Need help with some networking homework

Software & Operating Systems Open Source & Web-Based
1

So, I'm doing some homework for my Networking class, and I need help with resolving a question.

I need to select a protocol for a fictitious network. The network contains desktops using both windows XP and Redhat enterprise Linux, as well as servers running windows server 2003, and Redhat enterprise Linux. All network users must have internet connectivity.

The only thing I can think of is tcp/ip over a VPN.

I'm not really sure what to do here, as I know absolutely nothing about Redhat Linux at this point in time. A big part of me feels like I'm taking these classes in the wrong order. I appreciate any help I can with this.

2

Why the hell do these schools insist on teaching networking before operating systems??!!! Lol they will never learn.

That screams Active Directory, smb/cifs, samba. Look into that.

The scenario you are presenting doesn't really warrant a VPN. VPN is for branch office connections and remote user access.

TCP/IP is a given for interet access. It is a requirement for it, the internet is mostly TCP/IP based at the user end. Probably v4.

Without knowing what the other servers are supposed to do or further requirements, its pretty much open ended from there.

You might want to ask your prof/instructor why he is asking you to design a network based off of XP which is no longer supported and Win2003 which support ends July of this year. I know its an assignment question but the prof really needs to really keep on top of this stuff. I would be pretty concerned if I was learning 12 year old client/server OS network configuration/arch in a class at any education level. In fact I think I would ask for a refund.

3

Maybe im missing something but your questions cannot be answered the way it currently is.

You need to select a protocol... for what?
Routing?
filesharing?
..
Im at a loss.
Im assuming yo have a network diagram? Some more info on what they want you to select a protocol for would help a lot.

4

I ended up googling the question, found what looked like a good answer, included Windows Active Directory, SAMBA, RDP, etc.

And now I have another one with a similar thing, asking for WAN protocols. Not really sure what that means because WAN just means Wide Area Network, and everything runs over TCP/IP anyways. I'm not really sure this teacher knows that protocol means.

We took operating systems a few semesters back, but it was limited to Windows 7 and 8, OSX, and Ubuntu.(I think), but the depth was limited to creating and deleting folders....things I could figure out in 2 seconds with 0 effort.

5

Fyi Ad, SAMBA, RDP isnt a protocol. Just in case hes asked for a single protocol. they are three different technologies that allow three different function, within them they run a "protocol" over IP and over various other protocols required for networking.

If hes giving you such generic questions I agree with you. Maybe hes basing it off only what hes taught? Either way WAN protocols can mean a lot of things. Everything doesnt just run over IP.

What exactly is he asking? layer 2 or layer 3? both? theres a number of WAN protocols, if he just wants a list you can look them up :)

6

This is today's assignment.
Canyon College began strictly as a liberal arts college, but for the past five years has been developing programs for business and professional students, including outreach programs to new areas within the same region. The college hired the company you work for, Network Design Consultants, to provide help with emerging WAN needs as they are developing these new programs.

Task 1: Providing WAN Services to Remote Cities

Canyon College plans to offer night classes for business school students, paralegal students, and nurses, in five remote cities. Their plan is to have professors offer the classes from the main site, and to use video conferencing and multimedia options at the remote sites. At the main site, they have a TCP/IP Ethernet network. The remote sites, which are not yet set up, will also have TCP/IP Ethernet networks. The Canyon College director of information technology is asking you to recommend two WAN options to connect the remote sites to the main campus, and to provide a rationale for the options you recommend.

(1)Prepare a sample network diagram.

Use Microsoft Visio, or save your diagram in a non-proprietary graphic format

(2)Indicate your recommended options in a separate Word document

Task 2: Teaching Classes from Home

The Canyon College president enjoys participating in several classes once a week as a guest lecturer or tutor, but she wants to do this from home, so she can spend more time with her family instead of driving back to the college, which is about two miles away. One of the requirements is that she needs to be able to use the telephone in her home office at the same time that she is connected to the main college network.

