Wireless Solution for a Sporting Goods Company - Research Paper Example

?A WIRELESS SOLUTION FOR A SPORTING GOODS COMPANY A Wireless Solution for a Sporting Goods Company Affiliation Table of ContentsIntroduction 4 Problem Situation 4 Proposed Technology Solution 5 Implementing network 5 Data at WLAN 7 Information Requirements 8 Technical Requirements 9 Scope of the Proposed System 10 WLAN Implementation areas 10 Benefits of WLAN Network for Athlete’s Shack 11 Architecture of WLAN 11 Applications 12 Bandwidth 12 Infrastructure 13 Mobility 13 Coverage and Throughput 13 IEEE 802.11-n Standard 14 WLAN Connectivity 14 4G Network Connectivity 15 Network Design 16 Main Network Diagram 17 Wireless Network Architecture for Management 18 Wireless Network Architecture for Business Store 19 WLAN’s Reliability and Availability 19 Wireless Network Security 20 Password Based Security 20 Network Equipment Security 21 WLAN/Domain Server Security 21 Workstation Security 21 References 22 AT&T1. (2012). 4G LTE. Retrieved December 05, 2012, from http://www.att.com/network/ 22 Executive Summary At the present, the majority of organizations use computers to carry out their day to day tasks. In this scenario, they use computers to collect, process, and store business and customer related data and information. However, when the size of business increases they need many people to carry out these tasks simultaneously. For this purpose, they build a network of computers in the firm. In a computer network, computers are connected with each other. They can share data and resources with each other. There are different ways and technologies that can be adopted to implement a computer network. In this scenario, wireless networks is a latest form of networking. Some of the other categories of wireless networking are: WLAN, 3G, 4G, WiFi, WiMax and various other standards and tools. They offer wonderful services and facilities to personal life and business areas. Hence, seeing these advantages of wireless networks the management of the Athlete’s Shack (TAS) has decided to implement new Wireless technology based WLAN. The major aim of the Athlete’s Shack (TAS) is to enhance overall corporate credibility and develop better performance based arrangement at a corporation. Introduction I have been hired as a technology consultant at Wireless Technology Company (WTC). WTC Company helps organizations and businesses resolve issues regarding network planning and design. I have been asked to write a report to propose a wireless networking solution for the Athlete’s Shack. In this report, I will present a detailed analysis of WLAN architecture for the Athlete’s Shack (TAS). This project (the implementation of the WLAN at Athlete’s Shack (TAS)) will involve implementing a wireless technology that will connect all of its stores through wireless broadband service, installing WLANs at each store, and providing its employees with iPads for better customer service. Additionally, TAS is unsure how to start this process. Thus, they have hired the services of our firm for completing this project. This report will discuss various aspects of wireless network design and its implementation. This report will also discuss the issues involved in this project. Problem Situation The Athlete’s Shack (TAS) runs its business through a chain of sporting goods stores. In the past few years, TAS has got massive popularity and now it has 10 stores in the area. Before, TAS was running its business through manual and traditional means. Additionally, the technology based systems and tools were used at a very small level. In this scenario, all the stores of the Athlete’s Shack were completely disconnected from each other. Hence, they required a solution that can better support and facilitate the corporate operations and dealings. TAS was facing the following problems through traditional ways: Lack of communication Lack of data security Redundancy of data Complex management of business operations Less hold/control of management Long term processing cycle Difficult order processing cycle No centralized database to store the data in a central location No data assessment Lack of management decision support Costly communication at internal as well as external level Proposed Technology Solution The implementation of new technology based solution at the Athlete’s Shack (TAS) is one of the most attractive initiatives of the management. This new initiative is taken to offer better support and capability to enhance the corporate performance. Now major aim of the Athlete’s Shack (TAS) is to implement a wireless technology system that will connect all of its stores through wireless broadband service, installing WLANs at each store, and providing its employees with iPads for better customer service. Implementing network TAS has decided to implement a wireless network for the effective management of its business operations. This modern network makes use of microwaves and/or radio waves to carry and maintain communication channels between computers. In fact, wireless network is a more appropriate choice as compared to wired networks in which computers are connected using fiber optic or copper cabling. In addition, a wireless local-area network (WLAN) makes use of radio waves or microwaves to connect a wide variety of network devices for instance iPads, computers and laptops to the Internet as well as to business network and other applications. In this scenario, when a person or worker of the firm connects a laptop to a WiFi hotspot while sitting in a hotel, cafe, airport lounge, or other public place, they are actually establishing a connection to their organization’s wireless network. Additionally, the use of this modern network technology allows business organizations to keep away from the expensive practice of implementing and installing cabling in buildings. In short, the fundamental of wireless networks is radio waves and the implementation of this network takes place at the physical level of network structure (Mitchell, 2012; Cisco, 2012; Swan, 2012; Janssen, 