Build Internet Infrastructure

Training, Teaching and Learning Materials Development Lo-1

AXUM POLYTECHNIC COLLEGE

Ethiopian TVET-System

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
HARDWARE AND NETWORK SERVICE
LEVEL IV

LEARNING GUIDE # 9
Unit of Competence : Build Internet Infrastructure
Module Title : Building Internet Infrastructure
LG Code : ICT HNS4 M03 1110
TTLM Code : ICST HNS4 TTLM 0511

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LO 1. Plan and design internet infrastructure

INTRODUCTIO
Learning Guide # 9
N

This learning guide is developed to provide you the necessary information regarding the following content coverage
and topics –

 Planning, Implementing and Maintaining Network Infrastructure

 OSI Reference Model and Protocols of Network Infrastructure
 Overview of Network Infrastructure Design

This guide will also assist you to attain the learning outcome stated in the cover page.
Specifically, upon completion of this Learning Guide, you will be able to –

 Identify and selected in line with business and end-user requirements, within budget limitations of
Internet infrastructure
 Evaluated for satisfactory performance and confirmed that the service meets business and end-user
requirements of the internet service.
 Ensured Hardware, software, network and security requirements in accordance with agreed business
and end-user specifications of the internet service.
 Determined Internet protocol address allocation based on the number of addresses needed.

Learning Activities
1. Read the specific objectives of this Learning Guide.
2. Read the information written in the “Information Sheets 1” in pages 3-4.
3. Accomplish the “Self-check” in page 4.
4. If you earned a satisfactory evaluation proceed to “Information Sheet 2”. However, if your rating is unsatisfactory,
see your teacher for further instructions or go back to Learning Activity # 9.
5. Submit your accomplished Self-check. This will form part of your training portfolio.
6. Read the information written in the “Information Sheet 2” in pages 5-6.
7. Accomplish the “Self-check” in page 6.
4. If you earned a satisfactory evaluation proceed to “Information Sheet 3”. However, if your rating is unsatisfactory,
see your teacher for further instructions or go back to Learning Activity # 9.
5. Submit your accomplished Self-check. This will form part of your training portfolio.
6. Read the information written in the “Information Sheet 3” in pages 7-11.
7. Accomplish the “Self-check” in page 11.
8. However, if your rating is unsatisfactory, see your teacher for further instructions or go back to Learning Activity
#9.
9. Your teacher will evaluate your output either satisfactory or unsatisfactory. If unsatisfactory, your teacher shall
advice you on additional work. But if satisfactory you can proceed to Learning Guide 10.
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 Your teacher will evaluate your output either satisfactory or unsatisfactory. If unsatisfactory, your teacher
shall advice you on additional work. But if satisfactory you can proceed to the next topic.
Information Sheet 1 Overview of Network Infrastructure Design

Overview of Network Infrastructure Design

 Network Infrastructure: - is a set of physical and logical components that provide connectivity,
security, routing, management, access, and other integral features on a network.
 During a network’s planning phase, engineers select the hardware and software components that will
compose the network infrastructure and specify the particular location, installation, and configuration
of those components.
 In most cases, the elements of a network infrastructure are both inherited and designed.
 If you are building a network that will be connected to the Internet, for example, certain aspects of the
network, such as the use of the TCP/IP protocol suite, are inherited from the Internet.
 Other network elements, such as the physical layout of basic network components, are chosen by design
when the network is first conceived and are then inherited by later versions of the network as it
evolves.
 It is rare for an engineer to have the opportunity to design a network from scratch, with no pre-existing
influences.
 Nearly always, the engineer must incorporate some existing elements into the network design, such as
specific applications, operating systems, protocols, or hardware components.
 Implementing a network infrastructure is the process of evaluating, purchasing, and assembling the
specified components, and installing them in the manner prescribed by the design plan.
 The implementation process begins with engineers installing the network’s hardware infrastructure,
including computers, cables, and connectivity devices such as hubs, switches, and routers, as well as
printers and other peripherals.
 Once the hardware is in place, the engineers install and configure the operating systems, applications,
and other software.
 The operating systems running on the computers are the primary software components in the network
infrastructure, because they incorporate the protocols and other routines that make network
communications possible.
 In addition to the standard communication protocols common to all network operating systems, the
Microsoft Windows Server 2008 family also includes a collection of applications and services that
implement important security and special communications capabilities on the network.
 The significance of the network infrastructure does not end when the construction of the network is
complete, however.
 The personnel responsible for maintaining the network must have an intimate knowledge of the
network’s infrastructure to expand the network, perform upgrades, and troubleshoot problems.
Physical Vs. Logical Network Infrastructure

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1. Physical Network Infrastructure:- is its topology, the physical design of the network, along with
hardware components such as cabling, routers, switches, hubs, servers, and workstations.
 The hardware you select when planning the network’s physical infrastructure is frequently dependent
on elements of the network’s logical infrastructure.
 For example, if you decide to use Ethernet for your network’s data-link layer protocol, you are limited
to certain specific cable types supported by Ethernet, and the network’s connectivity components—
hubs, routers, and switches—must be designed for use with Ethernet as well.
 For a small network, the physical infrastructure can be very simple—computers, a hub, and a few
cables are generally all you need.
 For medium-to-large networks, however, the physical infrastructure can be extraordinarily complex.
2. Logical Network Infrastructure:- comprises the many software elements that connect, manage, and
secure hosts on the network.
 The logical infrastructure allows communication between computers over the pathways described in
the physical topology.
 The logical infrastructure of a network consists of both abstract software elements, such as
networking protocols, and concrete elements, such as specific software products.
 In addition to basic communication protocols such as TCP/IP, the abstract elements of the logical
infrastructure can include security technologies such as digital certificates and the IP Security
(IPSec) protocols.

