Category: Radio

Introduction

There are a number of ways to be chosen for the evaluation of the effectiveness inherent to a particular organization. In this paper, Verizon Communications Inc. headquartered in New York will be taken into consideration in order to prove that the already spread low satisfaction of job becomes a serious problem to be solved within a short period of time.

To achieve appropriate results and understand how workers needs may be met, the idea of needs assessment is regarded. Needs assessment turns out to be an important activity that pursues a number of training and developing functions and is used in order to solve problems within a particular working environment or consider the necessary productivity issues.

There are three main types of analysis that may be used within needs assessment: organizational, task, and personal (Noe, 2010). By means of the ideas gained during the analysis, it is possible to prove the urgency of a training intervention that will help to benefit employers at work.

Concepts discussed in articles, case studies, and threaded discussions

The main function of Verizon Communications is to provide society with a variety of entertaining, informative, and communicative services in the USA by means of the innovative business solutions which are applicable around the whole world (Verizon Communications Inc., 2010). During the last months, it has been discovered that not all workers of the company are satisfied with the results they achieve.

They are not enough motivated; they cannot understand what purposes they have to set; and, what is more important, the managers do not find it necessary to identify lack of motivation among workers as an important problem. It turns out to be very important to gather information about the company, pay enough attention to the opinions of workers, and identify the most effective means to improve the situation in the company.

As a result thread discussions, it has been identified that companys goals and missions will be met in case workers understand their duties and are motivated enough. Each organization has its own approaches and ideas for improvement and, in the case with Verizon Communications, peoples opinions and attitude to work need to be considered.

Methods to gather information

There are several methods which are used to gather information about the organization. Questionnaires and interviews will help to understand what challenges the workers and which conditions are more preferable for people.

Needs assessment that is based on questionnaires and interviews should certainly help to clarify competencies of the work team as well as to understand the changes which should be done to promote better future for the company and each worker in particular.

Sometimes, the company faces the same challenge as its managers fails to focus on the opinion of each worker; this is why details and careful attitude to each worker have to be taken into account.

Three level of analysis

Needs assessment has to be organized on three different levels, and each level is another powerful opportunity to organize the work properly. There are a number of pressure points in each type of analysis; still, each of them will help to comprehend the necessity of training (Noe, 2010).

In fact, the main purpose of needs assessment in the case under analysis is to prove that training becomes more important that the identification of the problems (Barbazette, 2006).

Individual analysis

By means of individual analysis, it is possible to learn how each worker performs his/her job in the company. As soon as the questionnaires are offered to employees, it is possible to expect to measure some job-related qualities and focus on knowledge and skills which are necessary.

With the help of such work, the vast majority of weak and strong points of the current system are identified. In Verizon, workers admit that they do not have enough chances to improve their skills and use personal improvement as the main source of motivation. People are limited in their activities that results in low job satisfaction.

Organizational analysis

This type of analysis in needs assessment looks at the companys effectiveness and defines which conditions for training are necessary. Constantly changing technologies, organizational goals, and even political trends may define the level of workers competency, this is why the chosen assessment should consider these points to understand what kind of training is more appropriate.

Verizon deals with innovative technologies for people; still, its workers are not always able to learn enough about production. This is why they have to hurry up to meet customers expectations at expense of personal unawareness and inabilities to benefit from their occupation.

Task analysis

Finally, task analysis helps to choose the data about the job performed at the company. It is not enough to describe the job available; still, it is more important to ask the questions about how job is offered to people, what conditions are more preferable for workers (Tobey, 2005), and which problems may appear while performing a job.

Workers are not able to define clearly their functions and task at the company, this is why they fail to complete their work accordingly and enjoy the results.

Challenges in gathering information

The only challenge while gathering data about workers and working conditions is based on time limitations. As a rule, Verizons employees do not have much free time; this is why the vast majority of their answers in questionnaires are not properly evaluated. It is hard to define whether all answers are true and based on real facts as pressure of the company turns out to be an important aspect in needs assessment.

Initial insights about training intervention

Taking into consideration the results achieved and the challenged faced, it is possible to say that training intervention is crucial for the company. The questionnaires and interviews show that the vast majority of workers lack free time to evaluate their skills and knowledge.

It is important to organize working schedules accordingly and provide people with a chance to learn the peculiarities of the technological world, to improve their knowledge, and to define clearly their goals and needs.

Properly organized training should help employees as well as employers to achieve the best results in their activities within a short period of time due to the fact that potential of each worker is unique indeed, and it is necessary to use it correctly.

Conclusion

In general, the importance of needs assessment is crucial indeed. Not all professional managers understand that their employees are in need of appropriate training that promotes development of the company.

The workers from Verizon understand that their work should not challenge them but inspire, this is why job satisfaction of the vast majority of workers is low, and this is why training and inspiration will be just in time for the company.

Reference List

Barbazette, J. (2006). Training Needs Assessment: Methods, Tools, and Techniques. San Francisco: John Wiley and Sons.

Noe, R.A. (2010). Employee Training and Development. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Tobey, D.D. (2005). Needs Assessment Basics: A Complete, How-to Guide to Help You: Design Effective, On-Target Solutions, Get Support, Ensure Bottom-Line Impact. Alexandria: American Society for Training and Development.

Verizon Communications Inc. (2010). Hoovers. Web.

Abstract

The proposed Business Case is aimed at discussing the implementation of RFID in the University of Hong Kongs (HKU) Libraries. The Case elucidates the main goal of the project and provides a brief overview of potential alternatives. Hence, the recommended alternative suggests extending the implementation of RFID to other libraries. The Business Case discusses the key strategic aspects from different perspectives: customers, finance, learning, and growth (L&G) and internal performance. Also, it provides the evaluation of this IT project that comprises all the relevant calculations: PP, ROI, and risk assessment.

Executive Summary

The case study under analysis is devoted to the implementation of RFID technology in HKU Libraries. The core goal of this implementation resides in optimizing the librarys operation and making the service more effective. The strategy is aimed at ensuring long-term benefits for all the shareholders.

The proposed Business Case analyzes two alternatives. Thus, the project has been currently implemented in only one department  the Main Library. As a result, the first alternative resides in postponing further implementations until the projects outcomes might be analyzed in terms of the long-term effect. In the meantime, it is recommended to choose the second alternative that suggests the expansion of the implementation in other libraries. According to the performed evaluations, the current results show sufficient evidence of the projects efficacy for it to be further extended.

Introduction

HKU Libraries were initially established to assist researchers and other members of the scientific community. The Main Library is situated at the Main Campus and manages the other six departments such as Dental, Music, Education, etc.

The key problem that the library has faced is the excessive amount of materials they have to handle. Thus, the operation would gradually become more complicated  the waiting time for check-ins increased, the staff was incapable of tracking all the resources, and a significant part of them was either stolen or lost. Moreover, the library had a critical staff disproportion with a considerable prevalence of support employees over professionals with the relevant degrees.

As a result, it was suggested that RFID was implemented to optimize the librarys functioning and raise the general satisfaction with the service in customers. The implementation of the technology has already brought some positive results; therefore, at the current point, it is presumed that the implementation of RFID in other libraries will assist in completing the initially targeted aim. Thus, the strategy is mainly aimed at ensuring long-term shareholder value. The table below shows the impact that the implementation is likely to have at different levels.

The table above shows the key strategic aspects that are likely to contribute to long-term shareholder value. Thus, from a financial perspective, it is expected that the implementation of RFID will help to minimize the risk of book losses.

