The secondary school UniSec is going to upgrade its network on campus. With 1500 students enrolled and a total of 225 computers, the school recognises the need for the appliance of an appropriate Intranet and Internet technology. The current situation at the school shows already existing facilities that could be of use for a new implementation or an upgrade:
There are six computer labs of both Macintosh and PC computers, which run either on MacOS 8 or Windows 98. The computers share a peer-to-peer Ethernet network for file sharing whereas no servers are involved that could establish print and file sharing facilities for the students. Microsoft products are installed on the students′ computers. Furthermore there are 25 PC computers running on a Windows 98 platform for administrative purposes. Their interconnection bases on a client-server model that allows the staff to share printers and files. The server is NT-based. Within that network there is a human resource application that is running on a MS SQL-Server platform, which is located on the only server at school. In addition the staff uses the accounting application MYOB, that is running only on the PC based hosts.
Table of Contents
1 CORPORATE STRATEGY FOR INTRANET/INTERNET TECHNOLOGY
1.1 THE SCENARIO
1.2 REQUIREMENT ANALYSIS
1.2.1 Email service
1.2.2 Internet access
1.2.3 Web server to store teaching material
1.2.4 Web pages promoting the school
1.2.5 Web based forms for staff to submit leave applications
1.3 DERIVING THE STRATEGY
1.3.1 Proposition of an Intranet solution
1.3.2 Applying a web based IT solution
1.4 IDENTIFYING MANAGEMENT ISSUES
1.4.1 Cost benefit analysis
1.4.1.1 The costs of the strategy
1.4.1.2 The benefits reaped
1.4.2 Managing Web Content
1.4.3 Security issues and policies
1.4.4 Maintenance & support
1.4.5 Upgradability
1.4.6 Funding the Intranet / Internet
1.5 IDENTIFYING IT SOLUTIONS
1.5.1 Email services
1.5.1.1 SMTP (Simple Mail Transport Protocol)
1.5.1.2 POP (Post Office Protocol)
1.5.1.3 IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol)
1.5.2 The Internet access
1.5.2.1 ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode)
1.5.2.2 DSL (Digital Subscriber Loop)
1.5.2.2.1 ADSL
1.5.2.2.2 SDSL
1.5.2.2.3 HDSL
1.5.2.2.4 IDSL
1.5.2.2.5 VDSL
1.5.2.2.6 RADSL
1.5.3 The servers and databases
1.5.3.1 Linux versus NT
1.5.3.2 The web server
1.5.3.3 The mail server
1.5.3.4 Database considerations
1.5.4 The homepage
1.5.4.1 Content Management
1.5.4.1.1 CGI (Common Gateway Interface)
1.5.4.1.2 ASP (Active Server Pages)
1.5.4.1.3 Coldfusion
1.5.4.1.4 JSP (Java Server Pages)
1.5.4.1.5 PHP (Postscript Hypertext Preprocessor)
1.5.4.2 The Intranet pages
1.6 THE ARCHITECTURE
1.6.1 Hardware implementation
1.6.1.1 The network
1.6.1.1.1 Outgoing traffic
1.6.1.1.2 Incoming traffic
1.6.1.2 Clients
1.6.1.3 Server
1.6.1.4 Modem and Firewall
1.6.1.5 Network equipment
1.6.1.6 Additional equipment
1.6.2 Operating System
1.6.3 Running Applications
1.6.3.1 Workstations
1.6.3.2 Server
1.6.4 Dedicated Services
Project Objective and Topics
The primary goal of this project is to develop a strategic IT framework for upgrading the existing network infrastructure at the secondary school UniSec. The research addresses how to integrate modern Internet and Intranet technologies to improve internal communication, manage resources efficiently, and provide better educational access for students and staff within defined financial constraints.
- Strategic planning for network upgrades and system architecture.
- Evaluation of Internet access technologies (DSL vs. ATM).
- Comparison of server operating systems (Linux vs. Windows NT) for educational environments.
- Content management strategies for institutional websites and Intranet services.
