Network Design for Green College

Learning Outcomes

Learning Outcomes:
This CA will assess student attainment of the following minimum intended learning outcomes:
Module Learning Outcomes Assessed: Data Communications

 

MLO 1 Describe network concepts and terminology demonstrating the need for network protocols.
MLO 4 Select and configure appropriate devices to build a local area network to satisfy client and system requirements.
MLO 5 Capture and analyse network traffic using appropriate tools. Extract meaningful data from this capture to be presented to team members / peers and clients.

 

Module Learning Outcomes Assessed: Network Technology & Security
MLO 2 Configure current network devices to satisfy the network requirements of a given system.
MLO 5 Secure network connected devices against multiple unauthorised access attempt types using best practice techniques

Module Learning Outcomes Assessed: Digital Transversal Skills
MLO 2 Evaluate information across a range of media; recognise when information is needed, locate, synthesise, and use information effectively both as an individual and within a multicultural team, for a variety of purpose
MLO 5 Identify the essential elements in a problem as well as the interaction between those elements and use digital tools to facilitate analysis.

 

Assessment Task
Students are advised to review and adhere to the submission requirements documented after the assessment task. 

 

Introduction
This Integrated Assessment (IA) is a multi-part assignment that spans three modules.
The learners will be generating a data set in the DTS class. Once this data set is created it must be securely stored (using encryption) and securely transferred over the network. The learners will create the network infrastructure, create the data set, and provide the structures needed to secure the data set while stored and in transit over the network.

 

Assessment Overview
Green College currently operates a chain of Higher Educational colleges located in England and they are preparing to expand to Ireland in the new year. They are planning on opening several new campuses in Ireland starting with a Campus in Dublin. They then hope to expand to Galway and Donegal and need your help with network design. Your IT manager has tasked you with performing some research. You will be analysing and creating a prototype network design that will allow you to transmit the data over the virtualized network between two servers in the Research department. You will also be using an open-source packet analyser to demonstrate that you can intercept plain text information and demonstrate an ability to reconstruct the transmitted data.

 

You will gather evidence of the work you are conducting and submit this work to the IT manager of Green College in a professionally formatted report.
• The data must be transmitted over a virtualized network from one server to another server within the Research Department. Each student will use Hypervisor software such as Oracle Virtual Box to create a basic LAN network structure to demonstrate protocols used to configure and facilitate data communications on a typical local area network, configure network connectivity between two devices. Each student will implement basic network connectivity and security measures to transmit data.

Assessment Task

• Each student will use network simulation software such as ‘Cisco Packet Tracer’ to model the Dublin site local area network to demonstrate how network traffic     is facilitated in a small to medium sized network configuration. 

 

• Green Colleges also needs a very basic web site set up on one of the servers. This will take some extra effort so only attempt to set up the Green Colleges web     site for if you have the time to do a little extra work.

 

Data Communications

• Use Oracle Virtual Box Hypervisor software for creating a virtual network to demonstrate network connectivity.
• Document the VLSM subnets of future networks given network requirements.
• Set up a basic web site for Green Colleges on one of the servers (do this only if you have time after you have completed the other tasks in this assignment)
• Challenge task: Set up a web site for Green Colleges Network Technology and Security

• Use Oracle Virtual Box Hypervisor software along with Microsoft Server 2016 VMs to create a virtual network to configure systems according to given                    specifications and demonstrating connectivity and sending of data across the virtual network
• Use of Packet Tracer network simulation software to create prototype design of the proposed network and implement security considerations to secure the          network router. 

 

Digital Transversal Skills

• The learners will be generating a data set in the DTS class. Once this data set is created it must be securely stored (using encryption) and securely transferred over the network.

 

Submission Requirements:

Installing the network and setting up the Research Department network infrastructure
1. Using virtualization software, install 2 virtual machines using Server 2016 (GUI) or Server 2019 (Desktop Experience) iso image.
2. Rename the first server using the name Research1 followed by the last three numbers of your student number as the server’s name. For example, if my student number is SB2020123, I would name my server Research1-123. Use Windows System Properties to rename this computer.
Rename the second server using the name Research2 followed by the last three numbers of your student number as the server’s name. For example, if my student number is SB2020123, I would name the server Research2-123. Challenge: Use Windows PowerShell to rename this 2nd computer.
3. Assign the server static IP addressing using the following configuration. 

Research1 server address: 192.168.0.50/25
The /25 indicates the subnet mask. Use 192.168.0.1 as the default gateway, for the preferred
DNS Server address use 192.168.0.50 and for or the alternate DNS Server use 8.8.8.8 Research2 server address: 192.168.0.100/25 The /25 indicates the subnet mask. Use 192.168.0.1 as the default gateway, for the preferred DNS Server address use 192.168.0.50 and for or the alternate DNS Server use 8.8.8.8 Test connectivity between these two devices using the PING command. It will NOT show successful connectivity!

Assessment Overview

4. Configure the Firewalls on both servers to allow ICMP (Echo on Port 7) through the firewalls. Test and demonstrate connectivity between the two devices by using the PING command.
Now you should have full internal network connectivity between both servers. You can now check that both machines have network connectivity by using the PING command and IP address of each machine. 

5. You will now need to add a network adapter to allow for outside ‘Internet’ access from your virtual machine. Utilize the NAT option to add another adapter. 

6. Test external connectivity by accessing a public URL of your choice. 

7. Install Wireshark on both of your VMs. From one of your VMs: take the following print screens within Wireshark providing evidence of task completed:
a. Ping between Research1 and Research2 servers (ensure to show the ICMP request and reply traffic)
b. Display DNS request and response to CCT URL (https://www.cct.ie) ensuring to show the resolved IPv4 address.
c. From either of the packets in answer b) above explain the TCP/IP protocol stack providing a purpose for each layer.

Specific Requirements for proof-of-concept Dublin site:
8. As part of Green College specifications, they will present you with an example of their new Dublin site network topology. The network will need to be configured as per specifications supplied using the Cisco CLI only. The requirements are outlined in the respective Packet Tracer file. It will be your responsibility to configure the necessary configuration based on Packet Tracer network simulator for Network Technology & Security element.
Important note: Although the task is similar, each student will have a unique network, so it is important that you complete your own work. 

Future planning
9. Variable Length Subnet Mask (VLSM) was designed to avoid wasting IP addresses. With VLSM, a network is subnetted and then re-subnetted. This process can be repeated multiple times to create subnets of various sizes based on the number of hosts required in each subnet. The IT manager has informed you effective use of VLSM requires address planning. 

10. Research Activity / Challenge: Note – only attempt this if you have completed in full all other sections. The IT manager is mindful regarding sending data over networks. They have asked you demonstrate as proof of concept how it is possible to capture and recreate the transmission of a text file (*.txt) sent in clear text from Research1 to Research2 over the virtual network. You will need to provide evidence of how you captured this and show evidence of the re-created file.

11. Web site for Green Colleges: On one of the servers in your network, install the IIS web hosting software and set up a basic one-page web site for Green Colleges. If you do not know how to create a web page there is a web site called DigiTech that is posted on Moodle (in a compressed folder) which you can modify.