Reference no: EM133926099

Network Design and Management

Learning Outcome 1: Analyse network design considerations, network protocols, and monitoring tools.

Learning Outcome 2: Analyse the concepts of network requirement processes.

Learning Outcome 3: Critically assess network management systems and tools

Learning Outcome 4: Critically assess network architectures and security measures

Overview:
You are required to utilise the CISCO Packet Tracer Application to develop a Network Solution for the scenarios given below.

You are to write a report detailing (as directed):
Your findings
Network design / requirement considerations
Network protocols
Performance
Monitoring tools / Flow analysis You report will include the following:
Three of the scenarios listed below, based on the last digit of your ID, as given in the following table:

Table 1
Scenario Allocation by Student ID

Last Digit of you ID    1st Scenario    2nd Scenario    3rd Scenario       
0    1    2    5       
1    1    3    6       
2    1    4    5       
3    1    2    6       
4    1    3    5       
5    1    4    6       
6    1    2    5       
7    1    3    6       
8    1    4    5       
9    1    2    6

A Cover Page with you Student Name, Student ID, Paper Name, Paper Number, Assignment Number.A Single Executive Summary.A Complete Table of Contents, which should utilise THREE levels of headings.Page numberingConsistent Formatting (Arial 12, Times New Roman 12, 1.5 spacing) You must adhere to APA 7 referencing standards.

What is needed:
Use the CISCO Packet Tracer Application to complete the tasks for each of your THREE scenarios from Table 1.

Submit the following:
A copy of each of your scenarios saved as .pkt files (THREE .pkt files)

A single report that contains:
THREE Sections, one for each of your assigned scenarios.

Each section starting on a new page, clearly labelled.

Screenshot(s) that demonstrate a successful Network Design that includes ALL of the required components for each of the scenarios you have been allocated.

A detailed description for each of the THREE scenarios.
The implementation of the required components for the troubleshooting element(s) for each scenario.

Reference Sources for this assignment can include: Vendor white papers as well as Academic sources. It is likely that you will include at least Six references from different sources.

Scenarios:

Scenario 1: IPv4 Subnetting and Network Design (LO1 & LO2) 20 Marks Total
Each Numbered Task is worth 4 Marks
Objective:
Analyse the following network design and perform and apply subnetting calculations to accommodate various departments within an organisation.
Tasks:
Subnet Calculation:
Given a Class C network address, create subnets for different departments based on the number of hosts required.
Subnetting Validation:
Implement the calculated subnets in Packet Tracer and assign IP addresses to devices in each subnet.
Network Design Consideration:
Discuss the design considerations that influenced the subnetting strategy, including future scalability.
Detailed Tasks:
Network Topology Setup:
Create a network topology in Packet Tracer consisting of a central router and three departments (HR, IT, Finance) each connected to the router via separate switches.
Each department has a specific number of hosts: HR (5 hosts), IT (10 hosts), Finance (15 hosts).
Subnet Calculation:
Manually assign a Class C network address (192.168.XX.0/24). (Change XX to the last TWO digits of your student id number)
Calculate and present in a table format the appropriate subnets for each department using VLSM (Variable Length Subnet Masking).
Ensure that the subnets are non-overlapping and allow 25% for future expansion (An additional 25% of the current hosts).
IP Address Assignment:
Manually Assign IP addresses to all devices within each department based on the calculated subnets.
Configure the router interfaces with the appropriate IP addresses for inter-departmental communication.
Subnetting Validation:
Test connectivity between TWO devices within the same subnet and TWO devices across different subnets using ping and traceroute commands.
Validate that each of these devices are correctly assigned an IP address from the intended subnet.
Network Design Consideration:
Document the design process, explaining why specific subnet sizes were chosen, how the network is scalable, and potential future considerations.

Scenario 2: Configuring Routing Protocols

Objective:
Configure and analyse the performance of different routing protocols in a multi-router setup.
Tasks:
Routing Protocol Configuration:
Implement and configure RIP, OSPF, and EIGRP on a network with multiple routers.
Performance Analysis:
Monitor and compare the convergence times and route selection between the routing protocols.
Network Flow Analysis:
Evaluate how different protocols affect the network flow and choose the best protocol for given network requirements.
Detailed Tasks:
Network Topology Setup:
Create a topology with three routers (R1, R2, R3) connected in a triangular fashion. Each router connects to a separate LAN.
Assign unique subnets to each LAN and the point-to-point links between routers.
Routing Protocol Configuration:
Configure RIP on R1, OSPF on R2, and EIGRP on R3.
Each router should be able to route traffic to all LANs via its respective protocol.
Implement redistribution between the protocols on one of the routers (e.g., R2 to redistribute between OSPF and RIP).
Performance Analysis:
Measure the convergence time for each protocol after introducing a change (e.g., disabling an interface).
Analyse the path selection and routing tables to see how each protocol routes traffic differently.
Network Flow Analysis:
Use Packet Tracer's simulation mode to visualise and analyse packet flows between the routers and LANs.
Discuss how different routing metrics (hop count, bandwidth, etc.) influence route selection and network performance for this scenario.
Protocol Selection Justification:
Based on the analysis for this scenario, justify which routing protocol is best suited for different network scenarios (e.g., a small office network vs. a large enterprise network).

