1. LAN Design Summary

In Milestone 2/Network Requirements 1, you identified the network architecture components for your network. You identified all the LANs, backbone, WAN and Internet connectivity requirements for your network. This week, you will lay out the design plan for the LAN and backbone network. In Section A of the project template, you will summarize the main points in the design of your LAN, based on the contents of Section 1.a, 1.b, 1.c, and 1.d.

1.a Wired or Wireless LAN functions

Please explain why you need a LAN or several LANs in your network? If your business service is accessed by clients in their respective LANs/WiFi, then you need to explain what kind of data they will access via the LANs. You also need to briefly identify all sources of voice, video, and data that will pass along this LAN. Identify which of the LANs are likely to be wireless and the ones that you want to keep wired. Explain how your choice or wired and wireless will meet the functional needs.

1.b Wired and Wireless LAN Link and Device Requirements

For each instance of wired and wireless LANs, identify what kinds of links you will use. What kind of cabling and approximate speed do you require for the wired LANs. What will be the approximate speed for wireless LANs? List the devices you will use in your LAN. What is the role of Ethernet protocol in your network?

1.c Wired and Wireless LAN Bandwidth and Performance Requirements

Explain how your LAN/LANs perform with respect to tolerable delay, network load at various times, and cost. For example, applications that contain multimedia will require a higher bandwidth LAN to provide faster loading times for people accessing data. Your bandwidth and performance requirements should be consistent with the LAN functions identified in Section 1.a.

Also, explain the load on your network during various times. Are there times when the network is likely to be busier? If so, what could be some of the choke points in your network, and how do you plan to manage these? You may provide very high bandwidth links and several redundant servers to manage load and performance, but remember all this will make it an expensive network. Do you think your business service really requires an expensive network? Feel free to make assumptions in order to justify your expense tolerance for the network.

2. Backbone Network (if applicable)

Please use this section to list any backbone network that you might have used to connect various LANs in your network. Did you use a switched or a routed backbone to connected various LANs in your network? Did you use a VLAN in your network? Explain your choice of backbone network architecture.