The library currently loses a large scope of books due to thefts and those cases when customers, either intentionally or not, place books at wrong locations. The salary savings will be determined by the fact that the number of workers on counters will be reduced with the implementation of the new technology. Lastly, the upgraded service might encourage more clients to buy subscriptions. Customers, in their turn, will receive an entire series of benefits: an extended choice of book and other printed materials, a more convenient access options and, most importantly, a simplified registration procedure. The latter is one of the most critical concerns at the current point.

From the internal perspectives, all the regular operations are expected to be significantly simplified. Thus, it will take personnel less time to perform inventory activities, order books, carry out check-ins and check-outs, etc. Finally, the implementation of RFID opens up new prospects  the electronic database allows tracking customers preferences and performing more efficient procurements. More tasks will potentially be completed without manual work, and the general cost of operations will fall.

Therefore, the desired value of the project resides in the general optimization of the service that will imply minimizing the time spent on operations, allow serving more clients, and will increase the revenues in such a manner. The increase of the clients number is not the strategic pivot of the proposed implementation. Thus, for instance, the first year of RFIDs functioning is not expected to bring new clients. However, the time spent on the completion of the relevant tasks will reduce substantially, so that insignificant revenue is expected within the first year already. Later on, in the course of the second and the third years, it is presumed that the quality of service will improve, and more clients will purchase the subscription  this will have a positive impact on the revenues growth.

Table 2 MOV

As a result, the proposed Business Case is aimed at pointing out the core benefits of the alternative solution that resides in extending the implementation of RFID in other libraries.

Alternatives

Alternative 1

At the current point, the implementation of the project is not fully accomplished; thus, some of the outcomes cannot be accurately assessed. As a result, the first alternative resides in postponing further implementations until the relevant statistics are gathered.

Alternative 2

As long as the project has already completed the initial stages of the implementation project, this experience might be transmitted to other libraries. Thus, the second alternative resides in implementing RDIF in all the HKU Libraries.

Analysis of Alternatives

The analysis of alternatives is performed with due consideration of the following criteria: financial, organizational, project, and external. The data collection was performed based on the information provided in the HKU Libraries Case Study.

The analysis of the comparative analysis of the two alternatives is represented below.

Table 3 Comparative Analysis of the Alternatives.

The ROI was calculated relying on the following formula: total expected benefits  total expected costs/total expected costs.

The payback was calculated relying on the following formula: initial investment/net cash flow.

It is essential to note that the payback metrics were converted into years.

The NPV was found by calculating the correlation between the inflows and outflows cash. The potential risks score was logically retrieved from the general findings.

As a result, the comparative analysis of the two alternatives shows that the second alternative is more beneficial from the financial standpoint, even though it implies higher risks.

Introduction

RFID technology is often regarded as a successor of the technology that has dominated for decades. Bar codes have been in place since the second part of the 20^th a century and are now used in all the spheres where inventory management is relevant (Smith-Ditizio & Smith, 2017). The method enables people to trace the flow of items with a significant degree of accuracy, which made the technology popular worldwide. Barcoding involves the use of the codes usually typed on packages or even items, and readers (Lee, Choi, & Lee, 2017). RFID technology was introduced later, but it soon became widely used as well (Bibi, Guillaume, Gontard, & Sorli, 2017). This method implies the use of tags and a reader. Both technologies have certain advantages and disadvantages, which makes it difficult for users to choose between the two options. However, the use of RFID is often regarded as more efficient and cost-effective due to various features of the technology (Lui, Ngai, & Lo, 2016). This paper includes a brief discussion of the statement of the problem and research questions.

Purpose of the Study

As has been mentioned above, both technologies are now used widely, but people are still reluctant to switch to a more recent method. One of the major barriers to the successful implementation of RFID technology is associated with an investment as this technology requires more funds than the bar code method (Bibi et al., 2017). One of the benefits of bar codes is their universality as the vast majority of retailers and manufacturers have adopted this technology. However, to assess the effectiveness and benefits of the technologies under analysis, it is critical to identify the most relevant criteria. The purpose of this study is to identify the benefits of using RFID technology as compared to bar code technology.

Statement of Problem

The major focus of the involved stakeholders is the cost-effectiveness of the two methods. When it comes to changes, the major question that arises is associated with the relevance of the change and its financial justification. People have been using bar codes that have proved to be effective for decades, so many stakeholders do not think the change is necessary (Smith-Ditizio & Smith, 2017). Furthermore, many managers cannot tolerate the costs that are necessary for the use of RFID technology. Nevertheless, many practitioners and researchers provide evidence showing the benefits of RFID technology (Bibi et al., 2017; Uy, Kury, & Fontelo, 2015). More information is necessary and more case of the use of RFID should be explored.

Another relevant aspect is accuracy as manufacturers and retailers need to make sure that their inventory can be traced easily and accurately (Smith-Ditizio & Smith, 2017). Both technologies can ensure a high level of accuracy as each item receives a specific code. However, accuracy can be undermined if the codes cannot be processed. For example, bar codes can often be damaged easily, which can have considerable adverse effects on the flow of items. RFID tags have certain protection that makes codes more secure. Therefore, the usability of the technologies seems to be a more relevant aspect to analyze. Besides, stakeholders often need to process large amounts of items. RFID technology has an advantage as the reader can process many tags simultaneously covering significant areas (Bibi et al., 2017). Bar code readers are confined to the so-called line of sight and can process one code at a time.

Another criterion to consider is the information encoded. The stakeholders now need to take into account various features of the product. For instance, in the food industry, in addition to the country of origin and the title of the item, it is often desirable to have some information as to the optimal temperature, shelf life, and so forth (Bibi et al., 2017). Bar codes also seem quite basic in the sphere of healthcare where many features of items could be revealed. Uy et al. (2015) claim that the use of RFID technology minimizes the number of medical errors in the area of blood transfusion. It is also mentioned that patient outcomes are often improved in other health-related situations due to the use of RFID. Moreover, the increasing use of advanced technologies including the Internet creates an urge for more informative tools. Madakam, Ramaswamy, and Tripathi (2015) note that RFID is becoming more popular due to its potential applicability in the domain of the Internet of Things. At that, the availability of more data can be valuable in various spheres.

Research Questions

Based on the brief analysis above, it is possible to formulate the research questions.

1. Is RFID more cost-effective than bar code technology? Why?
2. What kind of information encoded is needed in inventory management?
3. What are the most convenient and valuable features associated with using bar codes?
4. What inconveniences can be encountered when using bar codes?
5. What are the most convenient and valuable features associated with the use of RFID technology?
6. What inconveniences can be encountered when using RFID technology?

References

Bibi, F., Guillaume, C., Gontard, N., & Sorli, B. (2017). A review: RFID technology having sensing aptitudes for the food industry and their contribution to tracking and monitoring of food products. Trends in Food Science & Technology, 62, 91-103.

Lee, W., Choi, J., & Lee, D. (2017). Comparative performance analysis of antocollision protocols in RFID networks. In S. A. Ahson & M. Ilyas (Eds.), RFID handbook: Applications, technology, security, and privacy (pp. 161-180). Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.

Lui, A., Ngai, E., & Lo, C. (2016). Disruptive information technology innovations and the cost of equity capital: The moderating effect of CEO incentives and institutional pressures. Information & Management, 53(3), 345-354.

Madakam, S., Ramaswamy, R., & Tripathi, S. (2015). Internet of Things (IoT): A literature review. Journal of Computer and Communications, 3(5), 164-173.

