Question Details

Introduction
The aim of this assessment is to allow students to demonstrate an understanding of Local Area Networking Technologies and apply theoretical knowledge to practical applications.
Answers to the tasks will demonstrate:
ï‚· Understand the impact of LAN technologies
ï‚· Be able to design LAN infrastructures
ï‚· Be able to implement LAN infrastructures
ï‚· Be able to manage LAN infrastructures.
Scenario
The Scottish Youth Hostelling Association provides basic accommodation throughout the country for holiday makers, tourists, outdoor enthusiasts and anyone else who wishes to stay for a short time. They have hostels of all sizes and locations from a few beds in an old croft cottage on a remote island to vast city centre establishments with 300 beds. They also affiliate a number of independent hostels providing central booking and reservations as well as advertising on their web site. More information can be found at www.syha.org.uk. The larger hostels provide computer facilities for their guests including PCs with Internet connections, Wi-Fi connection to the Internet for guests own computers and smart phones and local printing for tourist information, maps, weather forecasts etc. Some of these facilities are charged whilst others are free, depending on the local manager- policy.
Like all modern businesses, the SYHA uses IT to manage and run its hostels, with on-line bookings, on-line check-in desks and the usual range of office applications being used in the hostels.
The SYHA have just bought a building in Stirling (look it up - it is a real town) and need to install appropriate local area networking facilities for their latest hostel.
Note: The SYHA is a real organisation and they do have a hostel in Stirling. Although the places are real, the rest of the scenario is not. You must use the information provided in this assignment specification to answer the questions. If anything you find out about the real hostel in Stirling or about he SYHA is different from that presented here, then you must use the information presented here. Reality has been changed to provide a suitable scenario for the assignment. In particular, DO NOT contact either the SYHA or the hostel in Stirling. They have more important things to do than answer student questions. If you have any questions about this assignment, contact the tutor.
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Task 1 -Guideline length 800 words
The hostel management are well enough informed to know that they can have “wired” and “wireless” network systems but are not sure what is involved in the installation of each system and how they may be used. They do not know how to pronounce VLAN, let alone what it means. They have many requirements and concerns, including:
1.1 Security of data and in particular keeping their own and their customers’ data separate
1.2 The ability for guests to connect to the Internet using modern devices such as smart phones and tablet computers.
1.3 The ability to offer secure wireless connections to customers in their rooms and in the lounge.
For each of these concerns, identify appropriate LAN technology that can address the problem.
Explain how each technology provides a solution to their problem.
Your answers must focus specifically on this hostel and its concerns. Your answer to this task should have three sections, labelled 1.1, 1.2 and 1.3 respectively.
Task 2 -Guideline length diagram plus 600 words
Taking into account the material you have submitted in task 1, you must design an appropriate LAN infrastructure for the hostel.
Provide logical network diagrams showing how the building might provide the required services and connections. This may be one or more diagrams as you see fit. Any suitable drawing package can be used and you will not be graded on the drawings themselves; just the network design.
Explain each infrastructure device, what its function is and why you have selected that device for the job. This explanation must focus on the hostel and its requirements.
Also, identify two particular products that could be used for each infrastructure device, including the exact make and model along with a supplier and price. Since the hostel is in the UK, the supplier and price must be UK based.
You must as a minimum include a router, a switch and a wireless access point in your design.
Remember that this is a hostel and is a business, not a home network, so you must be considering business class equipment rather than equipment designed for home use.
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Task 3 -Guideline length 500 words
For the network you designed in task 2, devise appropriate address allocations and explain how these will be implemented. You need to include both static and dynamic addresses in your scheme. You should cover the following:
Actual addresses and address ranges used, with justification.
Methods used by different devices to acquire their address.
Task 4 -Guideline length 800 words
Identify one specific network monitoring tool that the hostel could use to ensure that their network continues to perform correctly. You should identify the type of tool, a specific product (including manufacturer, product and exact version or model number as appropriate) including supplier and price.
For the tool you have identified, explain what it does and how the information it supplies can be used by the hostel.
Student Guidelines
1. You should write each task of this assignment as detailed above, in coherent and appropriate English, complete with citations in the text and a list of references in Harvard notation.
2. All your answers must be directly related to and focussed on the scenario. Generic responses will score very poorly.
3. It is up to you to decide the appropriate location for computers and other end user devices such as printers. You may if you wish make up a suitable floor plan for the building and design your network to suit, but it must fit the information given in the scenario.
4. You are advised to draft an answer to task 1 early on and submit it to the tutor via e-mail for formative feedback.
5. Remember that you must COMPLETE ALL TASKS FULLY in order to pass this assignment.
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Assessment Criteria Assessment Criteria for Pass To achieve a PASS GRADE the evidence must show that the learner is able to meet all of the learning outcomes: Learning Outcomes and Assessment Criteria Criteria Met Yes/No
LO 1: Understand the impact of LAN
technologies
ï‚· critically evaluate different LAN technologies
ï‚· critically analyse traffic intensive services and their performance
ï‚· discuss LAN concerns and make recommendations to sustain network security, reliability and performance
LO1
LO 2: Be able to design LAN infrastructures
ï‚· design a LAN infrastructure to meet a given requirement
ï‚· critically evaluate the suitability of LAN components
LO2
LO 3: Be able to implement LAN infrastructures
ï‚· build and configure a LAN (including services) to meet a given requirement
ï‚· implement network security on a LAN
ï‚· critically review and test a LAN
LO3
LO 4: Be able to manage LAN infrastructures
ï‚· monitor and troubleshoot a LAN
ï‚· resolve LAN issues to improve security, reliability and performance
ï‚· critically evaluate the performance of a LAN
LO4
Assessment Criteria for Merit To achieve a merit you must achieve a pass (as outlined above) plus:
M1- Identify and apply strategies to find appropriate solutions
ï‚· Effective judgements have been made when selecting appropriate solutions
ï‚·
M1
M2 - Select design and apply appropriate methods/techniques
ï‚· A range of credible sources of information have been used to identify appropriate products and solutions
ï‚· Selected solutions make appropriate use of available technologies
ï‚·
M2
M3 - Present and Communicate Findings
ï‚· Material is presented in a logical and accurate manner matching the stated requirements for each task.
ï‚· Appropriate levels of material are presented, taking into account the target audience.
ï‚· Some use of referencing is made
ï‚·
M3
Assessment Criteria for Distinction To achieve a distinction you must achieve a merit(as outlined above) plus:
D1 - Use critical reflection to evaluate your own work & justify valid conclusions
ï‚· Proposals offer clearly justified matches to the requirements, with alternatives being discussed. These must be real and different alternatives, not just another variation on the same basic solutions.
ï‚· The work demonstrates a clear understanding of the overall requirements of the client as well as the individual system requirements.
D1
D2 - take responsibility for managing and organising activities.
ï‚· Independent research, outside that provided in course materials,
D2
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has been utilised to prepare the work
ï‚· Appropriate assumptions are made and justified where detailed scenario information is not available
ï‚·
D3 - demonstrate convergent, lateral & creative thinking.
ï‚· Solutions presented show an innovative approach to network design based on the latest available equipment.
ï‚· A clear understanding of the current trends in LAN technology is demonstrated by the specification of systems that will handle future requirements appropriately.
D3