Networking

The Bead Bar wants to implement a state of the art network system that will help the business suit the needs of customers and employees. This essay will cover the informational technology and network needs of the Bead Bar. This paper will suggest a network topology and network architecture, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of the suggested network.

The Bead Bar has many requirements and requests for their informational technology needs. The stores around the country have purchased either laptops for mobility and desktops for the offices. These computers allow employees to share data with each other and perform everyday work duties. The computers have many programs such as Microsoft Word and QuickBooks for accounting. Additionally, The company needs to track and order inventory and store and share data in which database systems software has been implemented to do so. The database system controls and shares data within the company, employees can now view inventory and control the prices of inventory. There are many other pertinent functions that database systems perform, such as storing client information. Each and every person within the Bead Bar’s organization should have access to a network. The network can allow employees to view their work schedules and use the Internet. Most companies communicate via the Internet and e-mail. Therefore, a network will be suitable for the growing needs of the organization.

The recommended topology for the Bead Bar is ring. The ring topology will be accommodating and reliable. The client/server architecture will be suitable to the request of the Bead Bar. They need a fast and powerful processing device to store and output large amounts of data. The ring topology and client/server architecture will create a local area network for the Bead Bar to use throughout their stores located on the seas and on land. Communication has to take place from various locations and the Bead Bar has a significant chance of this happening with a LAN. LAN’s can cover various distances.

Ring Topology

Ring topology consists of a network of devices connected together by nodes that create a ring. All data is passed through the ring from one device along the ring to the device requesting the information. The information passed along the ring is equally shared; no one device will take over the network. Since communication will take place from great distances, the ring topology will easily handle large amounts of traffic through the network. The setup would consist of short connector cables connected to sockets within offices. The installation and wiring is easy and efficient. As the company grows, nodes and devices can be easily added to the network. The office will be able to continue with everyday commands and duties if a cable or node fails because this failure can be easily detected and fixed without disruption. The network is able to be setup with a secondary cable, just in case the first cable shall fail; this creates a back up for emergencies.

Although reliable, the ring topology can become costly. The cable and connectors can become expensive to replace, especially when the network requires two or more cable connections. The network will experience isolation and break into parts if cables experience multiple breaks and failures. Another disadvantage is as the number of workstations grows performance levels become slow.