Smith-Ditizio, A. A., & Smith, A. D. (2017). Barcodes vs. RFID and its continued success in manufacturing and services. In M. Khosrow-Pour (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Information Science and Technology (pp. 5273-5284). Hershey, PA: IGI Global.

Uy, R. C. Y., Kury, F. P., & Fontelo, P. A. (2015). The state and trends of barcode, RFID, biometric and pharmacy automation technologies in US hospitals. AMIA Annual Symposium Proceedings Archive, 2015, 1245-1251. Web.

Introduction

The onset of wireless communications paved way for the aspect of mobility during communication, which is increasingly becoming a core requirement for organizations due to the nature of the present business environment (Bagad, 2009).

This implies that wireless communication is essential for any organization that is to remain competitive in the current business context. There are various wireless technologies that organizations can adopt depending on the volume of data of the organization, the purpose for the wireless network such as voice and data, and the geographical scope of implementation. After analysis of the above, this paper presents a proposal of two wireless technologies that the Party Plates can implement in order to meet the communication requirements for the organization.

Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi is mostly referred to as Wireless Local Area Network that makes use of high Radio Frequency for data transmission (Bagad, 2009). There are various Wi-Fi standards with each having different transmission speeds. The fundamental objective behind the implementation of the wireless Wi-Fi network standards is to foster standardization during the development of wireless network devices and delivery of services (Rainer & Cegielski, 2011).

The standards are maintained and amended by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) with intent of facilitating hardware interoperability (Rainer & Cegielski, 2011). The wireless networks standards commonly referred to as IEEE 802.11 comes in various standards ranging from A to Y depending on the operating frequency ranges. In addition, there are also IEEE 802 standards that conform to the wireless network standards such as the Bluetooth and infra red (Rainer & Cegielski, 2011).

Advantages of Wi-Fi technology

1. Wi-Fi technology also facilitates a cheaper implementation of communication networks Wi-Fi because it eliminates the need of having cables and networking devices such as switches.
2. Most communication devices such PDAs, smart phones and laptops have embedded adapters that can receive the Wi-Fi signals.
3. An added advantage is that the price values for the chipsets are constantly dropping, making Wi-Fi technology the most economical approach to the implementation of wireless communication.
4. The Wi-Fi technology is flexible owing to the fact that wireless networking facilitates mobility in a given scope of the network. Flexibility means that a person can access the network without being confined in single location. In addition, Wi-Fi can be used to facilitate internet access within the organization (Rainer & Cegielski, 2011).

Limitations of Wi-Fi

1. Wi-Fi technology is more vulnerable to interference because it relies on radio signals, which can be easily jammed (Bagad, 2009).
2. Another significant disadvantage associated with Wi-Fi is that it is more vulnerable to data security breaches because the weak encryption standard that it uses such as the Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP).

Wi-Max

WiMax is an integration of broadband and wireless technologies that are implemented with the main objective of facilitating internet access over wide geographical areas. WiMax basically serves to replace the traditional internet access methods such as Cable and DSL modem. The current data rate offered by WiMax technologies is 40 Megabit per second, with anticipated improvements to boost it up to 1 Gigabit per second for fixed users (Bagad, 2009).

Advantages of WiMax

1. The most significant advantage of WiMax is that it facilitates wireless internet access over large geographical scopes compared to Wi-Fi.
2. WiMax facilitates low cost internet access for all the Forth Generation (4G) communication devices.
3. Diverse range of communication devices such as mobile phones, laptops, notebooks, gaming appliances are interoperable with WiMax technology.

Disadvantages of WiMax

1. WiMax Access is only available in areas that are densely populated and metropolitan areas
2. Compatibility issues may arise when using WiMax

Justification for the Decision

The proposed wireless technologies are perfect solution for the communication problems in at the Part Plates. In addition, the technologies are relatively cheap to implement with relatively minimal cost of management. Owing to the fact that Party Plates has various officers in town, WiMax technology will facilitate internet access connectivity of all the officers, while Wi-Fi will allow communication at the office level. Therefore, a combination of the two wireless technologies is the most recommended solution for Party Plates (Bagad, 2009).

References

Bagad, D. (2009). Computer Networks. New York: Technical Publications.

Rainer, R. K., & Cegielski, C. G. (2011). Introduction to information systems: Supporting and transforming business. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.

The Necessity for the Use of Wireless Handheld Devices

The key purpose of this memorandum is to propose a wireless handheld device that can be used by the personnel of Juno Online Services. At the moment the company numbers one hundred and twelve employees, many of whom do not work within the office.

The operational performance of Juno Online Services strongly depends on the swiftness of business communication. Our employees need to transmit data, text, or voice messages to one another, while in some cases they do not have access to the Internet. In turn, this leads to increased expenditures on phone communications, delays, and sometimes insecurity of confidential information. The acquisition of wireless handheld devices can effectively solve these problems.

The Description of the Product

The product that appears to be suitable for the needs of our firm is Blackberry Pearl 8100, manufactured by the Canadian company Research in Motion (RIM). It has such features and capabilities as GPS, voice dialing, instant messaging, Wi-Fi, HTML Web browser, and e-mail (Research in Motion, unpaged). This device also includes a QWERTY keyboard. This tool is well adapted for the transmission of both voice and data. In their book Debra Shinder and Michael Cross, experts in Internet security, argue that Blackberry Internet Service provides a higher degree of security because RIM has adopted Advanced Encrypted Standard (p, 375).

This feature can be of great use for Juno Online Service as our employees often have to transmit confidential data. It is possible to purchase Blackberry Pearl 8100 at the wholesale price. In this case, this device will cost $ 140. Blackberry Pearl 8100 is not the most recent model, produced by Research in Motion, yet, it provides the best ratio of price and quality. In part, this purchasing decision can be explained by the quality of post-sales services, offered by Research in Motion.

Potential Benefits

There are several types of benefits that the company can derive from the use of wireless handheld devices. One of them is the increased speed of communication. By procuring Blackberry Pearl 8100, the management will be able to eliminate the possibility of a delay. Secondly, it will be possible to ensure the security of confidential data. Finally, Juno Online Services will manage to reduce expenses on phone communication by at least 10 percent. Therefore, the company will be able to cover the expenses on this purchase within two or three years. However, the key benefit will be the improved operational performance.

Conclusion

The financial and organizational performance of modern enterprise largely depends on its ability to utilize information technologies, ensuring effective communication between management and employees. The proposed strategy can bring both qualitative and quantitative improvements. The acquisition of Blackberry Pearl 8100 is one of the steps that Juno Online Services needs to take to raise its efficiency.

Note to the Instructor

Juno Online Services

1. Type of the organization: Internet provider.
2. Size of organization: 112 employees.
3. The proposed purpose of the wireless handheld devices: these tools will be used for the transmission of emails, text messages, and data. The purchase of these handheld devices is necessary because many of the companys employees do not work within the office and do not have constant access to the Internet.

Works Cited

Research in Motion. Blackberry Pearl. 2010. Web.

Shinder Debra & Cross Michael. Scene of the cybercrime. NY: Syngress, 2008. Print.

When I was looking for an article on the topic related to wireless attacks, I was particularly interested in expanding the information provided in the textbook concerning protection techniques. Namely, I wanted to investigate how patient data can be protected from security violations in healthcare. The textbook mentions that blood pressure or other medical information can be transmitted via Bluetooth (Ciampa 362). However, there is no mention of wireless sensor networks that are now widely implemented in a number of healthcare applications for patient monitoring.