2012). Moreover, the proposed wireless network for the Athlete’s Shack (TAS) will offer them a better solution both for elastic and efficient replacements for traditional data and information communication. Additionally, the implementation of a wireless network will offer them a wide variety of tools, applications and capabilities to understand how data and information is symbolized, broadcasted and directed. In case of TAS network, there will be two basic kinds of data that will be distributed through the wireless network that is proposed for the Athlete’s Shack (TAS). These kinds of data include analog and digital, and both these types possess diverse behaviors and characteristics. Data at WLAN Using a wireless local area network, the people at TAS will be able to transmit different kinds of data. These data and information are divided into two categories: The analog data for the WLAN of Athlete’s Shack (TAS) can include voice or video. This data can be: Video of security cameras in different stores Communication among different departments and store chain Internet based voice and video data The digital data at WLAN of Athlete’s Shack (TAS) can be: Sales data Order for production Order for supply New product details Current status report Sales data Employee records Information Requirements This section outlines some of key requirements associated with data and information. These requirements will be discussed in the context of WLAN of Athlete’s Shack (TAS): New WLAN is expected to offer wireless connectivity to Athlete’s Shack staff and management New WLAN is expected to offer an excellent communication and collaboration support New WLAN will offer an excellent data transmission rate for Athlete’s Shack Athlete’s Shack communication and data transmission New WLAN will support video communication New WLAN needs to offer constant data and communication based updates New WLAN needs to ensure higher security for both coming and transmitted data and information New WLAN needs ensure high level security for both corporate information and data dealing New WLAN needs to offer greater support for Athlete’s Shack management decision making through rapid and updated communication New WLAN needs to be accessible all through the network New WLAN needs to offer greater usability for managing corporate operations New WLAN is expected to offer greater accessibility New WLAN is expected to offer an excellent support for management of corporate operations New WLAN will offer enhanced support for daily transactions and data transfer Technical Requirements Given below are some of the technical and technological requirements for WLAN technology implementation at the Athlete’s Shack (TAS): New WLAN network for communication and collaboration among staff Wireless routers Laptops PDS (smart phone, iPads) New wireless routers for network connections Network data servers Network internet servers Printers for receipt printing Printers for staff reports Workstations for staff data entry Warehouse systems for data input Network collaboration systems for data management Staff communication arrangements Personal computers for management teams Office applications for reports development Scope of the Proposed System The scope of the WLAN will include the implementation of a network that can connect all the ten branches with each other. All the branches of the Athlete’s Shack are located in the same area so for these kinds of scenarios the implementation of a wireless network is the best choice. The implementation of a WLAN ensures the effective business and corporate performance. As discussed above, the implementation of this network will increase the performance of the organization by allowing their staff members to enter and process data simultaneously. The implementation will be aimed at ensuring rapid and error free business retails and record management. Additionally, the new network should be able to improve the overall supply chain management through better communication among all departments and stores. In addition, this network should also be able to offer a better feasibility and support for improved business decision making and performance through up-to-date information availability regarding business stores and departments to corporate management. In fact, the overall corporate performance will improve through rapid data and information transmission over a WLAN network. Moreover, this network will be implemented at various levels including management, stores and staff level. However, the scope of this network does not include dealing with any customer input or intervention. Furthermore, this network should be completely under the control of business management and staff members. WLAN Implementation areas The implementation areas for WLAN at Athlete’s Shack will include: Inner department communication Security management through transmission of live video data Order management system data transmission and communication Sales related communication Product support related communication Employees’ record sharing and management Internet system availability Centralized communication IP Telephony Interdepartmental email and chat facility Benefits of WLAN Network for Athlete’s Shack WLANs offer a wide variety of advantages to all kinds of businesses. Many researchers have proved the usefulness of wireless networks in all the areas of life. The implementation of a WLAN will offer a number of advantages to the Athlete’s Shack. Some of the major benefits of new WLAN are: (Garza & Howitt, 1998; Malladi & Agrawal, 2002; Nash, 2000; Zhang, Yang, & Chen, 2009) It will improve business performance by offering a wide variety of tools and applications It will minimize expenditures of communication as in wired network cabling is too costly This network will be easy to maintain It will offer a centralized platform for management and data storage It will offer an easy way for transferring and receiving data Easy to use and access internet facility Data sharing Online order processing and management Connection among all departments and stores Better data security Architecture of WLAN Without a doubt, businesses at the present prefer Wireless LANs over wired LANs. In addition, the implementations of wireless networks are on a rise due to few very basic reasons: (WiFinotes, 2012; Metzler, 2005; Lingnan University, 2009) 1. These networks do not require complex cabling as well as large areas can be covered by making use of microwaves as a medium of communication. 