GC Packet Tracer Assignment: Campus Network Design

Objective

Design a representative campus network for Georgia College in Packet Tracer, highlighting important buildings and ensuring network connectivity among them.

Guidelines

1. Initialization: Launch Packet Tracer and create a new file. Name it in a manner that helps identify it as your first exercise.
2. Campus Representation: 
   1. Illustrate the Georgia College campus by including essential buildings such as Lanier Hall, Atkinson Hall, A&S, the Library, Beeson Hall, Terrell Hall, Parks Hall, and Herty Hall.
   2. Organize these buildings in a manner that represents their significance or geographical proximity.
3. Main Connectivity:
   1. Introduce a central routing device in the most significant building to act as the main connection point for the campus.
   2. Equip this main router with necessary components/cards to ensure it can connect to each building.
   3. Assign appropriate IP addresses to the main router’s interfaces.
4. Building Infrastructure:
   1. Design the internal network for each building:
   2. Add necessary infrastructure like wiring closets and racks.
   3. Implement a switch in each building for local connectivity.
   4. Label these switches for easy identification.
5. End-User Devices:
   1. Deploy 3-4 computers in each building’s network to represent the end users.
   2. Ensure these devices are connected and configured to interact with the local switch and other network resources.
6. Network Addressing:
   1. Strategically segment and address your network, ensuring each building or segment has its distinct network ID.
7. Dynamic Host Configuration:
   1. Incorporate a DHCP server to manage IP address allocation in the network.
   2. Define DHCP scopes for each building or segment to ensure dynamic IP assignment.
8. Testing & Verification:
   1. Validate the functionality and connectivity of the computers within each building.
   2. Ensure these devices can obtain IP addresses from the DHCP server and access resources within the campus network.
9. Logical View:
   1. Toggle between the physical and logical views to ensure your network is organized, coherent, and represents a logical flow of data.
10. Documentation:
    1. Always annotate or document significant elements of your design for clarity. This will help in reviewing or troubleshooting the network.
11. Final Steps:
    1. Save your Packet Tracer file.
    2. Upload the file to the designated submission point on D2L.

Note: This exercise aims to enhance your understanding of campus network design and let you explore Packet Tracer’s capabilities. While there are guidelines, the exact implementation can vary. Focus on creating a functional, efficient, and logically structured network.

GC Packet Tracer Assignment: Adding Web Services

Objective

Build upon the foundational network you created for Georgia College by introducing key web services and servers.

Guidelines

1. Initialization: Begin by loading the network design you created in the first exercise. Rename and save this version as “Exercise2.pkt” to ensure the original remains unchanged.

2. DNS Configuration:

   • Introduce a new server to the Lanier Hall network. This will serve as the primary DNS for the college; hence, name it “GCSU DNS”.
   • Connect this server to the Lanier Hall network switch and configure its networking parameters.
   • Make sure to set up DNS service records for the upcoming webservers.

3. Web Services Integration:

   • Add three webservers to the Lanier Hall network. These should be labeled:
     • www.gcsu.edu (Main College Homepage)
     • unify.gcsu.edu (Unified Services Portal)
     • frontpage.gcsu.edu (Frontpage News and Updates)
   • Configure networking details for each of these servers.
   • Ensure DNS records are created for each of these domains on the GCSU DNS server.

4. Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) Enhancements:

   • Modify your DHCP scopes/pools to provide the DNS server’s IP address to all network devices dynamically.
   • Refresh or renew IP configurations on all networked computers so that they are updated with the new DNS server details.

5. Web Content Creation:

   • For the main college homepage server (www.gcsu.edu), navigate to its HTTP service and modify the default index.html content. Aim to make it representative of a college homepage. You can refer to basic HTML guidelines as needed.
   • Introduce hyperlinks on this homepage pointing to the other two services. You can use the provided HTML anchor tags:
     • <a href=”http://www.gcsu.edu”>
     • <a href=”http://unify.gcsu.edu”>
     • <a href=”http://frontpage.gcsu.edu”>
   • Similarly, customize the content for the Frontpage and Unify webpages to reflect their intended purposes.

