Technical Documentation, Research Paper Example

Current Technical Constraints

The purpose of this document is to outline the Current Technical Constraints of the ecommerce company. By defining the technical limitations and constraints involved in the E-commerce company.

• Existing equipment: The network design currently used by the company is usually progressive however, over time the company needs to invest in various different equipment used for the network to meet all the different needs. Such as more bandwidth for peak times that causes time delays, and bottlenecks in traffic.
• Network bandwidth: The network design can inconceivable in certain parts of the network which cannot be altered for various reasons. The organization of the LAN installed that uses up to 15 Mbps fiber optic cabling that the company is not willing to replace for budgetary reason. The WLAN network configured for wireless networking uses as firbe optic cabling that can create problems when not properly connected, or spliced. The available bandwidth needed creates a constraint for the platform that must be circumvented, and more importantly provides insufficient telecommunications bandwidth.
• Application compatibility: The update to the network is not being rolled out at the same times as the new applications to the website, creating incompatibility with the older applications. This leads to a mixed platform with creates difficulty in integrating the new e-commerce infrastructure with the older application of the IT systems.
• Lack of qualified personnel: The owner and the designers must require additional training of staff for the scope of the project in integrating the new e-commerce infrastructure, so that every function of the website is available to the users. More personnel needs to be available for trouble shooting, and network design as traffic starts to increase.
• Technological differences: The use of fibre and fiber optics for the cabling creates a difficulty in connecting for WAN and LAN networks for the company.

Network Maps: LAN

The purpose of the network maps that provides a framework so network designers can use to help guarantee the flexibility and ease in troubleshooting or updating. The wired LAN network is divided into two four departments. In the Warehouse Site where inventory is kept for ABC E-commerce are the: Services department and Equipment department, and in the Marketing department and Sales department are in the office block. Each of the departments has one printer hardline connected to the network. The two sites are connected using an Ethernet switch provided by Cisco, using a NetWare server in the Warehouse and Office block site, and Windows 2013 server located in the office block. (Aut, 2005) The computers are set up to run by Ethernet hub (switch) as the main controller.

Network Maps: WAN

The WAN configuration is set up localized in within the central office of ABC E-Commerce office block. The map is created by providing both sites with a virtual private network (VPN) that connects the LANs into a Wide Area Network (WAN). The VPN is encrypted by the Linksys router and the Cisco AES firewalls placed to provide secure channels for connection. (Microsoft, 2013)

Current Address and Naming Scheme

The purpose of the document is to be able to individually identify the name, which makes troubleshooting and security measures easier to maintain. If the IT department cannot pinpoint the problem it makes it harder to fix a problem with the network. Good naming schemes are unique, scalable, and easy to remember, used to name network servers, client computers, and wireless access points. ABC E-Commerce is a smaller growing operation, they use both public and private IP addresses. The router and the firewalls implemented act as the interface of private and public parts. The public IP addresses are used for application, database, and web servers. The IP address using the subset, IPv4 address issued is Class C that includes the first octet 192.168, in order to be used for local devices on the same network. Using a SSL (Secure Sockets Layer), with a SSL certificate received by VeriSign, which allows users to connect to the site using secure HTTPS.

The naming scheme of the computers within the network follow a Greek Mythology naming scheme. ABC Ecommerce is a smaller organization with potential to grow by utilizing the Greek mythology as a naming scheme it will allow for more computers and networks added. ABC E-commerce three servers are named:

• apollo-001 (NetWare server)
• aries-002 (NetWare server)
• aphroditie-003 (Windows 2013 server)

The vast figures in the Greek Mythology will love available to grow within the network. The individual naming schemes for personal computers always uses the first name and last name initial, for staff members own personal identification on the network.

Existing Cable and Wireless Design

 The purpose of this documentation is provide a log for preliminary investigation to the implementation phase where the network engineer and project manager can capture the important details of the existing network. (Syngress, 2007) This documentation takes a critique view of the network design and the variances with its deployment.

• Wireless LANs (WLAN) will be used in order for users to connect to the internet without interference. WLAN is an option in both of the main sites, but essential in the cafeterias, main office, and other parts of the buildings where LAN are not connected.
• The antenna used will be highly directional that is intended for signals to travel long distances.
• IEEE 802.11 Operational Standards original implemented will be replaced by Ethernet protocol.
• A centrally managed “thin” Aps with a central wireless controller provided by Cisco.
• A Wireless Network Mesh deployed in place of a backflow for the network will cover areas where there are gaps in network or traffic.

Cabling

The existing cable to connect LAN networks are fiber optic single-mode cables that allows for better bandwidth, speed, and longer distances. The fiber and fibre optical cables will replace the older coaxial cables used to connect the ports and the computer networks together.

For the WLAN, ABC E-Commerce uses a high frequency radio signals and infrared light lasers to communicate with servers, switches, workstations, or hubs. Each workstation and server will receive data through the transceivers that allows for mobile or satellite connectivity. The new WLAN network will utilize the Ethernet protocol that has replaced the original IEEE. 802.11 standard. The WLAN will be encrypted using WPA2 (Wi-Fi Protected Access Versions) for a more secure security measure using a 14 character long passwords. The Wireless router will include all wireless connections on independent subnet of the private network. The wireless router is manufactured by Cisco and used in conjunction with the CISCO AES Firewall services. The Linksys switches will serve as replacements to the hubs (Ethernet switches) of the LAN and WLAN networks.

