The International Plastics Inc.
Exam Content
Imagine this scenario: The International Plastics Inc. CEO would like more information about your plans. The CEO wants to build an environment that blends telecommunications and computer networks in support of the company’s business priorities. To support this need, the CEO would like a detailed explanation of the IT standards, protocols, and communication tools currently in use in the facilities to determine if improvements are needed.
Review the 4 existing International Plastics Inc. network diagrams located in the International Plastics Inc. Network Diagrams zip file (Attached) to assess their current telecommunications protocols, standards, and collaboration tools used.
Prepare a chart using Microsoft Word or Microsoft Excel to document at least 6 current standards or protocols per International Plastics Inc. location. You will have a minimum total of 24 rows in your chart.
Use the following 4 headings in your chart:
Current Telecommunications Standard, Protocol, or Collaboration Tool: List each standard, protocol, or tool. Be sure to include telecommunications standards that support communication with storage systems.
International Plastics Inc. Location: Identify the facility location for each standard, protocol, or collaboration tool.
Assessment of Standard, Protocol, or Collaboration Tool: Describe and assess each standard, protocol, or tool. For the 2 that support communication with storage systems, explain how they rely on storage systems and vice versa.
Recommendation for Improvement With Anticipated Effects of Improvement: Determine if improvements are needed for each standard, protocol, or collaboration tool. If so, list your recommendations and how the improvements will affect the standard, protocol, or tool.
Make a recommendation about which standards or protocols will impact the company the most and write a 1-page explanation. Address the following questions:
How did you make the decision to move forward with this recommendation?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of this recommendation?
Submit your chart and explanation.
Exam Content
Imagine this scenario: The International Plastics Inc. CEO would like more information about your plans. The CEO wants to build an environment that blends telecommunications and computer networks in support of the company’s business priorities. To support this need, the CEO would like a detailed explanation of the IT standards, protocols, and communication tools currently in use in the facilities to determine if improvements are needed.
Review the 4 existing International Plastics Inc. network diagrams located in the International Plastics Inc. Network Diagrams zip file (Attached) to assess their current telecommunications protocols, standards, and collaboration tools used.
Prepare a chart using Microsoft Word or Microsoft Excel to document at least 6 current standards or protocols per International Plastics Inc. location. You will have a minimum total of 24 rows in your chart.
Use the following 4 headings in your chart:
- Current Telecommunications Standard, Protocol, or Collaboration Tool: List each standard, protocol, or tool. Be sure to include telecommunications standards that support communication with storage systems.
- International Plastics Inc. Location: Identify the facility location for each standard, protocol, or collaboration tool.
- Assessment of Standard, Protocol, or Collaboration Tool: Describe and assess each standard, protocol, or tool. For the 2 that support communication with storage systems, explain how they rely on storage systems and vice versa.
- Recommendation for Improvement With Anticipated Effects of Improvement: Determine if improvements are needed for each standard, protocol, or collaboration tool. If so, list your recommendations and how the improvements will affect the standard, protocol, or tool.
Make a recommendation about which standards or protocols will impact the company the most and write a 1-page explanation. Address the following questions:
- How did you make the decision to move forward with this recommendation?
- What are the advantages and disadvantages of this recommendation?
Submit your chart and explanation.Exam Content
Imagine this scenario: The International Plastics Inc. CEO would like more information about your plans. The CEO wants to build an environment that blends telecommunications and computer networks in support of the company’s business priorities. To support this need, the CEO would like a detailed explanation of the IT standards, protocols, and communication tools currently in use in the facilities to determine if improvements are needed.
Review the 4 existing International Plastics Inc. network diagrams located in the International Plastics Inc. Network Diagrams zip file (Attached) to assess their current telecommunications protocols, standards, and collaboration tools used.
Prepare a chart using Microsoft Word or Microsoft Excel to document at least 6 current standards or protocols per International Plastics Inc. location. You will have a minimum total of 24 rows in your chart.
Use the following 4 headings in your chart:
- Current Telecommunications Standard, Protocol, or Collaboration Tool: List each standard, protocol, or tool. Be sure to include telecommunications standards that support communication with storage systems.
- International Plastics Inc. Location: Identify the facility location for each standard, protocol, or collaboration tool.
- Assessment of Standard, Protocol, or Collaboration Tool: Describe and assess each standard, protocol, or tool. For the 2 that support communication with storage systems, explain how they rely on storage systems and vice versa.
- Recommendation for Improvement With Anticipated Effects of Improvement: Determine if improvements are needed for each standard, protocol, or collaboration tool. If so, list your recommendations and how the improvements will affect the standard, protocol, or tool.
Make a recommendation about which standards or protocols will impact the company the most and write a 1-page explanation. Address the following questions:
- How did you make the decision to move forward with this recommendation?
- What are the advantages and disadvantages of this recommendation?
Submit your chart and explanation.