2. At the present, the majority of handheld and mobile devices require high speed connections which are not possible on 3G or Edge technology. 3. A WLAN can work effectively in areas where the implementation of wired connections is not possible. Applications In view of the fact that the Athlete’s Shack is going to implement this network to connect various stores so users at each store will use it for personal communication, internet access and email access. In addition, some of the other applications required by only the authorized staff is a sales database and accounts which need to support database queries. Bandwidth The majority of staff members working at different stores will use WLAN for routine communication, email and web browsing which will need a normal bandwidth. In this scenario, some of the database queries will require high level bandwidth (for instance they can require the bandwidth up to 1 Mbps). However, this wireless local area network will be based on 802.11 standard which uses a shared medium with CSMA arbitration hence a single user is able to communicate at a time therefore the evaluation of bandwidth for a particular AP (Access point) will be based on the requirements of staff members and management of the Athlete’s Shack (Wikipedia, 2012; Metzler, 2005; Lingnan University, 2009). Infrastructure For the implementation of WLAN we need to determine the dimensions and locations of the Athlete’s Shack buildings for the effective implementation of the WLAN. In view of the fact that the Athlete’s Shack is based on different stores, hence before the installation of the wireless infrastructure we will determine what wired infrastructure already exists in this area. In fact, some wired connectivity will be required for AP, a suitable 100 Mbps switched Ethernet network will also be required. In addition, the users working at Athlete’s Shack should be able to access the Internet and email services therefore we will need to install DHCP, DNS E-mail and Radius servers (Wikipedia, 2012; Metzler, 2005; Lingnan University, 2009). Mobility One of the most important advantages of wireless networks is that they offer mobility. In this scenario, the staff members and management of the Athlete’s Shack will be able to work from anywhere. They would be able to connect to their store or network by using their mobile, laptops and IPads. In addition, for Athlete’s Shack business management and store staff mobility is important as they will be moving in different buildings without interruption. Correct placement of AP’s will be important to provide seamless mobility to the users (Wikipedia, 2012; Metzler, 2005; Lingnan University, 2009). Coverage and Throughput For the design of Athlete’s Shack’ WLAN, area coverage is one of the major concerns. Basically, the network users expect a consistent speed and access of services. In this scenario, we need to carefully plan before the implementation of wireless AP (Access Points). For this purpose, we will look into choosing a variety of 802.11 protocols which is suitable for the store setup of the Athlete’s Shack (Wikipedia, 2012; Metzler, 2005; Lingnan University, 2009). IEEE 802.11-n Standard IEEE 802.11n was emerged in 2009 as a modification to the existing IEEE 802.11 standard in 2007 which is a wireless networking standard designed to improve network performance and throughput over 2 earlier wireless network technology standards 802.11g and 802.11a with a massive increase in net data rate (i.e. from 54 Mbit/s to 600 Mbit/s) (Wikipedia, 2012; Metzler, 2005; Lingnan University, 2009). WLAN Connectivity With this network the users of the Athlete’s Shack should be able to access the Internet and email services. Thus, there is need to implement an appropriate infrastructure which can support these basic level services. In this scenario, figure1 shows wireless access point connectivity to the services network. As the diagram shows, all the wireless access points are connected through an Ethernet connection to the switch and all the servers are connected to the network through the fast Ethernet switch. In this scenario, a router will be used to connect to the Internet through a cable link. Figure 1: WLAN connectivity 4G Network Connectivity For the implementation of the WLAN at Athlete’s Shack we have selected AT&T mobile company, as an internet service provider. The AT&T mobile company offers an excellent support for mobile and communication services. Hence, AT&T services will be affordable and reliable for Athlete’s Shack’ WLAN arrangement (AT&T1, 2012; AT&T2, 2012). We will hire the AT&T mobile company 4G services for following major reasons: It will offer high speed data transmission and communication Reliable connection for Athlete’s Shack’ LANS Quick and efficient task management Better support for communication The 4G Ultra high speed for e-mail or general web browsing. Use of 4G Data intensive collaborating Athlete’s Shack user and store staff 4G Multiple User Video conferencing for Athlete’s Shack management and staff Network Design In this section I will outline the major wireless network arrangement at the Athlete’s Shack. Main Network Diagram Given below is the diagram of the WLAN for the Athlete’s Shack. It involves all the business stores and head office arrangement: Wireless Network Architecture for Management Given below is the WLAN architecture for the management side. In this diagram, I have shown all resources and access level aspects that management and staff members will access from the network: Wireless Network Architecture for Business Store Given below is the WLAN architecture