Case:
You are appointed as a technical expert to implement a network system for a small size maritime supplyrepresentative company with four users. The company provides supply services to Maritime shipping companies through a worldwide network of suppliers. Its owner is a maritime business expert who doesnot know much about the use of computer systems to support her business. Therefore, she has decidedto employ you as a consultant on a short term basis to set-up appropriate systems in a network. She hasheard about various technologies and the efficiency achieved by computer systems and would welcomeadvice on the acquisition of hardware, software and network items to augment her existing systems inorder to meet the company’s growing needs. The company has a budget of £100,000 for this project.
The company currently consists of the following departments (all located in the same open space office):
The sales Manager who is responsible for dealing with Maritime companies. She is assisted by asales assistant, equipped with a laptop but with no ability to access the web. This department iscurrently the only one with a connection to the Internet and with access to the company’s commonemail.
 The General Manager who is responsible for the general operation of the company. She tradeswith suppliers all over the world in order to ensure the best prices of goods for the company’sMaritime shipping clients. For client communication, she uses plain telephone services and a faxmachine. She keeps all the clients’ invoices in an Excel file that has no access to the web or anybackup devices. The manager recently hired an assistant who was given a modern laptop, butagain with no ability to access the web.
The company recently obtained funding to expand its operations. They will soon start hiring more people,and expand in an additional office that is located beneath their current premises.
Business needs:
All employees must get fast and reliable 24/7 access to the Web.
Each employee must have his/her email address (usually their full name followed by thecompany’s domain address).
The owner of the company wants to minimize costs for international calls. This should happenideally without replacing the existing telephone devices.
The network should have the ability to backup any important files (e.g., client invoices or fax)automatically.
 The company receives important documents via regular post that would like to archive in thenetwork.
There should be a central printer that is accessible by all employees.
The network should grant access to business partners when they visit the company.
The internal network should be accessible from all around the world.
The sales manager wants to communicate with suppliers when possible via Skype.
The network must be easily expandable to accommodate for users in an additional floor when thecompany expands.
 Security and confidentiality are of major importance to the company as it deals with multi-thousanddollar contracts.
Questions: (6 pages solution single space 12 font size)
1. Discuss the benefits and constraints of different networkingsystems types and topologies.
2. Evaluate the impact of current network technology,communication and standards
3. Discuss the protocols your chosen network topology uses toenable communication between the different networkcomponents.
4. Discuss the role of software and hardware components? Discuss server types and selection requirement? Discuss the inter-dependence of workstation hardware withnetwork components?