Computer Networks & Virtualisation Report

2024/25 ASSIGNMENT REMIT DOCUMENT UPLOAD

ASSIGNMENT BRIEF:

The TCP/IP Model is the industry standard network architecture for networks connected to the Internet. All hosts connected to the Internet must hold the TCP/IP architecture. The TCP/IP Stack is designed to offer highly reliable end-to-end byte stream over an unreliable internetwork and helps to create a virtual network when multiple computer networks are connected. Moreover, Protocols are rules that govern every possible communication over a network. These protocols describe the data movement between the source and destination or the Internet. They also offer simple naming and addressing schemes. Moreover,TCP/IPincludes an Internet addressing scheme that enables users and applications to identify a specific network or host with which to communicate.

You are appointed as a junior network engineer to design and subnet a network for the newly built Labs at the UCB Camdon House building. The network will serve four Labs, each with different sizes, for instance four labs with 20, 24, 12, and 14 PCs respectively. At each Lab is a switch to which the PCs connect. The network requires router for each lab to serve the entire network. Moreover, One PC in each Lab requires to be virtualised, hosting minimum two Operating systems (Windows, or Active Directory or Linux) which can be used to demonstrate and create virtual networks during Lab sessions.

ASSIGNMENT TASK:

Part A: Analyse the TCP/IP layered architecture with a focus on SDN [Weigh = 40%, Maximum 1,500 words]

• Provide a comprehensive report on the TCP/IP layered architecture, including the functionalities of each layer and a comparison to the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model.

• Discuss the design issues and protocols used at each layer of the TCP/IP Model, with a specific emphasis on how software-defined networking (SDN) fits into the picture.

• Your report should provide insights into how SDN affects the different layers of the TCP/IP architecture and its implications on network design and management.

Part B - (2,000 words)

Task 1:Create the Design [Weigh: 20%]

Your detailed design documentation should include the following:

• A network diagram that shows the network structure, network devices, and other equipment (Cisco packet tracer network design illustration, including labels of the devices).

• Calculate how many subnets you will need and what they are (Subnetting calculation through, including working through tables, and explain it).

• Estimates on how many hosts per subnet can you get from the network?

• Assigning IP addresses to the network devices (list and explain the ranges of the four labs IP addresses from subnetting).

• Justification of the design decisions (such as scalability and modularity, performance, availability, reliability, security, and cost), explaining how the network design will fulfill the user requirements.

Note: You must provide detailed documentation with photographic evidence of the network design, subnet calculation, IP address ranges, including subnet mask and number of usable hosts, and working of their calculation.

Task 2:Develop, Test, and Evaluate the Network[Weigh: 20%]

Now that you have designed the network, its time to connect, set up, and configure the network components. After the network is set up, you must test the following:

• The functionality and connectivity of the computer network, i.e., hardware device(s) and physical connections and electronic communication between devices (such as ping command and successful PDU delivery through screenshot).

• Evaluate how well the network meets the user requirements (such as capacity, speed, throughput, latency, fault tolerance, security, quality of service (QoS)).

• Make at least three recommendations for improving the network further.

Note: You must provide detailed documentation with photographic evidence of the network setup, configuration, test results, and routing (routing table of four routers).

Task 3: Install and configure a Virtual Machine [Weigh 20%]

• Junior network engineer is responsible for emulating two operating systems to run on a virtual machine concurrently.

• Make sure the operating system on the virtual machine is connected to the internet.

Produce a user guide describing how to install and configure a virtual machine in UBUNTU or Windows VMware and at least two operating systems, such as Windows, Active Directory, or Linux. Use the screenshots of the virtual machine and operating systems creation, configurations, VM connectivity, and functionality as evidence.

