Network Diagrams and Summary of Network Improvements for International Plastics Inc.

Network Diagrams and Summary of Network Improvements for International Plastics Inc.

Corporate Headquarters

Summary of Network Improvements for International Plastics Inc.

Improving the Networks

The proposed International Plastics Inc. network enhancement should bring up current systems to improve their performance, security, and scalability. Substituting the backbone network infrastructure will significantly increase bandwidth from the slow data transfer speeds using 10GbE from 100baseT. Latency will be reduced, increasing efficiency at all company locations and facilitating faster data transfers through a more robust network performance.

WAN connectivity is being replaced from the current T2 and T3 connections to fiber-based connections. This will ensure higher bandwidth and more reliable communication, which is important in keeping operations efficient and supporting growth. Fiber connections are less subject to interference and provide uniform, high-speed connectivity that can become essential for the company’s global operations.

Upgrading from the older Cisco Catalyst switches to the new Cisco Catalyst 9000 series switches will update the internal network infrastructure. Moreover, advanced switches usually have greater throughput, higher performance, and advanced security features, supporting additional concurrent connections. These features handle network traffic without congestion and improve overall network performance (Kamoun, 2005). These will be replaced with high-performance servers such as IBM Power Systems and HP ProLiant DL380 Generation 10, which provide increased processing performance, reliability, and the possibility of running modern applications and workloads for improving user experience and productivity.

NAS systems previously installed will be replaced with the latest NAS systems, including cloud-based automated backups. Enhanced data management capabilities will provide more robust and quicker data backup solutions, while recovery in times of loss or disaster will be improved. Data integrity will be assured, while accessibility will be guaranteed to support the company’s critical operations. Further, next-generation firewalls with DPI and threat detection will replace the current firewalls. This will enhance protection against cyber-attacks and unauthorized access, increasing the overall security posture of the company’s IT infrastructure.

Risks and Mitigation

The major risks that come with these upgrades are disruptions during implementation. In this regard, the phased implementation plan will be implemented outside peak hours so as not to interfere with daily running operations. Rigorous testing is done before the full deployment of the system to ensure that all systems work properly and the integration issues are noticed in time and resolved accordingly.

Another problem that can be envisioned is incompatibility with previously existing systems. A thorough assessment for compatibility will be conducted to ensure that new hardware and software work well with existing infrastructure. Pilot testing will be conducted to identify problems and resolve them before the company-wide implementation of the system. The training of the IT staff to handle problems that arise will also help smoothly navigate the change.

Up-front infrastructure upgrade cost is a huge investment. Offset against this investment, however, are the gains from enhanced efficiency, reduced maintenance costs, and increased security in the long run. A clear return on investment analysis would be presented to the stakeholders to determine investment benefits. Finally, new systems could introduce unknown security vulnerabilities (Brandt, 2011). This would require stringent security testing and constant monitoring. Updates and patches to all systems would be regular so that threats that arise after introduction are addressed to keep the company’s data and network safe.

References

Brandt, G. (2011). Risk considerations when determining network in infrastructure upgrade methodology. In Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection), 431. https://epublications.regis.edu/theses/431

Kamoun, F. (2005). Toward best maintenance practices in communications network management. International Journal of Network Management,15(5), 321–334. https://doi.org/10.1002/nem.576

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We’ll write everything from scratch

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A network diagram provides a visual map of the IT operations of an organization. Not only does it display the current infrastructure, but the diagram also shows the connectivity for the entire infrastructure. Now that you’ve analyzed the current standards and protocols, it’s time to analyze the infrastructure and make updates to the diagrams.

This assessment has 2 deliverables: Part A: Network Diagrams and Part B: Summary.

Part A: Network Diagrams

Review the existing 4 International Plastics Inc. network diagrams and 1 overview located in the International Plastics Inc. Network Diagrams zip file.

Use Microsoft Visio or Microsoft Word to create a new diagram for each location with your recommended infrastructure improvements. Represent the network and telecommunications, storage, and end-user devices necessary for each location. Save all 4 diagrams in 1 file.

Part B: Summary

In a separate document, write a 350-word summary in which you do the following:
Explain how the changes you made in the new diagrams improve the networks.
Summarize the risks these changes would have on the networks and your recommendations for mitigating those risks.

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