The article that I finally selected (Privacy Protection for Wireless Medical Sensor Data) fully lived up to my expectations since it provided detailed information on the existing protection methods. Moreover, I learned a lot about sensor networks and their vulnerability to various kinds of attacks, including modification and impersonation of data, eavesdropping, and replaying. I believe that this problem requires further investigation, owing to the fact that the security of medical data is an issue of paramount importance as human lives are at stake.

The point is that the existing solutions allow protecting information while it is still in the process of transmission. Presently, there is no way to stop the inside wireless attacks of the database. The authors of the research propose their own approach that can make it possible to mitigate the risks. Besides learning about alternative solutions, I also improved my knowledge of the currently implemented frameworks. The article outlines the results of numerous studies on security monitoring and wireless networks. I discovered that all the protection frameworks used for these systems are based on either public or secret-key encryption. Both rely upon the assumption that medical sensors apply keys for encryption and authentication in advance.

Although both solutions are considered to be rather effective, the level of protection provided by the secret key distribution (as compared to the public-key based frameworks) is considerably lower. As far as the latter is concerned, they implement a public-key cryptosystem to establish a secret key, which facilitates distribution and updates. Another commonly applied technique is k-anonymity that makes patient A indistinguishable from patient B.

The major problem of all the approaches is that they assume that attackers do not know anything about the keys. That is why the authors of the article propose to distribute data in multiple data servers and use the Paillier and ElGamal cryptosystems (Yi et al. 379). This will allow avoiding data compromising.

Another article connected with the topic of wireless attacks that attracted my attention is devoted to Wireless Body Area Sensor Networks (WBANs) that are gaining popularity in the field of monitoring the human body since they are unobtrusive and cost-effective. Unlike the previous study, which was mostly concerned with encryption systems used for protection, this article investigates the nature of WBANs and the security risks from wireless attacks, to which these networks are subjected (Javadi and Razzaque 167). The primary concern of the authors was to identify unique challenges for security (such as environmental conditions and resource constraints) to find out what potential future direction their development should take.

Assessing the contribution of the two articles reveals that the research selected initially is more profound and practically applicable. Its authors not only identified the security risks that wireless attacks may pose to sensor networks but also provided a careful assessment of the solutions that are now in practice. The study dwells upon the benefits and drawbacks of each encryption system. Finally, the researchers came out with their own unique approach to data protection, which is the major contribution of their work.

Works Cited

Ciampa, M. Security+ Guide to Network Security Fundamentals. Cengage Learning, 2012.

Javadi, Saeideh Sadat, and M. A. Razzaque. Security and Privacy in Wireless Body Area Networks for Health Care Applications. Wireless Networks and Security, 2013, pp. 165-187.

Yi, Xun, et al. Privacy Protection for Wireless Medical Sensor Data. IEEE Transactions on Dependable and Secure Computing, vol. 13, no. 3, 2016, 369-380.

3G wireless networks and 4G networks

Both 3rd and 4th generations are mobile communication standards set to define the general airwaves utility. They are both forms of transmissions that carry information in the form of voice and data. The most notable difference between the two transmission networks is the speed and rate at which data is transferred.

The fourth-generation network is faster compared to the third, although the regulatory bodies in the mobile data industry have not yet come up with a clear standard to define a fourth-generation network.

Unlike the third-generation network technology, the fourth generation is not clearly standardized, and this is explained by the fact that there are three carriers already in the market using varied technologies and considering their products as fourth-generation network technology (Graziano 2012).

High-Speed Packet Access, World Wide Interoperability for Microwave Access, and Long-term Evolution have been labeled as fourth-generation technologies, a subject that is raising a lot of concerns (Ja-young, 2011).

The set standard speed for the forth generation network was placed at 100Mbps by the International Telecommunication Union. The 3rd generations architecture is based on a wide area cell while the 4th generations is based on the integration of wireless Local Area Network and wide area.

With regards to services and applications, the third generation supports Code Division Multiple Access as well as Universal Mobile Telecommunication Service, which enables transmission of voice, data, video, and discs on the 3G network platform (Ja-young, 2011).

The Enhanced Data GSM Environment is also a third-generation characteristic application that was meant to increase the speed of the Global System for Mobile communication (Diaconescu, 2012).

The fourth-generation network, on the other hand, uses a faster WiMax, which has the capability to transmit a range of 30-40 megabyte-per-second and LTE advance (Ja-young, 2011). 3Gs data throughput goes up to 3.1 Mbps while in the 4G platform, though not yet achieved, it is expected to go up to the range of 100-300mbps (Diaconescu, 2012).

Currently, the 4G network data throughput has been ranging at 3-5 Mbps though experts maintain the range will be improved in the near future. The fourth-generation network ideally is meant to be faster than the third generation, but test runs have proved users perceptions wrong.

A good instance is a difference in the speed of the AT&TS third-generation network, which was tested against Metro PCS fourth-generation network. The former was faster compared with the later (Diaconescu, 2012).

4G LTE, 4G WiMax, and 4G WiBro networks

The three network platforms are all classified as 4G networks, even though they are all developed differently and using different procedures.

The only common ground with regards to these networks is that they all produce the same end product, the 4G speed network. The fourth-generation Long Term Evolution network is an advanced development of the 3G network designed for mobile devices (Syputa, 2009). This platform is faster than the previous 3G network.

Going by the standard laid for 4G networks, LTEs projected speed is about 100mbps and can go up to a maximum of 1GB per second. LTE also benefits from the advantage of being compatible with the previous 3G network platform. WiMax, which provides network connections to computer notebooks, allows a limitless number of users online. It covers a wide range area of up to 9,300 square kilometers (Syputa, 2009).

The WiBro is the fastest with a download speed of up to 40.32 Mbps (Ja-young, 2011). The services provided by the three platforms are basically similar only that with the WiBro, the network connection is more advanced. WiBro allows users to access connections while in motion at a very high speed.

This includes a connection in high speed moving cars and subways (Ja-young, 2011). All of these platforms are developed differently and are all competing with each other for recognition by the International Telecommunication Union.

Competition between the 4G LTE carriers

Wireless connectivity is an area of very stiff competition, and the firms in this industry are highly competing against each other. Every network platform is providing the users with distinct advantages making it very difficult to come up with a standard measure of the best offer. This has been proved by the 4G wireless speed test to determine which one is the fastest. The major national carriers involved in this test were AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon.

Of the three service providers, Verizons network, according to the test, stands out to be the fastest with a record download speed of about 6 Mbps and an upload speed of 5 Mbps on laptop modems tests (Sullivan, 2011). AT&T was second in this test with a download speed of about 2.48 Mbps and uploading speed of 0.85 Mbps (Sullivan, 2011).

The third position, according to Sullivan (2011), was taken by sprint with a downloading speed of 2.15Mbps and an uploading speed of 0.61Mbps. With connections on Smartphones, the tests reveal the fastest wireless provider to be a sprint with an average download speed of 1.50 Mbps (Sullivan, 2011).

AT&T is placed second in this category with a1.45 downloading speed capability. Verizon is the slowest of the three in mobile connectivity with a downloading speed of about 1.01 Mbps (Sullivan, 2011).

Why Verizon is able to cover more markets than AT&T

Verizon is taking the lead in the network industry even as it rolls out its services to the new 27 markets, as Graziano (2012) reports. Graziano (2012) suggests that by the end of this year, the company will have covered not less than 400 markets, translating to approximately 260 million users in the United States alone.

The growth of the company and its ability to cover more markets more than AT&T is due to the companys combined coverage and ability to provide a wide range of devices (Graziano, 2012).

This enables customers to access and take advantage of the companys services. The company is unremittingly involved in expanding its existing markets, giving it an upper hand in the industry.