MARKING CRITERIA:

The following are indicative marking criteria for your assignment:

Grade:

Part A 35%:

• Provide a comprehensive report on the TCP/IP layered architecture and enlist the protocols used at each layer. (5%)

• Including the functionalities of each layer. (5%)

• Comparison to the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) & TCP/IP model. (5%)

• Discuss the design issues at each layer of the TCP/IP Model. (5%)

• Discuss the protocols used at each layer of the TCP/IP Model. (5%)

• How software-defined networking (SDN) fits into the picture of the TCP/IP model. (5%)

• Provide insights report into how SDN affects the different layers of the TCP/IP architecture. (5%)

Part B:

Task 1 20%:

• A network diagram that shows the network structure, network devices, and other equipment (Cisco packet tracer network design illustration, including labels of the devices). (6%)

• Calculations on how many subnets you will need and what they are (Subnetting calculation through, including working through tables, and explain it). (3%)

• Estimates on how many hosts per subnet can you get from the network?(2%)

• Assigning IP addresses to the network devices (list and explain the ranges of the four labs IP addresses from subnetting). (2%)

• Justification of the design decisions (such as scalability and modularity, performance, availability, reliability, security, and cost). (4%)

• Explaining how the network design will fulfil the user requirements. (3%)

Task 2 15%:

• The functionality and connectivity of the computer network, i.e. hardware device(s) and physical connections and electronic communication between devices (such as ping command, and successful PDU delivery through screenshot). (4%)

• Evaluate how well the network meets the user requirements (such as capacity, speed, throughput, latency, fault tolerance, security, quality of service (QoS)). (6%)

• Make at least three recommendations for improving the network further.(5%)

Task 3 -25%:

• Junior network engineer is responsible for emulating two operating systems to run on a virtual machine concurrently. (5%)

• Make sure the operating system on the virtual machine is connected to the internet. (4%)

• Produce a user guide describing how to install and configure a virtual machine either in UBUNTU or Windows VMware and minimum two operating systems, such as Windows, or Active Directory or Linux. Use the screenshots of the virtual machine and operating systems creation, configurations, VM connectivity, its functionality as evidence. (11%)

Assignment structure 5%:

• Including title page, automated table of contents, introduction, heading, sub heading, captions of the images/screenshots/tables etc, conclusion, & automated references/bibliography. (5%)

Part A: 35%

Part B:

Task 1: 20%

Task 2: 15%

Task 3: 25%

Assignment structure: 5%

TASK AND DOCUMENT FORMAT GUIDANCE:

• Focus on attention to detail, quality of work and overall academic standards.

• Specific Guidance for this assignment (include guidance on each task and the format of the document):

• References quality, range, and extensiveness of references (at least 12 references across different sources are expected) references should also include datasets (indexes, statistics, industry reports etc). The currency of the data (how recent is the data) and the triangulation of references (cross-referencing data to add further justification to points) are critical. Marks for references will be embedded with the sections above

• For additional guidance on this assignment, please access the assignment vodcast available on Canvas.

E-SUBMISSION GUIDANCE:

• This assignment will require you to submit your work by uploading a document in Word or PDF format to Canvas. Please follow this online guide on document submissions and contact the DICE team on dice@ucb.ac.uk if you need any further support.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

• Learning Outcomes are what the student needs to demonstrate after completing a module. An assessment is a way in which students can demonstrate their achievement of these Learning Outcomes. Learning Outcomes are NOT the same as the assignment task.

• Please enter the Learning Outcomes assessed by this assignment:

LO1: Compare and evaluate the functionalities of the four layers of the TCP/IP model to the OSI model and the significance of software-defined networking (SDN) in computer networks and its integration with the layered architecture.

LO2: Analyse network design issues and techniques suitable for a specific layer in the network.

LO3: Design, Plan, Test, and Setup networks with variable length subnet masks IP addressing schemes and apply and compare manual & dynamic IP address allocation strategies.

LO4: Deploy, Configure, and Manage a virtual network and virtual machines.

ACADEMIC SKILLS OUTCOMES:

• The Academic Skills Outcomes to bedevelopedby completing this assignment can be found here.

• For Apprenticeship programmes, identify the applicable Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours the assignment seeks to test.

GENERAL ASSIGNMENT GUIDANCE: