Problem Based Task 1

FN311 INTERNET SERVICES PROBLEM BASED TASK 1

INTRODUCTORY SCENARIO

You are a computer consultant who specializes in developing productivity solutions for small to
medium sized businesses. You have just recently been hired by the 1Malaysia Real Estate Company
to assist them with a move from their current downtown location to a more purpose‐built office.
They are currently discussing their office requirements with builders and architects, and want to
make sure that you are involved at all stages of the planning process.

Currently, their use of technology is fragmented and disjointed. They have a couple of old computers
that are not networked, although one is connected to the Internet via a domestic ADSL connection.
The private company consists of two joint owners, who are also the licensed brokers, together with
six agents, all of whom use the office as required, but also work from home. Both owners have their
own office, and there is a general office that can seat three additional agents. Desks are not
allocated to a specific person.

There is a full time office manager, who is able to use the existing computers to perform simple
tasks, but is frustrated by her inability to be more productive. The company has previously
contracted to externally host a very limited web site, but it is static and has little information of
value to potential customers except a list of staff cell (mobile) phone numbers. The agents’ and
brokers’ computer experience varies from novice to reasonably competent.

The company has recently been required to purchase an upgrade to its user licenses for a new
extensive, web‐based real estate multi‐listing application service (MLS) that covers their sales area.
However, the general lack of user skills, modern hardware and Internet connectivity is causing
serious problems with a real potential to lose possible sales and listings. In addition, the MLS system
requires Internet Explorer 8 as a minimum standard which is causing problems on the legacy
hardware.

The office is equipped with two analog telephone lines, and a simple legacy extension system. There
are a number of phones that are located in the office, but incoming calls cannot always be re‐routed.
Calls can generally be transferred from one extension to another, although there is no method of
screening calls, except verbally, and the transfer can be problematic. One of the telephone lines is
also used for the ADSL service, which uses a telephone company supplied DSL modem that connects
via a USB port on an internal card on the Internet connected computer.

Two of the agents own and use their own laptop computers, although they have no way to connect
to the office system. The office has a single email address, supplied through the telephone company
that supplies Internet connectivity. Those staff who have, and use, email have their own personal
addresses in different domains.

Currently, most of the information on sales, potential sales and rental properties under
management, as well as personnel data, is kept in hard copy format. Computer files, when they
exist, are not adequately maintained or backed‐up, and there is frequent frustration when a file that
is thought to be on one computer is found only on the other – or is not found at all!

Until recently, despite the looming problems, the company has been reasonably successful, since it
specializes in a very specific and increasingly expensive area of the town that contains mainly old and
historic properties. Since the office was in the heart of this downtown area, it received a lot of
“walkpast” traffic. However, the owners wish to expand their company expertise and be more
proactive in selling properties in the larger metropolitan area. To this extent, they are planning the
move to a more modern office, and intend to contract at least two additional sales agents. In
addition, the owners realize that they need to make greater use of technology to improve sales
figures, and maintain market share.

FN311 INTERNET SERVICES PROBLEM BASED TASK 1

TASKS:

1. You have been asked to commence planning for the move to the new office. You have been
given a “clean sheet” in terms of equipment requirements, since the company doesn’t expect to
take any of the current communications or computing equipment to the new office.
i. What type of, and how many, computers should be purchased for the new office? (2m)
ii. What operating system and applications should be included for general office use? (2m)
iii. What types of network devices will be included? (2m)
[CLO 1, CLO 3]

2. Develop a plan for a local area network for the office. (5m)
[CLO 1, CLO 3]

3. Draw the physical topology diagram. (5m)
[CLO 1, CLO 3]

4. What type of cabling will you propose? How many cable outlets should be included at each
workstation? Should there be cable outlets at various common usage areas of the office? What
provision should be made for voice communications? How might this be achieved? (4m)
[CLO 1, CLO 3]

5. How will internet access be achieved? Explain. (3m)
[CLO 1, CLO 3]

6. How will workstations and other devices be addressed? Define a simple, suitable addressing
scheme plan for the network. (7m)
[CLO 2]

7. Draw the logical topology diagram for the network. (5m)
[CLO 1, CLO 3]

8. The office manager is concerned about security. What additional equipment could be linked into
the network to provide some security? (2m)
[CLO 1, CLO 3]

9. Create an inventory list for the network. (3m)
[CLO 1, CLO 3]

10. When you have completed your plan, you should use ‘Packet Tracer’ to build a model and check
out that it will achieve what you expect. (Hardcopy & softcopy are needed) (10m)
[CLO 2]

DUE DATE : Before or on 10th FEBRUARY 2012
MARKS : 50 POINTS
FORMAT : 1. Cover page; Contents & Pages;
2. Font: ARIAL, Font Size: 11, Line Spacing: Single

Problem Based Task 1

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