Self-Check 1 Written Test

Name:____________________ Date:_________________
Instruction: Answer all the questions listed below, if you have some clarifications- feel free to ask your teacher.
1. What is Network Infrastructure mean? (3 point)
2. Elements of a network infrastructure are both _______________ and ______________.(2 point)

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3. _______________________________ is the process of evaluating, purchasing, and assembling the

specified components, and installing them in the manner prescribed by the design plan. (2 point)
4. _______________________________ is its topology, the physical design of the network, along with
hardware components such as cabling, routers, switches, hubs, servers, and workstations. (3 point)
5. The logical infrastructure allows communication between computers over the pathways described in
the physical topology.(true or false) (2 point)

Note: Satisfactory rating – 12 points above / Unsatisfactory - below 12 points

You can ask you teacher for the copy of the correct answers

ANSWER KEY
1. Is a set of physical and logical components that provide connectivity, security, routing, management, access, and
other integral features on a network .

2. Inherited and designed.

3. Implementing Network Infrastructure

4. Physical Network Infrastructure

5. True

Information Sheet 2 Planning, Implementing and Maintaining

Network Infrastructure
Planning a Network Infrastructure
 Planning the infrastructure is by far the most complicated part of building a network because during
this phase you create the blueprint you will use to implement the network and maintain it later.
 A complete network infrastructure plan consists of a great deal more than a physical infrastructure
layout and a list of hardware and software products.
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 To plan the infrastructure properly, a network designer must consider the requirements of the
network’s users, its owners, and its hardware and software components.
 What tasks do the network users have to accomplish?
 In addition to selecting applications, a network designer must also be conscious of the services the
network’s users need for their computers to function properly
 Security is also an omnipresent consideration in planning a network infrastructure.
 The designer must attempt to anticipate all possible dangers to the network and plan a suitable security
infrastructure to protect it from those dangers.
 The security infrastructure might include advanced configuration of the operating systems, services,
and applications, as well as the use of additional components, such as IPSec and digital certificates.
Implementing a Network Infrastructure
 The network infrastructure plan planned should be implemented at this stage.
 The process of implementing the technologies outlined in a network infrastructure plan typically
involves a number of disciplines.
 The elements of the implementation process focus largely on the selection of protocols, operating
systems, applications, and security mechanisms that satisfy the requirements of a network’s owners,
administrators, and users, as determined in the planning process.
 This course focuses on the deployment of TCP/IP protocols (selecting IP addresses & subnet mask),
the DNS (DNS name space) and WINS name-resolution mechanisms, and the IPsec (Creating IPsec
policies) protocol extensions technologies on a medium-to-large network, and it concentrates more
on the organizational elements of the deployment than on the process of configuring an individual
computer.
Maintaining a Network Infrastructure
 To maintain the network properly, administrators must have an intimate knowledge of the
infrastructure and the technologies used to implement it.
 Network infrastructure maintenance includes tasks such as updating operating systems and
applications, monitoring ongoing processes, and troubleshooting problems.
 Keeping the network’s operating systems and applications updated is more complicated than simply
downloading the latest patch releases and installing them on all the computers.
 For a large and complex network infrastructure, you must be careful to test each release before
deploying it on the production network.
 Administrators must monitor many services that are essential to a large network at regular intervals to
ensure they are operating properly.
 This monitoring can include regular examination of logs, function testing, and network traffic analysis.
 The network administrator must be capable of configuring these services to log the appropriate
information and of using Windows Server 2008 tools such as Network Monitor and the Performance
console.
 Troubleshooting is one of the primary maintenance functions of a network administrator.

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 Although much of the infrastructure design and implementation process revolves around the creation
of a robust network, problems do occur, and in a large organization, network failures can mean
reduced productivity and loss of revenue.

Self-Check2 Written Test

Name:____________________ Date:_________________
Instruction: Answer all the questions listed below, if you have some clarifications- feel free to ask your teacher.
1. _________________________- is by far the most complicated part of building a network because
during this phase you create the blueprint you will use to implement the network and maintain it
later.? (2 point)
2. Write the elements of the implementation process focus? (2 point)
3. Network infrastructure maintenance includes tasks such as __________________________ and
_________________, ________________________________________, and
___________________________. (2 point)

Note: Satisfactory rating – 6 points above / Unsatisfactory - below 12 points

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You can ask you teacher for the copy of the correct answers

ANSWER KEY
1. Planning the infrastructure

2. Selection of protocols, operating systems, applications, and security mechanisms that satisfy the requirements of a
network’s owners, administrators, and users, as determined in the planning process.

3. Updating operating systems and applications, monitoring ongoing processes, and troubleshooting
problems.

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