HOLMES

INSTITUTE

FACULTY OF HIGHER
EDUCATION

Assessment Details and Submission Guidelines

Trimester T1 2020
Unit Code HS1011
Unit Title Data Communication & Networks
Assessment Type Group Assignment
Assessment Title
Purpose of the The purpose of this assignment is to exercise and develop skills required to analyse and design
assessment (with networks to address the need of clients. Students will be able to:
ULO Mapping) 1. Understand the concepts and principles of technology related to electronic data
communications and computer networking for information systems.
2. Demonstrate an understanding of the terminology of network communications
technology, network operating systems and network applications and appreciate the
need for different types of networks
3. Define, prioritise and evaluate the requirement of the business to provide data
communication and networking requirements.
4. Understand, evaluate and describe importance of network and data communication for
a business operation and assess and suggest troubleshooting suggestions for a data
communication and networking problem.
5. Communicate using an effective oral and written communication, act in a professional
conduct, be an effective team member or team leader and be creative and innovative.
6. Understand the ICT profession and professional expectations in data communication and
networking.
Weight (35% + 5%) Demo of the total assessments
Total Marks 40 (35 + 5)
Word limit 2000 - 2500 words
Due Date Week 11
Submission Guidelines • All work must be submitted on Blackboard by the due date along with a completed Assignment
Cover Page.
• The assignment must be in MS Word format, 1.5 spacing, 11-pt Calibri (Body) font and 2 cm
margins on all four sides of your page with appropriate section headings.
• Reference sources must be cited in the text of the report, and listed appropriately at the end in a
reference list using Harvard or IEEE referencing style.

Please be reminded that you cannot copy and plagiarise to ease your way to a final submission. While
you may discuss ideas with others, do not steal. You can find more information at:

https://timelinecms-
library.holmes.edu.au/uploads/Policy%20PDFs/Academic%20Conduct%20and%20Integrity%20v%202
4.6.19.pdf

Read this information well since afterwards no excuses will save you. Anyone resorting to such
methods will be considered as trying to cheat and will even risk the removal from the degree program.
 Assignment Requirements:

Overview: In this assignment, you are required to deal with problem solving which
includes the identification and determining the specification of the problem, strategies for
its solution. You also required to design a network for a typical client that requires its
computers to communicate with each other and on the internet. Then you will have to
evaluate the solution provided through the reflective report writing. You are reminded
that you have to provide reference list of your write up using Harvard referencing
format.

Current Setup:

Part of your analysis & design task, you are required to identify the resources needed to
upgrade Holmes network infrastructure, after buying an old campus (Gold Coast) that consists
of three buildings and possesses an old-campus type of network set-up. This network has to
be replaced, owing to the fact that there is absolutely zero connectivity between the buildings,
and the actual Holmes buildings (Melbourne campus) that are already in existence. The
buildings in this old campus are unable to communicate with each other. This would prove
extremely problematic, when there is a need to share information between each building.
However, it is envisaged that the purchased campus would support both wired & wireless
networked office environment.

As a junior network consultant, Holmes has provided you with the following details:

 The three buildings (GC Campus) require the following number of computers:
o Student Services building requires (25 Hosts)
o Higher Education staff building requires (35 Hosts)
o Exams and consultation building requires (10 Hosts)
 The older design offered absolutely no performance and did not allow addition of
nodes to the network.
 A hub/switch network is in existence
 The current setup lacks any modern-day networking standards, as it does not offer
any wireless connectivity and doesn’t interconnect each building
 They want a network capable of supporting a greater number of users, and their
diverse requirements (desktop video conferencing alongside the usual business
applications such as web, email, and regular office productivity packages.)

These buildings would also serve the needs of several kinds of users, it would become critical
to thoroughly understand the requirements of different communities of users. Therefore, a
new network design is highly critical for their business.

HS1011 Data Communication and Networks 1

Requirements:

Your written report should provide good and clear details about the followings:

1. The design of the network topology. Provide an overview of the network topology
and details of the three buildings’ network design. (More details in the network
design below)
2. The type of media you propose to use. This must meet the performance
requirements. You must justify your choice of media. Remember this might include
copper and fiber options.
3. Hardware (such as routers and switches) should reflect expected usage.
4. Server room
5. A wireless network should be made available to students which allows students
access to different online resources while on campus
6. Allocation of printers for each department
7. Internet access for the entire campus, this connection should be sufficient for all
current users, and scalable to allow for the expected increase over the next 5 years
8. Identify a freeware tool that can monitor the entire network and show status of
each computer in the network. Install and explore this freeware.
9. Provide two (2) possible security requirements for the new network design
10. Estimation Costing
a. Produce a listing of equipment and implementation cost. This includes but
not limited to (Hardware, software license, installation, operation and
maintenance)

Network design:

Construct the network design in Cisco Packet Tracer simulator. Use appropriate addressing
scheme for the network devices and ensure that all the host names and network addresses
are well labelled.

Assignment Submission

The assignment submission should take the form of a report that thoroughly details the
reasons for decisions made to meet the above requirements. The team must explain about
the suitable solution proposed. You should ascertain actual costs by searching the internet.
All information sources must be appropriately acknowledged and a full bibliography is
required.

Packet Tracer
You need to submit all the Packet Tracer files using .pkt format

Note:
It is expected that this will be completely your own work. Therefore using the ‘cut and paste’
technique is not accepted. You should read relevant material, and then write your report in
your own words.

HS1011 Data Communication and Networks 2

You will be assessed individually on group contribution. Every member must fill in the Group
Members Participation (available on Bb). In addition, all the group members have to agree
on the contribution hours for every member.

Individual Group Contributions will be rated as follows:

5 A real Team Player – communicates and contributes quality work almost daily, cooperates
with other group members, fulfils the responsibility of the assigned role in a timely manner

4 Communicates and contributes quality work several times a week cooperates with other
group members, fulfils the responsibility of the assigned role in a timely manner

3 Communicates only when absolutely necessary or only somewhat cooperative with group
members or only minimally fulfils the responsibility of the assigned role in a timely manner

2 Rarely communicates or is not cooperative or fulfils the responsibility of the assigned role
with sub-standard or late work

0-1 This team member is most likely to be “voted off the island” and does not contribute to the
group in a positive manner

Copying another student’s work is prohibited. Duplicate material will result in zero mark.
Information on proper practice in assessments is available on the web site referred to in the
unit outline.

References:
Practicallynetworked, Block Web Sites and More With OpenDNS,
http://www.practicallynetworked.com/tools/013008open_dns.htm
Mcmcse, The Cisco Three-Layered Hierarchical Model,
http://www.mcmcse.com/cisco/guides/hierarchical_model.shtml
https://www.academia.edu/11664410/Assignment_1_CENG_422_Network_Design_and_Management
http://www.cs.um.edu.mt/~jcor1/NetworkProgramming/Assignment_2007.pdf

HS1011 Data Communication and Networks 3