Verizon has the advantage of a wide geographical coverage that AT&T does not enjoy hence making it very difficult for the later to compete with the firms vast exposure (Diaconescu, 2012). The company has the capability over its competitors to expand into new markets with the help of its already existing coverage, which gives it an infrastructural benefit.

As Diaconescu (2012) foresees, the company may have the upper hand in the wireless industry for quite a long time before any of its competitors becomes a threat to it. The level of infrastructure that Verizon enjoys would take quite a long time for AT&T to pool its resources to be at per. This has, as a result, put Verizon o the lead and will continue to do so for quite some time (Diaconescu, 2012).

References

Diaconescu, A. (2012). Verizons 4G LTE network to cover 2/3 of US population after new expansion. Web.

Graziano, D. (2012). Verizon to add 27 new 4G LTE markets, expand in 47 others this week.

Ja-young, Y. (2011). Technology.

Sullivan, M. (2011). 4G Wireless Speed Tests: Which Is Really the Fastest?

Syputa, R. (2009). What is the Difference Between WiMax and LTE? Web.

Introduction

Radio frequency identification is a tracking technique that utilizes radio waves to identify and locate items within a specified area. The items could be living things such as human beings and animals or could also be objects in the form of products. Typically a tag also referred to a label, is placed into the objects and an RFID reader is used to detect the location of the object. This technology unlike other tracking technologies does not require the object to be within sight of the reader. The distance of detection varies as there are different modes of both tags and readers.

In a discussions by (Duquenoy, 2008), RFID is used in many applications from supply chain environments to the Information Technology sector and this is just the tip of the iceberg as the technology is still new but it has the potential to revolutionize the way business processes are carried out all over the world.

How it Works

RFID technology in essence consists of mainly two elements, a tag and a reader. The tag has an embedded microchip that stores information regarding the object on which it is applied. This information is unique only to the object and is used to distinguish it form another. The RFID reader is able to comprehend the location of the object and the information it contains. Typical information stored on a product could be the electronic product code and the account of the product in terms of what it is & when and where it has been around the location it was deployed. This information is relayed from the reader to a database that displays this information to users on a real time basis. In most cases the databases could be having analysis tools that could be to interrogate the product. This not only leads to accountancy in the company but it boosts security as items can be quickly located and tracked in real time.

Categories of RFID

In a study by (Poirier, 2007) there are three categories of RFID each displaying their different characteristics. The first class of RFID tags are active tags, they operate with the use of a battery that powers the tag in sending out waves to the reader. These tags are large and have a read range of approximately a hundred meters. Large amounts of data and be stored in them as the embedded microprocessor has a large capacity. It is these reasons that make the tag more costly than its counterparts. Another class of tags is passive tags that only have the microchip embedded into the tag. Unlike the active tag, the passive tag relies on the reader to activate a signal which will be picked up by the reader. These tags are much smaller and contain less data stored. They are much cheaper and the read range is much shorter i.e. less than three meters. The last class of RFID tags are battery assisted passive tags which require a battery in order to send out a signal. The difference with this tag is that the signal transmitted can travel further and hence be picked up by a reader more easily. Such tags are used in rough terrain or in harsh environments where it may be hard to reach.

The tags are also categorized by the frequency they employ for operations. Frequencies normally used are between low (135 KHz), VHF (13.5 MHz), UHF (860MHz) and Microwave frequencies. These frequency groups dictate where the tags will be applied. For example, tags using low frequencies are used for tracking humans and animals. As we all know that live animals including humans are susceptible to the effects of radiation. These tags are also used for asset tracking. High frequency tags (VHF) are used in condition where interference from other environmental elements is unacceptable. Radio frequencies are prone to interference from water or metals that could be around the tag. This make sit hard for the tag to be detected by a reader. Tags employing Ultra high frequencies have the advantage of longer reading range i.e. around three meters and the speed at which this information is read by the reader is also fast as compared to other tags using other frequencies.

The tags can also be categorized in order of how the information is stored in the RFID tag. There are tags that are read only, meaning that data stored in the tag cannot be modified. In a discussions by (Duquenoy, 2008), the Information in such tags is mostly the unique code identifier which is use d to identify the tag in the first place. This information is normally integrated when the tag was being manufactured. There are tags that are categorized as write once meaning that data can only be modified and lastly there are read/write tags. These tags can be read and data modified as many times as the user would like. Such tags are more costly than their counterparts.

Benefit of RFID

Benefits gained from RFID technology are numerous as displayed by the upsurge in demand for tags all around the world and especially among retailers and suppliers. Identification techniques have always in the handling of goods within the supply chain or in the typical office environment. In a research by (Riquelme , 2006)Businesses are using the leverage offered by RFID technology to lower cost of production, supply and price paid by the end consumer hence creating an environment where business can foster. Using networked databases it is easy to track the exact location of any product that could be lying in a warehouse or on the move through logistics. When compared to its predecessor, the bar code tag, RFID presents many advantages. When using barcode technology, the reader has to be within sight of the tag in order for the tag to be recognized, in many circumstances, the tag may be blinded by grease or dirt stains hence making it unreadable. In a research by (Duquenoy, 2008) RFID technology utilizes radio waves which bypass obstacles thus the tag can be read easily without the object tagged being transparent to the reader. Furthermore the tags are made of strong and durable materials that enable them to withstand tough conditions such as extreme temperatures and harsh environments. RFID tags are continuously undergoing miniaturization and this enables them to be placed in nearly all locations. A good example of miniaturization is how they can be injected in humans and animals in addition to being produced in all shapes and sizes. Another benefit of the tags is the security factor. The information stored within the tags are very difficult to duplicate of modify without the proper tools and authorization, this makes RFID the preferred mode of tracking objects as it eliminates chances of theft.

In a study by (Hedgepeth ,2009) concludes that with the help of database and efficient software, efficiency and accountability can be promoted in the work environment as information stored in the tag is accurate and is less prone to duplication. Cases of human error are eliminated as RFID labels correctly identifies the object on which the tag is attached to it and this information is in addition to history of the object to its location at the moment on a real time basis. A beneficial advantage the RFID tag has over barcode is that it has a much bigger capacity for storing information. Where the information from a typical barcode only consists of a manufacturer and product type, RFID tags can store more information about the product it is attached to and if the tag is read/write tag, this information can be modified as many times hence making the tag reusable over a long time. Each and every RFID tag that is manufactured is inimitable hence aiding in the tracking of goods in any supply chain. This characteristic assists in reducing labor costs as the function of tracking is automated

Applications of RFID

In a discussion by (Clampitt, 2007) concludes that RFID technology is used in numerous applications to increase revenue and reduce the time in which business operations are carried out. Examples of applications of RFID are:

Retail: As we all know this industry depends on supply chain management including logistics. With RFID technology, these two processes have been automated in a manner that ensures less human involvement and more accuracy in the process, this leads to less time taken for the product to go from the manufacturer to the retailer. A good case is how Wal-Mart increased revenue by demanding all suppliers start using RFID technology.

Manufacturing sector: where automation of manufacturing processes is required such as the labeling of specific products and also control of the products in a manufacturing line, RFID tags ands readers can be attached to the production line to identify which products are being produced.

Logistics & Distribution: Items can be easily tracked from the factory up to the end consumer thus better security for all parties involved in the supply chain. Speed within the supply chain has been enhanced thus making the whole process of transporting goods much easier.