6. Documentation:

   • As you work, make sure to document or label significant additions or changes you make to the network for clarity.

7. Final Steps:

   • Review your enhanced network to ensure all configurations are correct and functional.
   • Save your “Exercise2.pkt” file.
   • Submit the file to the designated “Class Exercise 2” submission area in GaView.

GC Packet Tracer Assignment: Expanding and Optimizing

Objective

Further expand upon the network you’ve developed for Georgia College, emphasizing optimizations and the integration of new requirements from the Arts and Sciences department.

Guidelines

1. Initialization: Begin this assignment by loading your “Exercise2.pkt” file. To preserve the integrity of your previous work, save this as “Exercise3.pkt”.

2. Optimizing Bandwidth:

   • To ensure optimal data transfer rates, confirm that all Ethernet cables connecting the router to switches utilize the GigabitEthernet0/1 ports. If they don’t, reconfigure them to do so.

3. Arts & Sciences Expansion:

   • Room 112:
     • Designate a room in the A&S building as “112”.
     • Populate this room with some PCs. Ensure these PCs are labeled sequentially as “112-1” through “112-##”.
   • Room 115:
     • Designate another room in the A&S building as “115”.
     • Create a small computer lab within by adding some PCs. Label them “115-1” through “115-##”.
   • To accommodate the increase in devices, introduce an additional switch in A&S, naming it “Switch-A&S-2”. Link it to the original A&S switch using a GigabitEthernet port.
   • Ensure all newly-added PCs are connected appropriately to the switches and are configured to obtain IP addresses dynamically from the DHCP service.

4. Wireless Infrastructure:

   • Strengthen the campus’s wireless capabilities by adding an AP-PT wireless access point to every building.
   • Configure these access points with the SSID “GC-Secure” and protect them using WPA2-PSK encryption. Set the passphrase to “Bobcats20”.
   • Introduce laptops in each building and ensure they can connect to “GC-Secure” and successfully obtain an IP address. Additionally, test the wireless signal to confirm coverage throughout the building.

5. Logical Workspace:

   • Navigate to your logical workspace. Given the additions and changes made, ensure your layout is organized, efficient, and easy to understand.

6. Documentation:

   • Make sure to annotate or label any significant network alterations or additions made during this exercise.

7. Final Steps:

   • Conduct a final review of the network to ensure all requirements have been met and configurations are accurate.
   • Save your “Exercise3.pkt” file.
   • Submit your work to the designated “Class Exercise 3” submission area in GaView.

GC Packet Tracer Assignment: West Campus Network

Objective

In this assignment, you will focus on establishing a connection between the GCSU Main Campus and the new GCSU West Campus. This includes setting up infrastructure at the West Campus and ensuring seamless connectivity between the two.

Instructions

1. Initialization:

   • Start by loading your “Exercise3.pkt” file.
   • To maintain the continuity of your work, save this as “Exercise4.pkt”.
   • Review and address any unresolved issues from Exercise 3 before proceeding.

2. Main Campus Updates:

   • In the Physical View, update the name of your Home City to “GCSU Main Campus”.
   • Ensure the NVRAM on your Main Router is saved.
   • In the Logical View, add a Gigabit Fiber optic card to the main campus router.

3. Setting up the West Campus:

   • Add a new city labeled “GCSU West Campus”.
   • Within this city, introduce a new office building called “Wellness Center”.
   • Equip the Wellness Center with a wiring closet and add a rack within it.
   • Place a PT-Empty Router in the wiring closet and rename it “GCSU – West Campus”. Equip this router with a Gigabit Fiber card (accessible from the physical tab).
   • Link the West Campus router to the main campus router using a fiber optic cable.
   • Configure the fiber ports on both routers using addresses from the 10.0.0.0 network. Clearly label this network in the Logical View.