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Question
The International Plastics Inc. – Telecommunications Standards, Protocols, and Collaboration Tools
Chart of Current Telecommunications Standards, Protocols, and Collaboration Tools
Current Telecommunications Standard, Protocol, or Collaboration Tool | International Plastics Inc. Location | Assessment of Standard, Protocol, or Collaboration Tool | Recommendation for Improvement With Anticipated Effects of Improvement |
100baseT Ethernet | Corporate HQ, San Jose, CA; China HQ | Standard Ethernet protocol for LAN. Provides 100 Mbps speed. Suitable for basic connectivity but outdated for high-bandwidth applications. | Upgrade to 10GbE to significantly increase data transfer speeds and reduce network congestion. This will improve overall network performance and support high-bandwidth applications. |
1000baseF Ethernet | Corporate HQ, San Jose, CA; China HQ | Gigabit Ethernet over fiber optic. Provides higher speed and reliability for R&D networks. | Maintain and expand usage of 1000baseF for critical R&D and data-intensive operations. No immediate upgrade needed, but monitor for future advancements. |
T3 Connection | Corporate HQ, San Jose, CA; China HQ | Provides 45 Mbps WAN connectivity. Reliable but expensive and slower compared to modern alternatives. | Upgrade to fiber-based WAN connections (e.g., 1 Gbps fiber) to improve bandwidth and reduce costs. This will enhance inter-location communication and support growing data demands. |
Cisco Catalyst Switches | All locations | High-performance switching hardware. Provides robust network management and reliability. | Continue using Cisco Catalyst switches. Periodic firmware updates and regular maintenance will ensure optimal performance and security. |
WIN Servers (IBM HS20 blade) | All locations | Reliable servers for various business applications. Supports Windows-based applications and services. | Upgrade to newer blade servers (e.g., IBM Power Systems) for improved processing power, virtualization capabilities, and energy efficiency. This will enhance overall server performance and scalability. |
SAP ERP on UNIX Server (IBM p series) | Corporate HQ, San Jose, CA | Centralized enterprise resource planning system. Provides comprehensive business process integration. | Transition to a cloud-based ERP solution (e.g., SAP S/4HANA). This will provide real-time data processing, enhanced scalability, and reduced infrastructure maintenance costs. |
VoIP Telephony | All locations | Voice over IP communication. Cost-effective and flexible telephony solution. | Implement advanced VoIP systems with better integration capabilities and improved security features. This will enhance communication efficiency and reliability. |
NAS for Data Backup | All locations | Network-attached storage for local data backups. Provides essential data protection. | Implement centralized and automated backup solutions (e.g., cloud-based backups with AWS Backup or Azure Backup) for enhanced data integrity and disaster recovery capabilities. |
Firewall and Secure Routers | All locations | Essential for network security. Protects against unauthorized access and cyber threats. | Upgrade to next-generation firewalls with deep packet inspection and advanced threat detection. This will improve overall network security and compliance with cybersecurity regulations. |
Satellite Link (Ka band, OC1 data rate) | Corporate HQ, San Jose, CA; China HQ | Provides international communication links. High data rate but susceptible to latency and weather disruptions. | Explore alternative high-bandwidth, low-latency communication links (e.g., undersea fiber optic cables) for more reliable international connectivity. |
Microsoft Office 2007 | All locations | Standard office productivity suite. Widely used but outdated. | Upgrade to Microsoft Office 365 for enhanced features, cloud integration, and regular updates. This will improve productivity and collaboration capabilities. |
Windows 7 Operating System | All locations | Operating system for workstations. Outdated and no longer supported by Microsoft. | Upgrade to Windows 10 or Windows 11 for improved security, support, and modern features. This will ensure compliance with current security standards and enhance user experience. |
Explanation and Recommendation
Recommendation
Through the in-depth assessment of the network, it is revealed the most useful upgrade International Plastics Inc. should do is updating the 100baseT Ethernet and T3 WAN connections to higher-speed modern alternatives, such as 10GbE Ethernet and WAN connections that run on 1 Gbps or more of high-speed fiber connectivity.
The International Plastics Inc.
Justification of Choice
The most useful upgrade for International Plastics Inc. is to update 100baseT Ethernet and T3 WAN connections to their current and high-speed counterparts, 10GbE Ethernet and 1 Gbps (Crayford, 2005). The current 100baseT Ethernet and T3 connections do not have the capacity to support the ever-growing data needs of a global manufacturing company. To be in a position to lend the heightened bandwidth and speed that large volumes of data acquisition involve, the architecture should be upgraded to 10GbE, along with fiber-based WAN connections to check latencies and provide support for applications with high bandwidth, including data analysis in real time and cloud computation.
Future-proofing brings investment in upgrades in the network infrastructure, being certain that it caters to the increasing needs of the business and to technological advances. This helps avoid the need for frequent incremental upgrades and ultimately saves in the long run. Furthermore, better network performance will improve operational efficiency, directly reducing downtime, delaying data, and providing location-neutral communication. This will increase productivity and give support to more business-critical applications.
Benefits
- More Performance: Much better data flow will be supported at far greater rates with lower congestion.
- Reliability: Improved reliability with lower latency compared to T3 connections can be noticed in modern fiber-based WAN connections; therefore, it is possible to achieve a more stable communication process.
- Scalability: An upgrade to 10GbE and Fiber-based connectivity has the potential of being a scalable solution to handle growth and increasing data needs.
Disadvantages
- Initial Cost: The acquisition of the new 10GbE and fiber-based WAN connections brings up long-term investment by an enterprise. Even though the cost may be high initially, it is justifiable since performance is getting better and maintenance within ten years is economically reduced.
- Implementation Time: It can be time-consuming, as well as upgrading with network infrastructure. It may cause some temporary disturbances. These disturbances can be avoided by proper planning and phase-wise execution.
Upgrading Ethernet and WAN services at International Plastics Inc. can be a good investment, as the performance, scalability, and reliability of the network will show great improvement. This recommendation has been made after a full on-site assessment of the current IT infrastructure accomplishments and the expected positive impact on business operations. Implementation of these changes will put International Plastics Inc. in a position to meet its business needs, support future growth, and maintain a competitive advantage in manufacturing.
References
Crayford, I. (2005, November). “Fast Ethernet” alternatives for client-server computing. In Proceedings of WESCON’95 (p. 370). IEEE.