... 61

Asia Pacific Institute of Information Technology | CB002976

Table 1: Comparing P2P and Client Server .................................................................. 20

Asia Pacific Institute of Information Technology | CB002976

Figure 1: Client Server Architecture .............................................................................. 18

Asia Pacific Institute of Information Technology | CB002976

1.1 Essential requirements

1. Connect the computers and other peripherals together to share the

1.1.1 Create a LAN (Local area network) within the buildings

i. Must be able to connect more than 40 computers to the network.

1.1.2 Connect the sub branches to the main building by a network

i. Must be able to connect all the sub branches to a network.

Asia Pacific Institute of Information Technology | CB002976

1.2 Indirect requirements

Asia Pacific Institute of Information Technology | CB002976

Asia Pacific Institute of Information Technology | CB002976

Asia Pacific Institute of Information Technology | CB002976

Asia Pacific Institute of Information Technology | CB002976

2.1 Data Networks

 To avoid the data duplication

2.1.1 What is a network

Asia Pacific Institute of Information Technology | CB002976

2.1.1.1 Advantages and disadvantages of using networks

Advantages of using networks

To make all computer programs, equipments and company data available

Company can do business with other companies electronically where they

 Provide a powerful communication medium

Asia Pacific Institute of Information Technology | CB002976

 Do business with customers over the internet (E-Commerce)

Disadvantages of using networks

 Rapid Spread of Computer Viruses:

 Initial cost will be high

Initial cost of setting up a computer network will be high because it is necessary

Asia Pacific Institute of Information Technology | CB002976

 Dependency on the Server.

Asia Pacific Institute of Information Technology | CB002976