of the individual business store. This arrangement shows all access levels and resources available to business store and its retail staff: WLAN’s Reliability and Availability Without a doubt, a network that is effectively designed and implemented will offer and demonstrate higher reliability and availability. After the implementation of this WLAN, we will conduct a detailed survey and fill questionnaire from the staff members and network users to determine the efficiency, reliability and availability of this network. In case of effective wireless network reliability and availability we will perform following major tasks. The implementation of UPS for continuous execution and reliability. We will determine the geographic diversity We will manage numerous wireless switch connections or links We will implement a disaster recovery program to deal with any disaster and security threat Wireless Network Security For the efficient management and execution of Athlete’s Shack’ WLAN, we will need to take care of security parameters. In the past few years, network security has turned out to be a serious challenge for the businesses and individuals. Thus, in order to get the maximum advantages from this network implementation we will need to implement some strict security measures. For the effective security implementation at the Athlete’s Shack’ WLAN we need to implement the deep packet inspection firewall, web filtering and e-mail filter, latest antivirus solution at server and desktops. Password Based Security In case of Athlete’s Shack’ WLAN we need to implement a password based security structure. Without a doubt, it is an affordable and most significant feature of network security. In addition, the password based network protection is inbuilt in a variety of aspects of the network: For providing administrative and staff access to server and allowing for specific functions Workstation access to a variety of information and data files and services For allowing the staff members to use data files, like that secret personnel reports or files Network Equipment Security For implementation of Athlete’s Shack’ WLAN, the network equipment security will also be a main security parameter that we need to keep in mind. For Athlete’s Shack, we need to secure the network equipment that involves securing all kinds of devices connected to the network and want to get access to data and network signals and packet from one computer to another. In this scenario, some of the important components comprise switches, hubs, firewalls and routers. WLAN/Domain Server Security The security of Domain Server will also be a most important aspect to consider in order to make WLAN secure. In this scenario, we will install an additional operating system and various security management patches. Workstation Security We will need to make sure the security of workstations in Athlete’s Shack’ WLAN. In addition, in the approved manner securing workstations is an extremely significant part of the entire LAN network security. Conclusion The implementations of computer networks have become essential for the business organizations to survive in this ever-increasing competitive world. There are many ways through which various networks can be built. The wireless local area network allows a firm to connect its computers without using wires. In this scenario, it is considered cost-effective and it can be implemented without geographical boundaries. This report has presented a detailed analysis of WLAN in the context of Athlete’s Shack business. Athlete’s Shack wants to implement a WLAN to connect its ten business stores. This report has discussed the ways and techniques that can be used to implement this network. This report has summarized the requirements that will be used as a basis to build this network. The successful implementation of the WLAN at Athlete’s Shack’ will offer a number of advantages and opportunities. It will improve their business performance by improving the speed and quality of communication. References AT&T1. (2012). 4G LTE. Retrieved December 05, 2012, from http://www.att.com/network/ AT&T2. (2012). AT&T Coverage Viewer. Retrieved December 06, 2012, from http://www.wireless.att.com/coverageviewer/#?type=voice Cisco. (2012). What Is a Wireless Network?: The Basics. Retrieved December 06, 2012, from http://www.cisco.com/cisco/web/solutions/small_business/resource_center/articles/work_from_anywhere/what_is_a_wireless_network/index.html Garza, J. M., & Howitt, I. (1998). Wireless communication and computing at the construction jobsite. Automation in Construction, Volume 7 Issue 1998, pp. 327-347. Janssen, C. (2012). Wireless Network. Retrieved December 06, 2012, from http://www.techopedia.com/definition/26186/wireless-network Lingnan University. (2009, August 28). Wireless LAN Architecture. Retrieved December 04, 2012, from http://www.ln.edu.hk/itsc/network/wireless/arc Malladi, R., & Agrawal, D. P. (2002). Current and future applications of mobile and wireless networks . Communications of the ACM , Volume 45 Issue 10, pp. 144 - 146. Metzler, J. (2005). The New Wireless LAN Architecture. Retrieved December 05, 2012, from http://www.ashtonmetzler.com/WLANarch_SR_070605.pdf Mitchell, B. (2012). What is Wireless Computer Networking? Retrieved December 07, 2012, from http://compnetworking.about.com/cs/wireless/f/whatiswireless.htm Nash, J. (2000). Networking Essentials, MCSE Study Guide. California: IDG Books Worldwide, Inc. Swan, K. (2012, October 16). What is Wireless Networking? Retrieved December 06, 2012, from WiseGeek.com: http://www.wisegeek.org/what-is-wireless-networking.htm WiFinotes. (2012). WLAN Architecture - Wireless LAN Architecture. Retrieved December 06, 2012, from http://www.wifinotes.com/wlan-architecture.html Wikipedia. (2012). IEEE 802.11n-2009. Retrieved December 06, 2012, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEEE_802.11n-2009 Zhang, T., Yang, K., & Chen, H.-H. (2009). Topology control for service-oriented wireless mesh networks. IEEE Wireless Communications , 16 (4), 64-71. Read More