Asset management: RFID tags have been used to track assets within organizations and many companies are now using it to audit fixed assets within the firm. This reduces the time it would take for the company to conduct the audit and also it will enhance security of the assets as real time location of the assets can be done with ease.

These are just some of the applications where RFID is being implemented. As the field grows so will the number of applications and subsequent mass adoption by consumers take effect.

Conclusion

Impact of RFID will be felt as more and more stakeholders realize that the technology is beneficial to their operations and also as the price of readers and tags reduce. Many companies have desired to adopt the technology but have been restricted by the high price of procuring the equipments. Challenges that will accompany the mass adoption include interoperability between the different makers of readers and tags. Every manufacturer has their standard of manufacturing RFID technology. This issue needs to be addressed as soon as possible as it is restricting the speed at which end users are taking up RFID. All these challenges can be overcome with ease when all the parties responsible sit down and come up with a collective standard that will dictate the way readers and tags are manufactured.

Annotated bibliography

Clampitt, H. (2007) The RFID certification textbook. American RFID Solutions, 12 (2), 61-5.

Summary of the Article: This article was composed by Clampitt Howard. It discusses on the advance of RFID technology with a view on the future and the goals that are expected once the technology is implemented. Examples are detailed and diagrams and case studies integrated within the text to ensure that the reader has an idea into how RFID functions. As standards continue to come up so does the need for qualifications for both technicians and professionals in the field. Questions and answers to frequently asked questions are given out.

Duquenoy, P. (2008) The future of identity in the information society. RFID Weekly, 16 (4), 56-9.

Summary of the Journal: This journal was written by Duquenoy, Peter and he discusses on the future of the technology as a vehicle for changing the legacy processes such as bar coding which up to now have been seen as facing numerous challenges. All these challenges are detailed and clearly illustrated. As we all know that the technology will greatly impact on how business operations are carried out. The author goes on to add a few examples of manufactures and distributors using the technology and how it is implemented on a wide scale. Examples of how tags have been placed on the human body and the continued miniaturization of RFID tags are detailed and illustrations shown to the reader.

Hedgepeth, W. (2009) Oliver RFID metrics: decision making tools for todays supply chains. Business Management, 4 (6), 25-9.

Summary of the article: This article was written by Hedgepeth Wendy and she argues about the benefits that the industry will accrue once the technology is adopted on a mass scale. The author mentions the role of the EPC in regard to adoption of new standards by manufacturers and its use on the wide scale within supply chains and other sectors. The classic case of how Wall-mart catalyzed the rapid adoption of RFID technology among its suppliers is given as good example of how supply chains are ready to adapt to the technology once incentives are offered.

Poirier, C. (2007) RFID strategic implementation and ROI: a practical roadmap to success. Asset Management, 6 (3), 12- 4.

Summary of the Journal: The journal was composed by Poirier Catherine. She details in a step by step manner on how to best implement the technology in conjunction with existing systems such as bar codes. Existing technology will aid in the rapid adoption of RID technologies among users. Implementation issues are also highlighted and solutions given out.

Riquelme, S. (2006) The global technology revolution 2020, in-depth analyses: bio- nano-materials-information trends, drivers, barriers, and social implications. Nano Technology Today, 2 (1), 15-9.

Summary of the article: The author, Riquelme Samson, identifies the categories of RFID technology and the impacts expected in the supply chain and logistic industries. There are many manufactures coming out with various products that have extended frequencies that are allowed for usage in other countries. This book details on the role of each stake holder and their influence towards the future of RFID.

Given the fact that practically any router has both Wi-Fi antennas and Ethernet plugs, it would make perfect sense to use a complementing connection at a university. For example, libraries could significantly benefit from such a setup, as students would have the opportunity to use high-speed Wi-Fi. In contrast, the library workers would access their desktop computers using the Ethernet cable. Even though the speed of Wi-Fi connections tends to be slower than that of their Ethernet counterparts, the idea would be to build an environment where every user would have access to at least one network at the same time (Abdullah & Mustafa, 2016). The capability to share the same feed (connection) serves as the premise for a flexible digital environment where students and librarians use the same internet connection but do not interfere with each other. Multiple connections to the same router do not reduce its performance either.

Unless the universitys network includes devices that run on different operating systems, there should be no issues with installing a combined WLAN-Ethernet network where the latter would work interchangeably. The only thing that the university should take care of is the introduction of extra settings that may be required to allow for such affiliated access to network resources. Packets from the router should not send packets simultaneously, as there has to be a delay that would protect the WLAN and Ethernet parts from interfering with each other (Abdullah & Mustafa, 2016). This approach would limit the number of lost packets and maintain the speed of Wi-Fi regardless of the number of users connected to the network. The best way to test this setup would be to remove the slowest links in the network chain and additionally purchase several high-end routers that would persevere the increased network load.

References

Abdullah, I. S. A., & Mustafa, A. B. (2016). The impact of distance on WLAN and LAN Network Performance. International Journal of Science and Research, 5(3), 1063-1065.

Introduction

Description

The objective of our call center is to accomplish a future expansion for four locations Dallas, Denver, Chicago Headquarters, and Atlanta, and part of the programs we aim to accomplish are to offer new products to customers such as credit card protection and registration. The plan program we intend to initiate is to enhance the capabilities of customers support center to support 50 employees and 20 mobile users with wireless access. Typically, the strategies to achieve the management policies are to install WAN for the connection of all four sites and to offer 24 hours operations across all sites. More requirements we aim to achieve are to install database that will offer 24 hours operations to all sites, deployment of a wireless network at each site, VoIP at each site, and monitoring control that is redundant. Decision to use WAN to connect all four centers is a step forward for the enhancement of competitive advantage, and apart from increasing the speed at which management take decisions on strategic issues, integration of WAN also enhances quality of service (QoS), and this increase overall customers satisfactions. (Murhammer et al, 1999).

However, achieving best network performances for Call center requires systematic network planning and design, and there are procedures to take before designing WAN that will suit management aims. Offering effectively networks design that would serve Chicago, Denver, Atlanta, and Dallas need an identification of specific network design and management issue.

Identification of Specific Network Design and Management Issues

The major objective we aim to accomplish with our call center design would be to install scalable and high performance Local Area Networks (LAN) and a Wide Area Network (WAN) that will support 50 employees and 20 mobile users with wireless access at each of the call centers The requirements we propose for this expansion will include establishment of a WAN that connects Dallas, Denver, Chicago, and Atlanta with redundancy to support 24/7 365. We also the need to install database for Call center, which offers data storage, and data security for customers. The major objectives for the installation of database for all four locations are to store customers data, as well as to offer security for customers credit cards. In addition, we aim to offer protection of customers credit cards, and customers information by installing adequate security for overall system design. To ensure that our call center meets all the requirements of network design, we propose the following budget:

1. Wide Area Network connection across Dallas, Denver, Chicago, and Atlanta $800,000
2. LAN network infrastructures for Dallas, Denver, Chicago, and Atlanta $4,000,000
3. Other miscellaneous costs

Thus, to achieve our objectives for network system, we consider the following implementation plans:

• Recommendation of WAN architecture for Dallas, Atlanta, Denver, and Chicago Headquarter.
• Recommendation of telecommunications links across Dallas, Atlanta, Denver, and Chicago Headquarter.
• System design for database that will support the 24/7 365 day operations for Dallas, Atlanta, Denver, and Chicago Headquarter.
• Recommendation of design for video conferencing.
• Analysis and planning of the voice network.
• System back up recovery.
• Network security plan.
• Desktop anti-virus plan.
• High level Project Plan.

To provide adequate picture of network design we aim to accomplish, it is essential to provide background of overall system requirements.

