Planning a Network Upgrade

1. Planning a Network Upgrade Working at a Small-to-Medium Business or ISP – Chapter 3

2. Insert the following terms into your notes and look up the definition for each and then construct a sentence that uses the term within a technology context. Site Survey Floor Plan Physical Topology Logical Topology SWOT Prototype Production Environment MDF – What does it stand for & what does it do IDF - What does it stand for & what does it do Horizontal cabling Vertical cabling Managed Service Throughput Key Vocabulary

3. Purpose of a Site Survey • A Site Survey documents existing network structure • Shows physical layout to determine if new equipment can be installed • Site Survey will help outline & show • What is already on site • What type of equipment may be needed • Floor plan of structure • Site Survey will help identify & report… • Unlabeled cables • Poor physical security • Lack of power • Lack of UPS

4. Perform a Customer Site Survey • What does the technician look for . . . • Number of hosts or users • how many will be added over the next 12 months • how many network servers and/or printers are needed • Internet Service and Equipment • if upgrading speed, may need to upgrade equipment • Existing network devices • type of network equipment installed • configurations loaded on devices • Security • are additional firewalls needed • Applications • VoIP or video conferencing • Wireless or Wired • amount of square feet between access points

5. Network Expansion?? • Before a network upgrade can be properly designed, an on-site technician is dispatched to: • Perform a site survey to document the existing network structure. • Document the physical layout of the premises to determine where new equipment can be installed. • Review the on site survey results with the customer to verify that the report accurately describes the current network and any plans for expansion (Let the customer know what you found and what can be accomplished)

6. Determine the Topologies • Physical topology • actual physical layout of devices • Logical topology document includes • what path that the data takes through a network • IP addresses • device names • workstations • routers • servers • the location of routing, network address translation, and firewall filtering

7. Perform a Customer Site Survey • Documentation on current hosts and devices • Includes: • device name • location • brand and/or model • operating system • IP addressing • connectivity method • security

8. Activity • Using packet tracer complete the activity on page 3.1.3.2 over creating network diagrams.

9. Coming up with a Game Plan • A good plan will help identify the following: • Strengths • Weaknesses • Opportunities • Threats • AKA SWOT

10. Phases of the Network Upgrade • Requirements Gathering • analyze data from on-site visit to determine network requirements • done by the design team • creates Analysis Report • Selection and Design • selection of devices & cabling • weaknesses of design are identified and addressed here • creation of a prototype (sample product) • Implementation • overlooked tasks are corrected • constant customer communication is CRITICAL • Operation • Review and Evaluation

11. Examining the Physical Environment • Examine existing facilities and existing cabling • Find MDF (Main Distribution Facility) • houses switches & routers • other networking equipment & racks • may also contain POP (where the customer connects to the service provider also know as the ISP) • MDF’s… • Improve security by housing equipment outside of the normal user area • Allows cables to be centralized

12. Network Upgrade Planning Phases • Use the activity on page 3.2.1.4 to help associate the correct network planning phase with the situation that is presented.

13. Examining the Physical Environment • Any IDFs? (Intermediate Distribution Facility) • added when a network expands beyond the coverage area of the current MDF • additional wiring closets • connect to MDF

14. Cabling Considerations • Check cable types needed • STP- same as CAT5 with more protection • UTP- CAT5, 4 pairs of wires • Coaxial-solid copper core • Fiber-glass used to transmit LEDS and light signals • Check cable specifications • Straight Through-Router to switch, Server to Switch, PC to Switch • Crossover – Switch to Switch, Router to Router, Switch to Hub • Console cable (rollover) – Connect PC to Router for configuration • TIA/EIA 568A/568B standard

15. IP Addressing Plan • The following devices will need IP addresses • user PCs • servers • printers, IP phones • router LAN interfaces • router WAN (serial interfaces)

16. Check Out the Cabling • Patch Cable • from PC to wall plate • Horizontal cable • from wall plate to IDF • Vertical cable • from IDF to MDF • Backbone cable • handles major traffic • Wiring closet location • Cable management system • protects cables/cable runs • Cable labeling • Electrical

17. Network Upgrade Situation • In groups of 2(random selection by a drawing) complete the lab on page 3.2.4.2. The lab will open as an Adobe PDF and there is no need to print the document. • Answer all questions on an attached sheet of paper. You may print off page 4 of the PDF (make sure you only print this page) to label the cabling & other items and use in your decision making. Use markers to help keep different types of cabling separate. • Page 3.2.4.1 can help you with terminology along with your notes. Online resources and careful reading is also required for this lab. • 150 point project – • Questions – 100 points • Labeling - 50 points

18. Purchasing Equipment for the Network • ISP Managed services • equipment obtained from ISP through a lease • all updates, maintenance, etc. of equipment are the responsibility of the ISP • Network upgrade and maintenance costs will become predictable (no surprises). • The company will not need to spend a large amount of money to purchase the equipment upfront. • ISP Help Desk • In-house services • The customer purchases the equipment, and the customer is responsible for the updates, warranties, and maintenance of the equipment.

19. Selection of Network Devices • Selection of LAN devices • hubs could be used with smaller LANs • switches more efficient • managed switch – control over individual ports • which is better? (one 24 port switch or 2-12 port switches) • Selection of a WAN device (router) • fixed or modular expansion? • fixed – specific number/type of ports, no upgrade • modular – includes expansion slots, item can be changed

20. Network Reliability and Availability • Reliability • can be achieved by adding redundancy to the network • use of two routers instead of one allow redundancy to occur and if one path goes down the other can be used. This allows the network to still be operational. • Goal of the Network: Five-9’s of availability • network operational 99.999% of time • Use of fault tolerance helps to ensure reliability • a network will continue operating properly in the event of a failure • Use of the following devices will help ensure fault tolerance • UPS • multiple power supplies • hot-swappable devices

21. Cisco Devices • Router • ISR An ISR provides the functionality of a switch, router, and firewall in one device. • 1841 ISR (Integrated Services Router) • Breaks up broadcast and collision domains • used for medium-sized business • different connectivity options • Allows 2 networks to communicate • Switch • 2960 switch • Breaks up collision domains only • used for Fast Ethernet and Gigabit connectivity • Connects the users within a network

22. Switch Usage & Router Setup • Complete the packet tracer activity on page 3.3.3.4 over switch operation to become accustomed to everyday switch operation and maintenance. • Complete the packet tracer lab in page 3.3.4.3 that explores Internetworking devices.

23. Router Setup • Open the Cisco folder upper right hand corner of your desktop) and select the router e-sim icon. Router e-sim will allow us to simulate router configuration within a network and also check our results. We will practice together to get everyone on the same page with commands and features within router e-sim. • Router E-Sim will be used for testing purposes to showcase your ability to configure a router. We will also use packet tracer to simulate various other network configurations with other networking devices.

24. Summary • A site survey including extensive documentation of both physical and logical network information must be performed before a network upgrade can be planned. • The five phases of a network upgrade include requirements gathering, selection and design, implementation, operation, and review and evaluation. • Structured cabling deals with the placement of cables, location of wiring closets, cable management, and electrical considerations. • Cost and expandability are important considerations when planning equipment upgrades.