Current Network Utilization

The purpose of this document is to provide the project manager and the network engineer with the information needed in knowing the amount of traffic on the network is utilized compared to the peak amount that the network can support.

• The current utilization shows no unusual activity, or justifications for additional bandwidth. The current network utilization show no bottlenecks. The average utilization for the ports shown is a 13.3 percent. (The Eye, 2005)
• The network utilization is being monitored as peak times show during the afternoon and at night.
• The ports are performing at near 100% are not being inundated with traffic at this time.
• The company will continue its surge in traffic during peak times do the holidays approaching creating potential bottlenecks within the days of the week.
• To monitor network utilization, applications and computer services will be applied by CISCO, to ensure maximum network utilization and resources.

Current Network Availability

The purpose of this document is to provide the network engineers with knowledge of knowing the network’s ability to respond to request that are made from clients accessing the network.

• The availability of the network can often times decrease for ABC E-commerce during peak hours in the afternoon, and at night.
• Especially at the beginning of the week: Sunday, Tuesday, and Saturday. This creates constraints where the network will use more resources than expected.
• The network will be unavailable one night a week on Wednesday for maintenance during the lowest peak hours.
• The average availability for the company is at 99.9% leaving 10 minutes a week for maintenance on Wednesdays. This helps in having an organized configuration management and disciplined network change control.
• During the holiday season, traffic will surge that will put the company below 99.9% if management of resources isn’t conducted to lower down-time, and cost the company money.

Delay and Response Times

The purpose of this document is to provide the network engineer and project managers with an overview of the network’s response time. More importantly is measures how much time it takes for data to get to one point to another.

There are various delays in response time that can be contributed to:

• Transmission where the fiber optic cable can introduce a few seconds in larger packets.
• Router where the gateway node creates time delay in examining the header of the packet.

The application delays are casing delays in response time for the users. Fulfilment requests and submission are tracked separately in order to understand the specific point where the application is delaying its delivery to the end user.

Status of Major Routers, Switches and Firewalls

The purpose of this document is for the knowledge of the network designer and engineer on the status of the network switches and routers. It is important because monitoring these routers and switches on the network provide analysis of traffic, bandwidth, packet loss, and SNMP status information.

• The major routers that the company utilizes are provided by Cisco. In monitoring the routers by pinging the routers it is determined that they are functioning properly with connecting computers to the more secure channel
• NAT (Network Address Translation) and QoS (Quality of Service) are to components used in the Cisco Router that is functioning properly in translation of Public IP address, and creating a barrier where no one outside of the ABC network can access the local machines.
• Linksys Switches used to isolate traffic is functioning properly and proper communication between computers on the network.
• Linksys are managed switches that allow for configuration, where monitoring and adjustment is managed locally.
  Each switches has four LED that provide indicators for speed of the network ports and the uplink module. The speed of the uplink module port LED is always green indicating that the status is performing well.
• Cisco ASA Series Firewalls are functioning properly by blocking file sharing protocols, and performing deep packet inspection to detect and report any suspicious traffic.
• Firewalls have prevented cyber intrusions, and performed NAT (network address translation), firewall will change each source of the packet or port or address destination.

Major Traffic Sources and Stores

The purpose of this documentation is to provide the network designers and engineers with understanding the traffic flow in regards to the user community and that data stores that exist for the new and old applications. The user’s community is a set of clients that use the particular application, and data stores are the servers, data backups, SAN (storage area network), and the mainframe of the network. These were centrally located in the central controller, the backup server, the fibre optic cables, and other locations where staff centrally stored data.

The user communities consist of several groups that include: consumers (all demographics) mobile consumers, government agencies, small and large companies, and also staff members that are on the networks daily. The size of the user groups varies but they all use the applications of Retail, Wholesale, Mobile Retail (shopping), and liquidation.

User Communities of ABC E-Commerce

Data Stores

Traffic Flow Diagram

The purpose of this document is to provide an analysis of the traffic flow of the network in between the user communities and the applications used to store data. Traffic flow diagram is used in determining which routers should be peered in the routing proctors and characterized the behavior of the networks. The figures placed in the chart indicates that there is a functional balance of incoming and outgoing data that is being monitored from user group traffics, and not being overly stuffed in data stores. For ABC E-Commerce company the framework in place has provided thorough traffic with through and broadcast traffic flowing at optimum peak which will help in bottlenecks, time delays, and down-town for maintenance.

On average incoming traffic was at 1.75 MB/s and the outgoing traffic was at 38.7 Kb/s in order sources such as peaks in times from consumers and other groups, the traffic increased, which also increased the outgoing traffic significantly.

References

Bandwidth Utilization. (2005). The Eye. Retrieved from http://www.networkinstruments.com/resources/newsletter/2005/jun_en_web.html

Opeenheimer, Priscilla. (2010). Top-Down Network Design. Pearson Education. New York.

Security Planning. (2010). Microsoft. Retrieved from http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc723503.aspx

Syngress. (2007). Designing A Wireless Network. Syngress.

Tearem Diane. (2007). Designing for Cisco Internetwork Solutions (DESGN) (Authorized CCDA Self-Study Guide). Pearson Education. New York.

Wireless LAN Scenarios. (2005). AUT. Retrieved from http://weblandesigner.elena.aut.ac.nz/index.php?fuseaction=scenario.wireless