BIT233: Network Design
Assignment 2 (30%)
Total 20 Marks
Due Date: Week 12
Assignment Overview
This assignment focuses on observing network performance and restrictions using a production network monitoring tool within a virtual environment. You are required to set up a virtual environment with a minimum of three virtual machines, including network monitoring software, and demonstrate five network monitoring features. Marks will be awarded based on the sophistication and complexity of the demonstrated tasks
Assignment Tasks:
1. Setup and Installation:
· Download and install a hypervisor with virtual machines.
· Install legally available network monitoring software (e.g., Nagios, Zabbix, Spiceworks).
2. Network Monitoring Demonstration (3x5 = 15 Marks):
Record a video demonstrating five tasks the software can perform.
Here are examples of five tasks that can be demonstrated using network monitoring software:
1. Device Discovery and Inventory Management:
· Show how the software automatically discovers devices connected to the network.
· Demonstrate how to view and manage the inventory of devices, including details such as device type, IP address, and status.
2. Real-time Monitoring and Alerting:
· Showcase the software's ability to monitor network traffic in real-time.
· Set up alerts for specific events such as high bandwidth usage or device downtime.
· Show how alerts are triggered and how administrators are notified.
3. Performance Monitoring and Reporting:
· Display the software's performance monitoring features, such as tracking CPU, memory, and disk usage.
· Generate reports illustrating historical performance data over time.
· Explain how these reports can be used for capacity planning and troubleshooting.
4. Configuration Management and Change Tracking:
· Illustrate how the software tracks changes to network device configurations.
· Show how administrators can compare current configurations with previous versions and roll back changes if necessary.
· Highlight the importance of configuration management for maintaining network security and stability.
5. Network Mapping and Visualization:
· Use the software to create visual maps of the network topology.
· Show how devices are interconnected and how traffic flows through the network.
· Explain how network maps aid in understanding network architecture and identifying potential bottlenecks or vulnerabilities.
3. Help Desk Implementation (3x5 = 15 Marks)
· Implement a Help Desk software (e.g., OTRS).
· Demonstrate three tasks using the Help Desk software.
Here are examples of three tasks that can be demonstrated using Help Desk software:
1. Ticket Creation and Management:
· Show how users can submit tickets for IT-related issues or requests through the Help Desk software.
· Demonstrate the process of creating a new ticket, including providing details such as the issue description, category, and priority.
· Illustrate how administrators or support staff can view and manage tickets in the system, including assigning tickets to specific technicians, updating ticket status, and adding notes for communication.
2. Automated Ticket Routing and Escalation:
· Showcase the Help Desk software's automated ticket routing capabilities based on predefined rules or criteria.
· Provide an example of how tickets are automatically assigned to appropriate support groups or technicians based on factors such as the type of issue, location, or priority.
· Demonstrate how the software escalates tickets to higher-level support personnel or management if they are not resolved within specified timeframes or if certain conditions are met.
3. Knowledge Base and Self-Service Portal:
· Highlight the Knowledge Base feature of the Help Desk software, which allows users to access articles, FAQs, and troubleshooting guides to resolve common issues independently.
· Show how administrators can create and maintain a repository of knowledge articles within the Help Desk system.
· Demonstrate the self-service portal where users can search for solutions to their problems before submitting a ticket, reducing the workload on support staff and improving efficiency.
4. Summary and Reporting (6 Marks):
· Summarize your findings from the network monitoring and Help Desk implementation.
· Present the results in a 3-6 page report.
5. Notes and Resources
You may use any of the legally available software. Additional marks may be gain by using advance techniques not taught in the laboratories. The following are suggested:
· Zabbix http://www.zabbix.com/download
· Nagios (www.nagios.org) (you will need to install agents)
· Spiceworks (Windows only, put in the computer name instead of IP address)
· Pandora
· Any Linux Distribution (distrowatch.com)
The following resources may be of use:
· Textbooks
· Youtube Videos: CBT Nuggets, HakTip, SeurityTube
Plagiarism
All used sources must be properly acknowledged with references and citations, if you did not create it. Quotations and paraphrasing are allowed but the sources must be acknowledged. Failure to do so is regarded as plagiarism and the minimum penalty for plagiarism is failure for the assignment. The act of given your assignment to another student is classified as a plagiarism offence. Copying large chucks and supplying a reference will result in zero marks as you have not contributed to the report. Copying from Youtube or other videos is also plagiarism (including transcripts). Citation in a video can be included as credits at the end.