Scenario 3: DHCP Configuration and Troubleshooting
Objective:
Configure DHCP on a network and troubleshoot issues related to IP address allocation.
Tasks:
DHCP Server Configuration:
Set up a DHCP server in Packet Tracer and configure it to assign IP addresses dynamically to clients in different subnets.
Security Considerations:
Discuss potential security risks associated with DHCP and how to mitigate them (e.g., DHCP Snooping).
Detailed Tasks:
Network Topology Setup:
Set up a network with a single router, a switch, and three subnets (representing different departments) with the same endpoint design and department names as Scenario 1. Get expert-level assistance in any subject with our assignment help services.
The router should act as the DHCP server, and all end devices should obtain their IP addresses dynamically.
DHCP Server Configuration:
Configure the DHCP server on the router with pools for each subnet, including appropriate options for the default gateway, DNS servers, and lease time.
Ensure that devices on each subnet receive IP addresses within the correct range.
Security Considerations:
Implement and test DHCP Snooping on the switch to prevent unauthorised DHCP servers from being introduced into the network.
?
Critically explain how DHCP relay agents could be used in larger networks where the DHCP server is located on a different subnet.
?
Critically explain the DHCP implementation in terms of Security Considerations.

Scenario 4: Securing the Network

Objective:
Implement various security measures to protect a network from potential threats.
Tasks:
Access Control Lists (ACLs):
Configure ACLs to restrict access to sensitive parts of the network.
Port Security:
Implement port security on switches to prevent unauthorised devices from connecting to the network.
Security Analysis:
Analyse the impact of security measures on network performance and discuss architectural considerations for network security.
Detailed Tasks:
Network Topology Setup:
Design a network with three VLANs (Management, Users, Guests) on a Layer 3 switch.
Configure Inter-VLAN routing to allow communication between VLANs where necessary.
Access Control Lists (ACLs):
Implement ACLs on the router to control traffic between VLANs. Restrict Guest VLAN from accessing Management VLAN resources Allow Management VLAN access to all hosts.
Test the ACLs by attempting to ping or access devices across VLANs and ensuring that unauthorised access is blocked and Management access is allowed.
Port Security Configuration:
Configure port security on the switches to limit the number of MAC addresses per port and restrict unauthorised devices from connecting.
Test the configuration by attempting to connect an unauthorised device to a secure port and verify that the switch blocks the connection.
Security Analysis:
Configure and test the following security features: SSH for remote management, disabling unused ports
?
Analyse and discuss the impact of the security measures on network performance using Packet Tracer's network monitoring tools.
Document and discuss any performance trade-offs and discuss architectural considerations for maintaining a balance between security and performance.

Scenario 5: SNMP Configuration and Network Monitoring

Objective:
Configure SNMP on network devices and use network monitoring tools to analyse network performance.
Tasks:
SNMP Setup:
Configure SNMP on routers and switches to monitor network traffic and device status.
Monitoring Tools:
Use network monitoring tools within Packet Tracer to observe and analyse the collected data.
Optimising Network Performance:
Based on the data collected, suggest optimisations to improve network performance.
Detailed Tasks:
Network Topology Setup:
Set up a network with a central router, several switches, and end devices. Configure different subnets for each switch.
Assign IP addresses and ensure all devices are reachable.
SNMP Configuration:
Configure SNMP on all network devices (routers and switches) to allow for remote monitoring. Set up SNMPv2c, focusing on security aspects.
Ensure that the community strings are correctly configured and test SNMP queries from a management station which must be called / labelled ‘Your_Student_Name' (Use the Student Name that you have registered in Moodle).
Network Monitoring Tools:
Use Packet Tracer's simulation mode to capture SNMP traffic and analyse the data collected.
Demonstrate and implement a network monitoring tool within Packet Tracer to monitor device status, traffic loads, and potential faults.
Performance Optimisation:
Based on the SNMP data, identify and show any bottlenecks or underperforming areas in the network.
Suggest and implement optimisations, such as adjusting routing protocols, upgrading links, or balancing the load across multiple paths.
Reporting:
Generate a report based on the SNMP data, including charts and analysis of network performance over time.
Discuss how SNMP monitoring can be integrated into broader network management strategies to maintain optimal network performance.
Discuss SNMPv3 is the newer version. Discuss Three fundamental differences between SNMPv2c and SNMPv3.

Scenario 6: Advanced SNMP Configuration and Traps

Objective:
Configure SNMPv3 for secure monitoring, set up SNMP traps to alert on specific network events, and analyse SNMP traffic to troubleshoot network issues.
Tasks:
SNMP Setup:
Configure SNMP on routers and switches to monitor network traffic and device status.
Monitoring Tools:
Use network monitoring tools within Packet Tracer to observe and analyse the collected data.
Analyse Security Considerations:
Analyse the impact of security measures on network performance and discuss architectural considerations for network security.
Detailed Tasks:
Network Topology Setup:
Set up a network with a central router, 5 switches, and 2 end devices for each switch.
Assign appropriate IP addresses to all devices and ensure network connectivity.
SNMPv3 Configuration:
Configure SNMPv2c on all network devices (router, switches) with authentication and encryption for secure communication.
Assign user-based security levels with specific authentication and privacy protocols.
Configure a network management station to poll SNMP data from all devices.
SNMP Trap Setup:
Set up SNMP traps on the router and switches to notify the network management station of specific events, including: interface status changes (up/down) and device reboots.
Configure the trap destination and ensure that trap messages are sent to the management station, which must be called / labelled ‘Your_Student_Name' (Use the Student Name that you use in Moodle).
SNMP Monitoring:
Use the network management station inside Packet Tracer to monitor real-time data from the devices.
Analyse the received trap messages and respond to any alerts triggered by the configured traps.
Security Analysis:
Critically analyse the benefits of using SNMPv3 over SNMPv2c in terms of security.
Analyse and discuss how SNMP traps can improve network monitoring and troubleshooting efficiency.

References
You must list (in APA format) every book, journal article.