- Implementation of cost-effective communication protocols (SMTP, POP3, IMAP).
Excerpt from the Book
1.1 The scenario
The secondary school UniSec is going to upgrade its network on campus. With 1500 students enrolled and a total of 225 computers, the school recognises the need for the appliance of an appropriate Intranet and Internet technology. The current situation at the school shows already existing facilities that could be of use for a new implementation or an upgrade:
There are six computer labs of both Macintosh and PC computers, which run either on MacOS 8 or Windows 98. The computers share a peer-to-peer Ethernet network for file sharing whereas no servers are involved that could establish print and file sharing facilities for the students. Microsoft products are installed on the students’ computers.
Furthermore there are 25 PC computers running on a Windows 98 platform for administrative purposes. Their interconnection bases on a client-server model that allows the staff to share printers and files. The server is NT-based. Within that network there is a human resource application that is running on a MS SQL-Server platform, which is located on the only server at school. In addition the staff uses the accounting application MYOB, that is running only on the PC based hosts.
Summary of Chapters
1 CORPORATE STRATEGY FOR INTRANET/INTERNET TECHNOLOGY: Analyzes the current technological situation at UniSec and identifies the requirement for a modern network upgrade.
1.1 THE SCENARIO: Describes the current status of the school's computing environment, noting the mix of Macintosh and PC hardware and the lack of a centralized server structure.
1.2 REQUIREMENT ANALYSIS: Outlines the specific needs for the school, including email, Internet access, and web-based tools for teaching and administration.
1.3 DERIVING THE STRATEGY: Proposes an Intranet and web-based IT solution to replace stand-alone systems with a cohesive corporate information network.
1.4 IDENTIFYING MANAGEMENT ISSUES: Discusses the financial and organizational challenges, including cost-benefit analysis, content management, and security policies.
1.5 IDENTIFYING IT SOLUTIONS: Evaluates specific technical protocols for email, Internet connection technologies like DSL, and hardware platform choices for servers.
1.6 THE ARCHITECTURE: Details the proposed network implementation, server hardware configurations, and the software applications required to maintain the new infrastructure.
Keywords
Intranet, Internet, Network Strategy, IT Infrastructure, UniSec, DSL, Linux, Windows NT, Content Management, SMTP, POP3, IMAP, Web Server, Network Architecture, Cost Benefit Analysis
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this assignment?
The assignment focuses on creating a comprehensive strategy for modernizing the IT infrastructure of a secondary school, UniSec, by implementing an integrated Intranet and Internet network.
What are the primary thematic areas covered?
The key themes include network hardware requirements, server platform selection (specifically comparing Linux and Windows NT), communication protocol evaluation, security management, and cost-efficient content management strategies.
What is the ultimate goal of the proposed IT implementation?
The goal is to move from a disjointed collection of stand-alone computers to an interconnected client-server network that enables efficient file sharing, communication, and administrative tasks for students and staff.
Which scientific or analytical methods were used to evaluate the solutions?
The document uses a comparative analysis method, evaluating different technologies and protocols (like Linux vs. Windows, or various DSL standards) based on performance, cost-effectiveness, and suitability for the specific requirements of the school.
What does the main body of the document address?
The main body provides a detailed breakdown of management issues such as cost-benefit analysis and security, followed by an evaluation of technical options for email, connectivity, server operating systems, and website management.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include Intranet, IT Infrastructure, Network Strategy, Linux, Windows NT, DSL, and Content Management.
Why does the author recommend a Linux-based server environment over Windows NT for this specific school?
The author argues that Linux provides superior stability, performance, and cost-effectiveness for the school's budget constraints, while also avoiding certain security vulnerabilities associated with booting NT from hard drive sectors.
How does the proposed strategy handle the school's diverse user requirements?
The strategy suggests creating distinct workgroups for staff and students, with dedicated sub-networks and servers to ensure data security while allowing centralized resource management and file sharing.
- Quote paper
- Thomas Kramer (Author), 2000, A basic strategy for intranet/internet technology, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1894