4. Wellness Center Infrastructure:

   • Add a switch labeled “Switch-WC” to the Wellness Center and connect it to the GCSU – West Campus router.
   • Introduce a PC named “WC-PC1” to the Wellness Center, linking it to “Switch-WC”.
   • Assign the ethernet on the Wellness Center router a default gateway address from the 172.16.0.0 network. Configure “WC-PC1” with a static IP from the same network, making sure to specify the default gateway.

5. Network Connectivity and Services:

   • Test the connection by pinging the DHCP server located on the main campus.
   • Implement RIP protocols on both routers to ensure data routing between the two networks.
   • On the main campus DHCP server, establish a new pool for the 172.16.0.0 network, naming it “serverPool-WC”. Exclude a few addresses for potential static assignment needs at the Wellness Center.
   • Utilize the ip helper command on the GCSU – West Campus router to relay DHCP requests from the Wellness Center to the main campus DHCP server.
   • Verify connectivity by attempting to ping other GCSU networks from the Wellness Center.

6. Documentation and Submission:

   • Review your network for any discrepancies and ensure all requirements are satisfied.
   • Save your finalized “Exercise4.pkt” file.
   • Submit your work in the “Class Exercise 4” folder within GaView.

GC Packet Tracer Assignment: Fiber Upgrade

Objective

As part of this assignment, you’ll be tasked with transitioning the GCSU network infrastructure from traditional Ethernet to more modern Gigabit Fiber connections. This involves the systematic replacement and upgrade of switches across all facilities.

Instructions

1. Initialization:

   • Load the “Exercise4.pkt” file to maintain consistency in your work.
   • Immediately save this working session as “Exercise5.pkt”.
   • As always, ensure that any unresolved issues from Exercise 4 are addressed before you proceed.

2. Upgrading Switches:

   • Start with the Lanier Hall:
     1. Introduce a 3650-24PS switch and name it “ML-Switch-Lanier”.
     2. Utilize the open SFP port slots by adding Gigabit Fiber Optic port modules to each of the four available spaces.
     3. To ensure switch reliability, equip it with two AC Power Supplies for power redundancy.
     4. Transfer the Ethernet connections from the existing switch over to “ML-Switch-Lanier”.
     5. On the Main Router, swap out the existing Gigabit Ethernet interface card dedicated to Lanier Hall, replacing it with a Gigabit Fiber interface card. Now, establish a connection between the Main Router and “ML-Switch-Lanier” using a fiber optic cable.

3. Campus-wide Implementation:

   • Implement the process outlined in step 2 for each building on the GCSU network. This will ensure all campus facilities benefit from the fiber upgrade.
   • After successfully transitioning all connections, remove the legacy switches from the network setup, effectively completing the upgrade process.

4. Documentation and Submission:

   • Prior to submission, review your entire network for possible inconsistencies. Ensure that all building networks are functioning optimally post-upgrade.
   • Save the updated “Exercise5.pkt” file.
   • Finalize the assignment by uploading your work to the “Class Exercise 5” directory within GaView.

GC Packet Tracer Assignment: Email Service

Objective

This assignment focuses on establishing a centralized email service for the GCSU network. Through this exercise, you’ll add, configure, and test an email server, ensuring seamless communication between users across different buildings.

Instructions

1. Initialization:

   • Load “Exercise5.pkt” to retain progress continuity.
   • Rename your session as “Exercise6.pkt”.
   • Address and resolve any lingering issues from Exercise 5.

2. Setting Up the Email Server:

   • In the Lanier Hall datacenter, introduce a new server, naming it “GCSU EMAIL”.
   • Incorporate this server into the DNS service using the identifier: email.gcsu.edu.
   • Navigate to the EMAIL services tab on the server:
     1. Ensure the email service is active.
     2. Assign the network’s domain name to the Domain Name field.
     3. Create user accounts for Bryan, Tanya, Caroline, Kevin, Brad, Paige, and Janet, setting the password for each account as “12345”.

