Case Study: Network Upgrading for Cookie Co.
Cookie Co. is a chain store for cookies, with business around the country. Alongside with its fast expansion in the number of retail stores and online retailing, it experienced frustration from slow data network connectivity, compounded by distorted and unreliable voice calls due to network issues: a challenging situation for both staff and customers. It needed a solution that would help it maintain its reputation for providing an elevated customer experience.
After comprehensive consultation with technical experts and business partners, Cookie Co. decided to dump its current IT infrastructure because the patching changes may be costlier and less likely to satisfy the business needs.
A fresh design for its IT infrastructure, especially the networking, is required. The design is vital to support and enable the future growth of the company. It should enable the connection of all devices, offices, branches, and staff.
Assignment Task
You are a member of the network planning team, and need to write a formal business management report to explain your solutions and recommendations about the future network infrastructure for Cookie Co.
Your target audience is executive business people, who have extensive business experience but limited ICT knowledge. They would like to be informed as to how your solutions may be beneficial to their business.
Therefore, the report needs to recommend the telecommunications and networking technologies to be used in terms of business benefit.
You may need to compare your recommendation with other available technologies.
Specifically, you should discuss possible solutions for the following 3 topics in the report.
A. Network Infrastructure
1) Network convergence and unified communications
2) LAN types and cabling plan for the head office and branches
3) WAN connection for the head office and branches
4) Transmission media and connecting devices
5) IP and DNS management
B. Networked Services
Propose to deploy 4 types of network services. Candidates can be, but not limited to, VOIP, WWW, Intranet, Extranet, Email, and Web Services.
C. Data Processing Facilities
1) 3.1 Data storage solution. Candidates can be, but not limited to, data centre, SAN, Cloud, and distributed database.
2) 3.2 Data processing model. Candidates can be, but not limited to, C/S and P2P.
When you provide solutions to each topic, remember to explain their benefits to some of the following items:
- The operation of the head office and/or branches
- The collaborations between the head office and branches
- The operation of the business
- The satisfaction of customers
Note that you are requested to focus on the use of technologies into the proposed plan, but not the discussion of actual network and infrastructure requirements.
Report Format
Your report should be no less than 1,500 words and it would be best to be no longer than 3,000 words long.
The report MUST be formatted using the following guidelines:
- Paragraph text - 12 point Calibri single line spacing
- Headings - Arial in an appropriate type size
- Margins - 2.5cm on all margins
- Header - Report title
- Footer - page number (including the word "Page")
- Page numbering - roman numerals (i, ii, iii, iv) up to and including the Table of Contents, restart numbering using conventional numerals (1, 2, 3, 4) from the first page after the Table of Contents.
- Title Page - Must not contain headers or footers. Include your name as the report's author but DO NOT include any reference to your student ID, course code or course name.
- The report is to be created as a single Microsoft Word document (version greater than 2007). No other format is acceptable and doing so will result in the deduction of marks.
- In Authorisation and Purpose Section, the report should be addressed to USC for the purpose of ICT 120 assessment.