Background

Our strategy to achieve LAN for all four locations and WAN to link across our four locations require some protocols we need to follow to achieve our requirements for network systems for Dallas, Denver, Chicago, and Atlanta. Our needs for efficient communication across all our Call centers necessitate integration of WAN technology to facilitate data communication across all the four locations. (Cisco, 2009). As Stair, and Reynolds, (2007) put it in todays high-speed business world, effective communication is critical to organizational success,&what separates good management from poor management is the ability to identify problems and solve them with available resources.. (p 136).

Thus, our decision to install WAN for connection across all our call centers has several benefits. The benefits we aim to accomplish of WAN are best described by Stair, and Reynolds, who state that the combination of wireless network and IP phones enhance ability to access any information, including database reports from the corporate database server, e-mail, and the Web, and communicate with colleagues one at a time or in groups through voice or video from any location (p 136).

Added to WAN, we propose to install each of the four locations LAN that offers high scalable considerable bandwidth capacity because of our business expansion. The proposed LAN will also be able to have high reliability, and be able to offer interface with Wide Area Network.

Typically, our four call centers will achieve the following benefits from proposed networks design.

• Enhancement of corporate strategic advantages.
• State-of-the-art operation centers for Dallas, Denver, Chicago, and Atlanta.
• Provision of latest network support for four locations.
• Provision of database system for four locations.
• High-speed connectivity across Dallas, Denver, Chicago, and Atlanta.
• VoIP at each site for management to monitor control that is redundant.
• Scalable Local Area Networks.
• Reliable of High network.
• Flawless LAN to WAN interfaces.
• A secure network with firewalls at the internet and extranet levels.
• Anti-Virus software at the desktop and server levels.
• Disaster recovery planning for all network and server components.

Problem statement

The expansion plan of our call center will involve protection of customers credit cards and customers registration. However, our call center does not have the latest technology to offer protection for customers credit cards. In addition, existing technology of our call center cannot support VoIP and data at our four call centers (Dallas, Denver, Chicago Headquarters, and Atlanta). Moreover, there is no latest technology for a database to support all four locations 24/7 365 day operations. Thus, our Call center requires a WAN to connect all four sites with redundancy to support 24/7 365-day environment, and a database that will support the locations for 24/7. Our call centers will need these to enhance business agility and improvement of effective communication among employees in the four locations (Hekmat, 2007). Typically, effective network topology that can satisfy managements needs is Wide Area Network., and implementation of WAN in the four locations will enhance transmission of information and improvement of organizational efficiency and effectiveness. WAN network is advantageous to share hardware, programs, and database across our four locations and with implementation of WAN network, our call centers will be able to share documents over wide geographical areas. This will also foster teamwork among our employees and enhancement of business strategies. (Stair, Reynolds, 2007).

For example, Fig 1 reveals an example of how WAN protocol will connect our four locations in the United States.

Since our employees will make constant long distance phone calls, we aim to achieve cost effective by using WAN for a telecommunications network over a large geographical region. With WAN technology, it will be very easy to route phone call and fax transmission over voice-over-IP (VOIP) technology over the same network. The main advantage of WAN is that our call centers will be able to reduce phone bills because the communication links will convert voice to IP packets, and there will be no separate phone bills for each location.

By using WAN for VOIP phone call, the four locations will be able to merge voice with video and data communication over company datas network. (George Reynolds, 2007). Moreover, Integrating database system into WAN will enhance communication system where every team member in the four locations will be informed about the company activities, and this will make our employees to have access to information anytime with WAN support.(TCO systems).

However, designing network involves critical analysis of network topology as discussed in next section.

Analysis

Existing networks in Chicago could not support requirements of our call center because Chicago headquarter is currently using an IBM 9000 Series Mainframe that has become outdated, and cannot support the management needs. There is also issue of transmission of data from one location to the other, the existing network lacks this feature, moreover, network in Chicago is rather slow, and cannot improve quality of service (QoS). With all the problems confronting our call center, the next section provides recommended solution.

Recommend Solution  System Design

The system that can support our call centers needs is Local Area Network (LAN) and Wide Area Network (WAN). WAN network will be suitable for management needs because WAN can support different geographical locations with over 500 kilometres. Typically, the network systems that can support the needs of our call centers should have capacity to able to monitor 50 employees and 20 mobile users with wireless access. In addition, the network systems should be able to connect all four sites with redundancy, a databases that will support the 24/7 365 day operations, and deployment of a wireless network at each site. There network system should included VOiP at each site to monitor control that is redundant.

Typically, WAN can cover multiple distances, and can connect multiple smaller networks such as local area networks (LAN). WAN technology can function at the physical layer, the data link layer, and the network layer. Key technologies often found in WANs include ATM, SONET, Frame Relay, X.25, ATM and Point-to-point (PPP). (Edraw Soft, 2009)

Apart from WAN to connect the four locations, each of the location will require local area network (LAN) to connect terminals, computers and printers within a building office, and the devise to adopt this is to connect network through wireless links. It should be noted that standard LAN come with technologies such as Ethernet, Token Ring and Wireless LAN using IEEE 802.11. (Edraw Soft, 2009). However, these networks need some requirements before it can fit our call centers needs.

Thus, to offer proposed network for Chicago office, there is need to examine the existing network in Chicago office.

Existing Chicago Headquarters Network

The existing Chicago network of our call center was originally designed to facilitate communication in the Chicago office. However, with increase in the number of employees and customers, this network can no more support the company facility because of the plan for credit card protection and registration. Although, our call center has tried to improve network system in the past by adding network routers and token ring to LANs. All these solutions could not provide management needs. Existing network for Chicago location consist of six Cisco 2613 routers, the network routers are linked to the IBM9000 Mainframe utilizing 100BASE-T4 transmission media. Distributed to the seven Cisco 2613 routers are four Server Farm 16mbps Token-rings with 6 AS/400s per ring, and 6 16mbps Token-ring end user LANs. Although, there are internet connection filtering for inbound network traffic and provision of a simple De-Militarized Zone (DMZ) for the corporate external mail server. The Internet router is networked to one of the Cisco 2613 backbone routers with a 100BASE-T4 connection. Fig 2 provides visual presentation of existing Chicago network.

Proposed Chicago Network Diagram including new Wireless implementation to new sites

The redesigned Chicago network will be similar to old Chicago network to increase the capacity of the existing network; there will be augmentation of the infrastructure of existing network in order to increase its bandwidth. There will also be installation of Cisco 7507s to provide higher densities that can provide greater performances along with encryption support for network security. The change in bandwidth will provide increase in the transmission speeds for the AS400 is from 16Mbps to 100Mbps.Fig 3 reveals a visual presentation of a proposed Chicago network. The network will involve placing Network Interface Card into personal computers, and there will be connections of computers through wireless network, where all computers in our call center will be connected through communication channels. (BICSI, 1996, Murhammer, 1999). Typically, the type of network bandwidth that will be installed in Chicago headquarter will enhance communication system at new sites. However, to reduce cost, management will connect Dallas, Denver, and Atlanta through public networks with Cisco 7507 routers. By using public network, management can lease communication equipment from a network service provider. Using a third party network service provider can be cost effective because a public service provider charge relative low cost for connecting different geographical locations. Proposed network also offers additional features of relational database in the network system, and the database will be able to store large amount of data with WAN acceleration. In addition, database system will offer credit card registration for customers as well as credit card transactions. The proposed network system in Chicago will help our call center to monitor support 24 / 365, as well as offering online Analytical Processing (OLAP) with speed and accuracy. (KEMME, ALONSO, 2000).