ASSESSMENT OVERVIEW AND FEEDBACK SUMMARY
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All assessments (except for final examination) and feedback are provided via the Moodle site and in classes.
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Assessment Tasks:
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Due Date
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SLOs
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CLOs
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Weight
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Comments/Description
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Test:
A 30-minute test on basic networking and design principles.
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Week 5
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1
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1
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10%
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Individual
(equivalent to 500 words)
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Video Presentation:
A 10-minute video on the implementation and optimisation of a virtual network with a production firewall, observing network performance and restrictions.
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Week 8
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3, 4
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1, 2, 3
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20%
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Individual
(equivalent to 1,000 words)
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Report:
The design and implementation of a virtual network, observing network performance, network parameters and traffic restriction, using a network traffic monitor.
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Week 12
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2, 3, 4
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1, 2, 3
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30%
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Individual
(equivalent to 1,500 words)
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Examination:
A 2.5-hour examination on knowledge and application of network design.
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End of semester
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1-4
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1, 2, 3
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40%
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Individual
(equivalent to 2,000 words)
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Due Date & Submission
The report is due in week 12. Please see MOODLE for the exact times.
By the due date, you must submit:
1. Name your file with your student number and name.
2. Upload to MOODLE
3. Fail to submit will result in a fail.
Late submission of assignments will be penalised as follows:
· For assignments 1 to 5 days late, a penalty of 10% (of total available marks) per day.
· For assignments more than 5 days late, a penalty of 100% will apply.
Your submission must be compatible with the software (PDF/Word) in Melbourne Polytechnic, Computer Laboratories/Classrooms.
Extensions: Under normal circumstances extensions will not be granted. In case of extenuating circumstances—such as illness—a Special Consideration form, accompanied by supporting documentation, must be received before 3 working days from the due date. If granted, an extension will be only granted only by the time period stated on the documentation; that is, if the illness medical certificate was for one day, an extension will be granted for one day only. Accordingly the student must submit within that time limit.
Penalties may apply for late submission without an approved extension.
Penalties: Academic misconduct such as cheating and plagiarism incur penalties ranging from a zero result to program exclusion.
Marking criteria:
Marks are allocated as indicated on each question, taking the following aspects into account:
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Aspects
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Description
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Analysis (if appropriate)
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Investigation, comparison, discussion
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Explanation/justification
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Description/answer to the question
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Presentation
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Inadequate structure, careless presentation, poor writing
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Reference style
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Proper referencing if required
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Plagiarism
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Copy from another student, copy from internet source/textbook, copy from other sources without proper acknowledgement
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Marking Rubric for Exercise Answers
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Grade
Mark
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HD
80%+
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D
70%-79%
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CR
60%-69%
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P
50%-59%
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Fail
< 50%
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Excellent
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Very Good
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Good
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Satisfactory
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Unsatisfactory
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Analysis
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Logic is clear and easy to follow with strong arguments
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Consistency logical and convincing
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Mostly consistent and convincing
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Adequate cohesion and conviction
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Argument is confused and disjointed
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Effort/Difficulties/
Challenges
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The presented solution demonstrated an extreme degree of difficulty that would require an expert to implement.
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The presented solution demonstrated a high degree of difficulty that would be an advance professional to implement.
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The presented solution demonstrated an average degree of difficulty that would be an average professional to implement.
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The presented solution demonstrated a low degree of difficulty that would be easy to implement.
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The presented solution demonstrated a poor degree of difficulty that would be too easy to implement.
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Explanation/
justification
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All elements are present and well-integrated.
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Components present with good cohesion
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Components present and mostly well integrated
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Most components present
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Lacks structure.
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Reference style
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Clear styles with excellent source of references.
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Clear referencing/ style
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Generally good referencing/style
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Unclear referencing/style
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Lacks consistency with many errors
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Presentation
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Proper writing. Professionally presented
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Properly spoken, with some minor deficiencies
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Mostly good, but some structure or presentation problems
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Acceptable presentation
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Poor structure, careless presentation
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