The submission is in the form of an individual evidence portfolio. This assignment can be completed as a group, but each student must produce their own portfolio, which will contain:

A LAN design plan and blueprint and justification document.

A fully completed test plan including an evaluation of results and recommendations for improvements to LAN.

A proposed and justified maintenance schedule.

Evidence of an implemented network.

You are employed as a network engineer by a high-tech networking solution development organisation and are working on a project for a local educational institution.

You will need to analyse the specification from the institution below for completion of this project within a given timeframe: People: 200 students, 15 teachers, 12 marketing and administration staff, 5 higher managers including the head of academics and the programme manager, 3 computer network administrators Resources: 50 student lab computers, 35 staff computers, 3 printers Building: 3 floors, all computers and printers are on the ground floor apart from the IT labs - one lab located on the first floor and another located on the second floor

Part 1 Design efficient networked systems

1. Prepare a written step-by-step plan of how you are going to design a Local Area Network including a blueprint of your LAN.

2. Justify your choice of devices for your network design.

3. Produce a test plan to evaluate this design for the requirements of bandwidth and cost constraints as per user specifications.

4. Justify the security requirements and quality of services needed for selection of accessories.

5. Suggest a maintenance schedule to support the networked system.

Part 2 Implement test and diagnose networked systems

1. Implement a networked system based on your prepared design.

2. Conduct verification with e.g. Ping, extended ping, trace route, telnet, SSH, etc.

3. Record the test results and analyse these against expected results.

4. Investigate what functionalities would allow the system to support device growth and the addition of communication devices.

5. Discuss the significance of upgrades and security requirements in your recommendations.

LO3 Design efficient networked systems

P5 Design a networked system to meet a given specification.

P6 Test and evaluate the design to meet the requirements and analyse user feedback.

M3 Install and configure network services and applications on your choice.

D2 Design a maintenance schedule to support the networked system.

LO4 Implement and diagnose networked systems

P7 Implement a networked system based on a prepared design.

P8 Document and analyse test results against expected results.

M4 Recommend potential enhancements for the networked systems.

D3 Use critical reflection to evaluate own work and justify valid conclusions.