(3)Explain how the college president might be connected to the main college network through a particular WAN technology, and why you recommend that technology.
Save your explanation in a Word document.
Task 3: Troubleshooting Connectivity

The Canyon College president calls you in a panic to report she cannot access the school's Web server from her office on campus, but she wants to troubleshoot the problem herself. Is there is a quick way she can test the Web server's connectivity?

(4)What test method do you recommend?
Save your explanation in a Word document.

The first part is relatively easy considering I have absolutely nothing to go on. I've repeatedly asked the teacher for more details in his assignments, as you can't come up with a network diagram unless you actually know what equipment is being used. The second part is......who can't use the phone and the internet at the same time in this day and age?

I just.....how old is this fucking class material? Half of whats being asked doesn't exist anymore...

7

the WAN routing protocol is BGP

the connection would go like this -- > search google images lol

it doesnt sound like it needs to be complex. Id imagine a simple pptp setup would suffice. Does he want you to include the local servers ? there are thousands of such images you can 'borrow' and amend slightly online, even visio docs.

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8

I have no idea what he really wants. I can make my own diagram, but I feel like nothing I do will be good enough, because I don't know what the fuck he's asking for.

He's saying "make a diagram"
I wonder "of what?"
silence....

9

I can add no more. Use your imagination, failing that print out an image of the enigma machine and hand it in ...

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10

Your right its not a great assignment.

However, it doesnt look like hes asking for a WAN protocol but the overall technology to use.

The first thing that shouts out to me is Internet (incorporating appropriate tech VPN for example) and a direct site-to-site connection either by leased line/private network or through their own (extremely costly) privately laid cabling/network.

The internet being the cheaper of the two requiring only for you to make the connection secure. The leased line/connection which would be costly but would give you a connection off the internet may require your own routing etc.

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11

That right there, is some proper instruction.

I can tell you right now, he's copying these questions from elsewhere, as the previous assignment was easy to find with google, had a great answer on yahoo answers.

As to your answer, that's what I've been thinking this entire time "um.....the internet?". I hadn't considered the possibility of a non internet based physical connection.

12

yup make a diagram and explain your answer, but i don't see a router, the redhat machine can do that, sort of cost prohibitive, but maybe it's an iso requirement... server 2003.. military?

tcp/ip should do it all. it didn't say anything about p2p group file and print sharing, so samba is optional i'd say. but you could mention it.

austere times in education?

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13

As I said previously.....I have no idea, the assignment is too vague.

But I will do my best.

14

youtube is your friend here. endless amounts of information.

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15

Thanks for the advice guys. Luckily I start a new semester next week. Moving on to Security stuff.

Edit: Oh god.....my other class next semester is Introduction to Business....FUUUUUUUUU.....

16

Oh my current area of stuffs :D

When you get down to protocols the internet uses a number of them at different layers but this doesnt seem like what hes asking.

As mentioned you can have dedicated physical links that are extremely expensive, leased lined where you for lack of technical terms lease an existing line usually a circuit within that that give you a dedicated point to point link.

VPN over the internet essentially crates a larger LAN using the internet to connect multiple areas.

Your network will need routers if hes not already provided them in the diagram as you need a way to route the packets around your network along with a routing protocol if that's required as part of the assignment.

17

Yeah I'm in a networking security degree program. I just wish I could get done with all of the non computer related BS classes and get down to some in depth stuff.

Last semesters I had a humanities class....culture and diversity. Not....at all useful to me.

18

"culture and diversity. Not....at all useful to me."

It might be when you have to go into the work place and interact with others. Working in I.T doesn’t mean sitting behind a terminal always, it is in fact one of the most social areas your always dealing with clients, users, contractors etc ..

There will be times you need good social skills and huge restraint where users ( customers / staff ) are (derping) concerned.

a LOT of people fail to understand this.

trust me ;)

19

I did a similar degree, just without humanities, culture and diversity.. there wasnt enough space for that even if it was an option really.

You might find it useful though, especially business stuff.

20

Interacting with others effectively, doesn't require classes in culture and diversity, it requires tact and common sense.

Every job I've ever had has been dealing with customers so...not that difficult.