Individual: INDP, Part 3
Rene Guillen
NTC/362
July 6, 2015
Fernando Casafranca
Individual: INDP, Part 3
Kudler Fine Foods is taking a crucial step to ensure that they improve their efficiency and customer satisfaction: the installation of a new network to replace their current method of operation is underway. It’s not enough to install a new network however, also needed is a method to secure the sensitive data that will be passed through an intricate network comprised of cables, routers, switches and computers. To process the data and to secure it, a wall of protection in the way of firewalls, strategies and policies will need to be established. The success of this project teeters within the balance of integration and security. This paper lays out the blueprint that helps explain the tactics employed as we move toward full implementation.
Whether it is a network at home or a network in a business, there are various commonalities that act as the building blocks of any system. All networks have space that needs to be evaluated, equipment that needs to be installed and people that need to work the whole operation. Kudler Fine Foods operates in a space that resembles a grocery store, with office space located either near the rear of the store and registers located near the front of the store. Information from these registers will need to be accessible to specific members of the administrative personnel. The large coverage area of the network, the safety of customers and employees and the goal to minimize service interruption, will dictate how to proceed with hardware and connection.
To best move forward with this project, it is important to understand all the options available in the way of networks. There are various types of networks to include LANs and WANs. LAN stands for Local Area Network and is usually used to connect computers, printers, internet connections and much more. LANs also provide collaboration amongst those using the network by way of e-mail, video conferencing or chat capabilities. Most LANs are comprised of a work station equipped with a desktop computer, but it could also be mobile in that a laptop or other portable device can connect.
Each administrative member of Kudler Fine Foods will have either a workstation or portable devices such as laptops, tablets or smartphones with network access, depending on their roles and responsibilities within the organization. To save on cost, every Kudler Fine Foods location will also be equipped with a laser printer that can be shared by anyone connecting to the network either portably or workstation. The most efficient method to create this network of devices for the sharing of information, is to provide a wireless connection to every Kudler Fine Foods location. Equipment needed for this wireless network equipment to be effective is a network hard drive, a wireless router and a broadband modem. A detailed description of all this hardware follows.
At the top of priority and needed quality to connect devices wirelessly to this network is a wireless router. This is the central hub where every other device on the network will connect to. It provides access to the network and without it, no data will transfer, leaving all information trapped in workstations. For this reason wireless routers are also called gateways or access points. It’s a good thing to understand the function of a router in these various ways, as it helps describe what the true function of this important device is. The wireless router acts as the bridge that connects computers (or users) to the internet. Although this device is called a wireless router, it is hard wired to the next hardware device needed to make the network effective.
A wireless router must connect to broadband modem using an Ethernet cable. The broadband modem, also referred to as a data card, is the piece of hardware that connects to the wall and allows for a broadband connection instead of a telephone