3. Configuring Email on Client Systems:

   • On a computer located within the Library network:
     1. Access Email via the Desktop tab.
     2. Fill in Bryan’s details using the provided domain, server names, and credentials.
   • Proceed similarly for a computer in Atkinson Hall, but input Kevin’s details instead.

4. Testing Email Communication:

   • From Kevin’s email setup, draft and send an email addressed to Bryan.
   • Ensure that the email is both sent without errors and received correctly on Bryan’s end.

5. Enhancing Security:

   • Review all servers across the network.
   • Disable any unnecessary services for each server to improve security. For instance, deactivate the HTTP service on the DHCP server.

6. Finalization:

   • Double-check all implemented configurations.
   • Save your work as “Exercise6.pkt”.
   • Conclude by uploading the saved file to the “Class Exercise 6” directory within GaView.

1. Initialization:
   • Load your “Exercise6.pkt” file to ensure continuity in your progress.
   • Save the session as “Exercise7.pkt”.
   • Address and resolve any issues stemming from Exercise 6.
2. Secure Unused Ports:
   • Inspect the network and identify all unused Ethernet ports.
   • Deactivate these ports to prevent unauthorized access. There are two ways to do this:
     1. Graphical User Interface (GUI): Use the switch or router GUI to navigate to the ports section and deactivate the unused ones.
     2. Command Line Interface (CLI): Drawing from your Chapter 6 labs, utilize the range command to efficiently deactivate multiple ports in succession. For instance:
        • interface range GigabitEthernet0/1 - 24 shutdown
3. Verification:
   • Once all unused ports are deactivated, navigate through the network and confirm that all active devices remain connected and operational.
4. Finalization:
   • After verifying that only necessary ports are active, save your work as “Exercise7.pkt”.
   • Conclude by uploading this saved file to the “Class Exercise 7” directory in GaView.

GC Packet Tracer Assignment: Datacenter Redundancy

Objective

With concerns about potential data loss in the event of a disruption to Lanier Hall, this exercise focuses on the establishment of a redundant datacenter within the Library. The aim is to ensure the seamless continuation of network services even if primary servers at Lanier Hall become non-operational.

Instructions

1. Initialization:

   • Begin by launching the “Exercise7.pkt” file to ensure continuity in your network simulation.
   • Save this session immediately as “Exercise8.pkt”.
   • Rectify and resolve any persisting issues that arose from Exercise 7.

2. Establish a Redundant Datacenter:

   • Duplicate each server you currently have on the Lanier Hall network within the Library network. Label these servers similarly to their Lanier Hall counterparts but append a “2” at the end (e.g., “GCSU DHCP” becomes “GCSU DHCP2”).
   • Assign static IP addresses to these servers, making sure they’re appropriate for the Library network.
   • Carefully mirror the service settings from the primary Lanier Hall servers to their Library counterparts. This ensures congruency in operation. Here’s what you need to keep in mind:
     • DHCP2 Server: Should seamlessly hand out IP addresses in the event the primary DHCP server falters.
     • DNS2 Server: Should resolve domain names if the primary DNS server becomes unavailable.
     • Website Server: Ensure its content matches the original such that users experience no change even if the original server goes offline.
   • Test the redundancy:
     • Temporarily deactivate the original servers on the Lanier Hall network.
     • Check to confirm that all network hosts can still fully utilize the network’s resources without interruption.

3. Verification:

   • Your assignment will be deemed successful once it’s evident that the redundant datacenter in the Library can wholly take over network services if the Lanier Hall datacenter experiences a disruption.

4. Finalization:

   • After validation, save your work as “Exercise8.pkt”.
   • Finish by uploading this saved file to the “Class Exercise 8” directory in GaView.