| Category |
Assignment |
Subject |
Computer Science |
| University |
University of Birmingham |
Module Title |
2216 Computer Networks & Virtualisation |
Assignment Learning Outcomes
- 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.
- Analyse network design issues and techniques suitable for a specific layer in the network.
- Design, Plan, Test, and set up networks with variable length subnet mask IP addressing schemes and apply and compare manual & dynamic IP address allocation strategies.
- Deploy, Configure, and Manage a virtual network and virtual machines.
Part A (Theoretical)
- 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 (Practical)
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 a router for each lab to serve the entire network. Moreover, One PC in each Lab is required to be virtualized, hosting a minimum of two Operating systems (Windows, Active Directory, or Linux) which can be used to demonstrate and create virtual networks during Lab sessions.
Task 1: Create the Design
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).
- Calculations on how many subnets you will need and what they are (Subnetting calculation through, including working through tables, and explaining 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.
Task 2: Develop, Test, and Evaluate the Network
Now that you have designed the network, it’s 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.
Task 3: Install and configure a Virtual Machine
- A 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 either in UBUNTU or Windows VMware and a 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, it’s functionality as evidence.