Proposed Dallas Network

The proposed Dallas network will be designed from the beginning to allow for seamless network integration, load balancing, redundancy, and ease management use. A diagram in fig 4 provides visual presentation of the proposed network. The Chicago network will connect Dallas network with Cisco 7507 Router. Typically, the router will be configured with 100BASE-FX connection, and there will be LAN segment connected to the local Cisco 5500 Catalyst switch. There will also be installation of firewall for corporate security regarding internet connectivity. Typically, proposed Dallas Network will be connected to internet using a local ISP (Internet Service Provider) T1 connection for internet e-mail, ftp and WEB connectivity, and network will provide substantial bandwidth and transmission speeds to allow future growth, redundancy, and easy expandability. Finally, a robust Network Management System with disaster recovery will be selected to monitor and ensure network reliability.

Proposed Denver Network

The design for Denver network will consist of seamless network integration of 802.1x IEEE 802.1x port-based network access control standard. The advantage of 802.1x is the ability to provide encryption, and 802.1x will allow WAPs and clients to share and exchange WEP encryption keys automatically. (Tech Republic, 2006).

For the enhancement of corporate security, there will be installation of firewall to provide security during data transmission. The proposed Denver will use a local ISP (Internet Service Provider) T1 connection for internet e-mail, ftp and WEB connectivity. Fig 5 provides visual presentation of proposed Denver network.

Proposed Atlanta network

The system network design proposed for Atlanta network will consist of IEEE 802.11a physical layer (PHY), which is an interface between medium access controls. The 802.11a has the capacity of to transmit frames at multiple rates of up to 54 Mbps), its capacity will enhance multimedia transmissions over WLAN networks. See fig 6 for visual illustration of network design. (Troychak, 2002). For the enhancement of security, there will be installation of firewall to protect network from non-trusted network. Typically, protection is essential to prevent a malicious individual to get access into network through third party network, and for adequate protection, installation of Firewalls software can provide adequate protection to network, database, and overall credit card protection.

Moreover, there will be an installation of cryptography technology in order to encrypt all information transmitted during data transmission. This is to ensure that sensitive information do not get into the hand of an unauthorized person.

Transition Plans

There are currently 300 employees at Support center located at Chicago headquarter, 60 have expressed interest to relocate to Dallas to support new operation, 50 employees have also wanted to relocate to Atlanta new location while 40 have decided to move to Denver new location. (See Table 1).

There is indication that there will be increase in the numbers of network users by 6-12% each year, and most of this growth is projected to occur in Chicago, Dallas, and Atlanta operation centers.

Table 1: The following table depicts the planned personnel movement and growth projections.

There will also be relocation of server farm which begin May 1st and complete by December 31^st. This relocation strategy is to ensure that there is no engineering disruption with the AS/400 servers, as well as providing for AS/400 disaster recovery between among the four locations. Thus, the overall critical success is that personnel and equipments are relocated with minimal problems.

WAN Connectivity and Design

The WAN connectivity will be through Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) connection with a data rate of 155 Mbps. For speedy transmission, there is need for fast high-end, multimedia transmissions with ATM. Typically, ATM provides scalability, flexible bandwidth allocation, high bandwidth utilization, and quality of service guarantees. Minimization of fault needs a connection of each ATM by opposite sides of each building. Management of WAN will be based on Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) to allow integration with third party tools.

Backup Strategy

All servers in Chicago and servers to be relocated to Denver, Atlanta, and Dallas, and LAN server in these locations will undergo a complete tape backup process nightly. Tapes are rotated off-site for disaster recovery purposes, and there will be server space to store critical data.

Network Security Plan

Although, Firewall is proposed for the provision of adequate security for the networks, nevertheless, there will also be provision for information security department at each of the four locations. In addition, there is need to procure security specialist for the provision of adequate security for network. AT&T Solutions can perform this important task.

Business Continuity Plan

There is need to develop detailed Disaster Recovery Plans for Chicago, Dallas Atlanta, and Denver based on the fact that current team are ignorant of the disaster recovery for the networks. There is need to procure specialist for this project. AT&T Solutions can perform this important task.

Implementation Plan

Implementation Overview

The network implementation Plan for all our call centers will start from May 1 2010, and a completion date will be April 1, 2011. Changes that may lead to interruption of network service will be minimized and only implemented during weekends as permitted by operational commitments.

Proposed Implementation Plan

Preliminary Activities

Engage AT&T Solutions (4 weeks)

Information Security risk assessment

Information Security Policy creation

Business Continuity Plan

Procure all network hardware and software: routers, firewalls, workstations, servers, cable, and anti-virus. (4 weeks)

Dallas, Denver, and Atlanta LAN Upgrade

Replace the seven Cisco 2613 backbone routers with two Cisco 7507s and configure accordingly. (4 days)

Install and configure Cisco Catalysts 5500 Switch. (1 week)

Install and configure two Cisco Multiplexers (3 days)

Configure end user LANs and workstations (4 weeks)

Create the videoconferencing network segment and deploy the associated equipment. (4 days)

Implement the new Internet DMZ architecture. (1 week)

Reconfigure two Cisco 2613s as screening routers.

Install the Rapid Stream Firewall appliances.

Create new secure DMZ with web server and external mail server

Configure firewall rules

Chicago LAN Implementation

Install two Cisco 7505 backbone routers and configure accordingly. (4 days)

Install and configure Cisco Catalysts 5500 Switch. (1 week)

Establish the routed (data) network (4 weeks)

Install network equipment (routers, switches, workstations, and servers)

Configure end user LANs and workstations (4 weeks)

Create the videoconferencing network segment and deploy the associated equipment. (4 days)

WAN Implementation

• Establish communication links among Chicago, Dallas, Denver, and Atlanta (3 weeks)
• Establish Network Management System (3 weeks)
• Install software
• Network Management Operations training Network Documentation
• Update network diagrams (1 week)
• Update existing Dallas network diagram to reflect implemented changes
• Create new California network diagram to reflect new network
• Create WAN overview diagram to reflect site interconnection and service provider information

System Testing

• Test Network (1 week)
• Conduct point-to-point connectivity checks
• Conduct end-to-end connectivity checks
• Test data flow using transaction generators

References

Aron, J, 2007), Using WAN Acceleration to Improve SQL Performance, Management and Protection, Info Management Direct.

BICSI, (1996), LAN Design Manual  CD-ROM, Issue 1

Cisco system, (2006), IPsec VPN WAN Design Overview, Cisco Systems, Inc.

Cisco, (2009), Introduction to WAN Technologies, Internetworking Technology Handbook, Cisco Systems, Inc

Edraw Soft, (2009), Wide Area Network Technologies Overview, Edraw Soft.

Hellerstein, J, M, Stonebraker, M, Hamilton, J, (2007), Architecture of a Database System, Foundations and Trends in Databases, Vol. 1, No. 2 pp 141259.

Hekmat, S, (2007), Communication Networks, Pragsoft.

Hewlett Packard, (2006), WAN Design Guide The Lower Layers, Procure Networking by HP.

Karygiannis, T, Owens,L, (2002), Wireless Network Security 802.11, Bluetooth and Handheld Devices, National Institute of Standards, and Technology, Special Publication 800-48.

MC technologies, LANPORT WAN ROUTER, MC TECHNOLOGIES GMBH

Michell, B, (2009), Router.

Murhammer M, W, et al, (1999), IP Network Design Guide, IBM Corporation, International Technical Support Organization, International Business Machine.

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