ASSIGNMENT #04

GROUP MEMBERS:
FA23-CVE-011 AHMED SHAKEEL,
FA23-CVE-054 AHMAD ALI,
FA23-CVE-031 M USMAN,
FA23-CVE-042 ALI RAZA SHAH

DATE :20 JUN 2025

COURSE: AICT
SUBB TO : DR. KANWAL

CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT , CUI WAH CAMPUS

ShopSmart Network Redesign Proposal
1. Analysis of ShopSmart's Current Network

As the IT Manager, I've identified that ShopSmart's current basic star topology, connecting 50
employees to a central router, is insufficient for our planned growth to 100 employees and increased
e-commerce demands.

1.1. Limitations of the Current Star Topology:

Single Point of Failure: The central router is a critical bottleneck. Its failure would halt all online
sales, internal communications, and database access, posing an unacceptable risk to our business
continuity.

Limited Scalability: The finite port capacity of a single router means we'll quickly run out of
connections when doubling our workforce, necessitating disruptive and costly upgrades.

Performance Bottleneck: All network traffic converges at the central router. As user activity and data
volume increase (e.commerce, internal applications, database queries), this becomes a severe choke
point, leading to network slowdowns and poor responsiveness.

Poor Troubleshooting & Management: Without proper segmentation, diagnosing performance issues
is challenging. All devices are on a single logical network, making it difficult to isolate problems,
apply targeted policies, or manage traffic effectively.

2. Proposed New Topology: Hierarchical Star

I propose a transition to a Hierarchical Star topology, also known as a Hybrid Star-Bus. This design
uses a layered approach with dedicated switches at different levels (Core, Distribution, Access) to
build a robust, high-performance, and highly scalable network.

2.1. Key Components and Rationale:

The Hierarchical Star topology introduces a structured network where devices are connected through
multiple layers of switches:

Access Layer Switches: These are at the edge, connecting end-user devices (employee PCs, printers,
IP phones, wireless access points). They provide dedicated bandwidth to each device.

Distribution Layer Switches: These aggregate traffic from the access layer switches. They are critical
for implementing VLANs (Virtual Local Area Networks) for logical network segmentation and
applying network policies like Quality of Service (QoS).

Core Layer Switch/Router: This is the high-speed backbone of the network, connecting distribution
layers and providing routing to the internet and other external networks.

This layered approach offers significant advantages:

Enhanced Scalability: New employees are easily integrated by adding more access layer switches,
which then connect to the distribution layer. This modularity allows for growth to hundreds of
employees without ovErhauling the core infrastructure.

Superior Performance: Traffic is distributed, reducing congestion points. High-speed uplinks (e.g.,
Gigabit or 10 Gigabit Ethernet) between layers ensure ample bandwidth for all operations, including
demanding e-commerce transactions and database interactions.

Improved Management & Troubleshooting: The segmented nature of the network (via VLANs)
localizes issues, making fault isolation much faster. Managed switches provide detailed diagnostics
and centralized configuration capabilities, simplifying overall network management.

Cost-Effectiveness: While initial investment is higher than a single router, it allows for phased capital
expenditure. We only expand access layer capacity as needed, optimizing long-term costs.

3. Justification of Choice

The Hierarchical Star topology is the optimal choice for ShopSmart's current needs and future
ambitions:

Addresses Current Limitations: Unlike the single point of failure in our current star, the layered design
provides redundancy and distributes load, significantly enhancing network resilience and preventing
company-wide outages.
Supports Growth & Performance: It directly supports our plan to double the workforce by providing
ample connection points and scalable bandwidth. It ensures that critical e-commerce operations,
internal communications, and database access remain fast and reliable even under increased load.

Impact on Troubleshooting & Management: The logical segmentation (VLANs for Sales, IT, etc.)
makes troubleshooting highly efficient, as problems are confined to specific segments. Centralized
management tools and detailed logging capabilities of managed switches will allow for proactive
monitoring and streamlined policy deployment.

4. Diagram: Proposed Network Topology

Below is a conceptual representation of the Hierarchical Star topology. It illustrates the structured,
layered approach to network design.

+-----------------------+

| **Internet** |

+-----------+-----------+

| (High-Speed WAN Link for external connectivity)

+-----------v-----------+

| **CORE LAYER** |

| (Main Router / L3 Switch) |

| (High-Capacity Backbone) |

+-----------+-----------+

| (Aggregated High-Speed Uplinks, e.g., Fiber Optic)

+-----------v-----------+

| **DISTRIBUTION LAYER**|

| (L3 Switches for VLANs, Routing) |

 | (Aggregates Access Layer Traffic) |

+-------+-------+-------+

| | |

| | | (High-Capacity Links)

| | |

+--------v-------+-------v--------+

| **ACCESS LAYER** |

| (Multiple L2 Switches) |

| (Connects End Devices, e.g., per Dept/Floor) |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

| | | | | | | |

| | | | | | | | (Standard Ethernet Cabling)

v v v v v v v v

[PC] [PC] [Server] [Printer] [AP] [IP Phone] [PC] ...

(Diverse End-User and Network Devices)

Key Components in the Diagram:

Internet: ShopSmart's external connectivity for online sales.

Core Layer: The central, high-speed routing hub of the internal network.

Distribution Layer: Acts as a traffic aggregator and defines logical network segments (VLANs).

Access Layer: Provides direct network access to all employee workstations, servers, and other
devices.

5. Scalability for Future Growth

The Hierarchical Star is designed for robust and flexible scalability:

Accommodating More Employees & Devices: We can easily add new employees by deploying
additional Access Layer Switches in their respective areas and seamlessly connecting them to the
Distribution Layer. This allows for growth well beyond 100 employees.

Handling Increased Traffic: If bandwidth demands rise, we can upgrade the uplink speeds (e.g., from
1Gbps to 10Gbps) between the Access, Distribution, and Core layers. Redundant links can also be
added for increased capacity and resilience.

Expanding to New Locations: New branch offices or warehouses can be integrated into the network
by establishing their own Distribution and Access Layers, connecting back to the main Core via
secure Wide Area Network (WAN) links (e.g., VPNs or dedicated lines).

Integrating New Technologies: The modular design readily supports the integration of new
technologies like IP telephony, advanced wireless solutions, or cloud services without requiring a
complete network overhaul.

This strategic network evolution will provide ShopSmart with a high-performance, resilient, and
future-proof infrastructure vital for its continued success and expansion in the e-commerce market.