Template 1: Information on identifying and analysing existing router performance against organisational requirements.Identify existing router perfor

Activity 1

Template 1: Information on identifying and analysing existing router performance against organisational requirements.Identify existing router performance (400-500 words)

The existing router that InfoTico has right now is a Cisco ISR 4461 Series with firmware version 16.9.1. This router is built to give us high performance, and it has different options for different throughput levels to match the specific requirements of our network. It also supports modular interfaces and several module slots for different types of wireless access network (WAN) connectivity. It is also very good for scalability because we can add more features as we go. This series also supports SD-WAN, which enhances WAN connectivity and management. It has security features such as firewall, VPN, intrusion prevention, and content filtering to help protect the network.

We will now perform a router performance assessment by deploying several commands such as Ping, Debug, and Trace.

Here are the results of the commands,

We ran a ping command on the LAN to test the connectivity to an external server. We ping Googles DNS server (8.8.8.8) and the result was the router has successfully sent ICMP packets to the server and received a reply. There were four pings sent and four replies received, meaning that there is no packet lost, with approximate round trip (latency) time of 10ms average.

We are now running debug command to debug IP packets. Debugging IP packets is done by tracing the path and behavior of network packets as they travel through a network. It's a useful way for diagnosing network issues. Based on the results given, we have no apparent or urgent issues to fix and all the reports look normal. There are no issues with packet deliveries or routing. The results have shown no outliers or error messages.

-107953048000We have also used the traceroute command to trace a route to Google DNS server. Traceroute or tracert is a command that runs network diagnostic functionality on computer operating systems. Tracert command sends three probe packets through the network and monitors them and how they reach the destination. The packet will go through multiple devices like routers and switches, and then reach the target IP address. They then map each hop within the route with its round-trip-time (RTT). During the traceroute, a healthy and regular network connection usually reports consistent times, also known as latency.

The result was a quick path and low latency between the device and the destination host. There are high latency in the beginning hops for most of the first RTT, but this is a normal occurrence and doesnt indicate any issue.

Analyse the routers performance on the following key metrics (200-250 words)

Throughput

Throughput measures the amount of data transmitted successfully over the network in a given period. From this router, we can see that all the data has been successfully transmitted. This means that the router has a high throughput.

Latency

Measure the latency or delay in packet transmission. The time needed to transmit the packets is 10ms on average, meaning that the latency is consistently low and the connection between router and the destination server is good.

Uptime and availability

Uptime is a measure of system reliability, typically shown as the length of time a machine, typically a computer, has been working and available. Router uptime indicates how long a router has been running since its last reload or reboot. In this case, we can see from the command Show Version that the router has been running for 3 weeks, 6 days, 7 hours, 47 minutes since the last reboot. This shows that the availability of the router is good.

Packet loss

Check for packet loss on the router. Packet loss can degrade network performance and affect the quality of service. With the router were using, no packet loss occurred. It shows great performance and good connectivity.

Retransmits

Retransmits refer to the number of times the router has to resend data due to packet loss or other issues in this case, zero retransmit occurs because theres no packet loss.

Activity 2

Template 2: Evaluate existing software against requirements and determine and document alignment.

Key factors of evaluation (100-200 words)

The key factors to evaluate the router that is currently being used by the organization are throughput, latency, uptime and availability, packet loss, and retransmits. Throughput assesses the router's capability to transmit data successfully over the network. Then, we have latency that examines the delay in packet transmission. Next, we have uptime and Availability evaluate the router's uptime, reflecting how long it has been operational since the last reload or reboot. We also check for packet loss for any packet loss during data transmission. Lastly, retransmit analyzes the number of times the router has to resend data due to packet loss or other issues.

Evaluate existing software against requirements and determine and document alignment. (200-300 words)

The router is performing quite well, showcasing strong stability and effective functionality. Throughput aligns with the organization's data transfer requirements and can handle the volume of data efficiently. Frequent monitoring has ensured consistent high-speed data transmission and dependable connectivity, meeting user expectations. We have observed that Uptime has good reliability and consistent availability, reducing the risk of possible network downtime. Good latency shows that the network has responsive communication and optimal performance. No packet loss indicates that the router is able to maintain network performance and prevent disruptions in service. Zero retransmits indicate efficient data transmission and a robust network that can handle potential disruptions effectively.

In conclusion, the router has outstanding performance reinforcing its reliability and dependability.

Activity 3:

Template 3: Additional network elements and upgrades

Analyse the network design of the organisation

The existing network design of the company is illustrated above. The main site has its data center and service block with WAN connecting it to remote buildings. This company uses a borderless campus network design. The framework provides a baseline of routing, switching, and several key network services. This design connects infrastructure components, such as devices in the access layer, the services block, the WAN, and so on, to provide a foundation on which mobility, security, and management, as well as other key services, can be integrated into the overall design.

Additional network elements and upgrades (200-300 words)

What equipments do we need for the new room

Activity 4:

Template 4: Router implementation plan

Develop installation plan (300-400 words)

Purpose of the implementation plan

Basic routing requirements

Operating parameters

Steps you would implement to install the router

Place of the network

Source of the internet

Key considerations in the installation of the router

Activity 5

Activity 6:

Template 5: Information on determining basic routing requirements and operating parameters according to installation plan specifications.

Basic Requirements for routing and operating parameters (300-400 words)

Activity 7:

Template 6: Information on selecting required media, cables, ports, connectors and connecting routers to network devices and hosts according to installation plan specifications.

Selecting required media, cables, ports, connectors (100-200 words)

Connecting routers to network devices and hosts according to installation plan specifications (150-200 words)

Based on activity 4

Activity 8: Template 7: Set basic parameters and router firmware according to installation plan specifications

Set router firmware (200-300 words)

Set basic parameters (200-300 words)

Activity 9:

Template 9: Information on saving and backing up router configuration files according to installation plan specifications.

Save and back up router configuration files according to installation plan specifications (300-400 words)

Activity 10:

Template 9: Implement required router security and configure static and default routes according to installation plan specifications.

Implement required router security (300-400 words)

Configure static and default routes (300-400 words)

Activity 11:

Template 10: Information on calculating and applying required classless IP addressing scheme using variable length subnet mapping (VLSM) to a local area network (LAN) and a wide area network (WAN) environment according to router specifications.

Calculate and apply the required classless IP addressing scheme (100-200 words)

Implementing VLSM Subnetting (100-200 words)

Activity 12:

Template 11: Information on configuring and verifying required classless routing protocols according to router specifications.

Configure and verify required classless routing protocols according to router specifications

(300-400 words)

Verify the configurations against the below classless routing protocols (200-300 words)

Activity 13:

Template 13: Troubleshoot device configuration

Troubleshoot device configuration (400-550 words)

Troubleshoot network connectivity (400-550 words)

Activity 14:

Template 14: Identifying and correcting problems with IP addressing and host configurations according to network specifications.

Identify problems with IP addressing and host configurations (300-400 words)

Correct problems with IP addressing and host configurations (300-400 words)

Activity 15:

Template 14: Feedback received and response provided.

Feedback received and response provided. (200-300 words)

Questions asked by the Supervisor:

Response provided: