Chapter 1

Planning a Network Topology

1-39

at customer sites, and the ability to demonstrate the operation of the company’s

software products. The salespeople are therefore equipped with notebook com-

puters, which they use in the office and while traveling.

■

A research and development laboratory where scientists and programmers can

work together to explore new ideas and create new products. The people in this

department need powerful computers and large amounts of network bandwidth

for their software testing procedures, but above all, they require a secure net-

work so that there is no possibility of competitors learning about products in

development.

Taking these requirements into account, answer the following questions about the

design of this network:

1. Specify which floor of the building is best suited for each of the three departments

listed and give your reasons why.

2. Which of the three departments to be housed in the new building could best make

use of a wireless network medium? Why?

3. Which of the three floors has the most secure cable installation at the present time?

Why?

4. Assuming that you plan to use Ethernet throughout the building, which variant

would you use on each floor? Why?

5. Apart from the computers themselves, what connectivity components must Lit-

ware install on each of the three networks in the building to make it a functioning

Ethernet network?