Case study

Introduction
IFSM 370 Project 3: Case Study Instructions
This is an individual project. The target audience will be the organization’s senior leadership, the founders. The Case Study deliverable is an MS Word document.
The completed Case Study deliverable is due by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on the due date shown in the Course Schedule. See the Additional Information section of the syllabus for the penalty for late or missed assignments and projects.
The Case Study is valued at 10% of the course grade.
Case Study
Company Overview
FractalApps is a software development start-up. It was founded by three friends who went to undergrad school together at the University of Maryland. They founded their startup recently and set up headquarters at the condo of the two founders in Washington, DC. They have focused their attention on mobile app development and have developed and successfully marketed a popular app for job seekers. Now they are expanding their company into a full-fledged software development house.
They have recently received a cash infusion from an angel investor in Silicon Valley and are ready to build out their business. Their plan is to have three locations: a small headquarters in DC where the founders and senior staff reside, a sales office based in NYC (Brooklyn), and a development house in San Francisco where the bulk of the developers live and work.
They are looking for you to develop a network design for their business. They are seeking a standardized LAN design (using consistent hardware/software) for the three offices, and a cost-effective WAN design that allows all of their staff to communicate and collaborate quickly, efficiently, without a lot of network delay. The network should support both their voice and data needs.
Further, they require a secure way for mobile workers to remote in to the network and participate as if they were in the office. Many of the sales staff are in the field, as well as the development staff who want to be able to work practically anywhere. A VPN solution is what they are seeking but need guidance on what the hardware/software requirements are.
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The Deliverable
IFSM 370 Project 3: Case Study Instructions
Using this case study, you are to identify a minimum of five (5) requirements, analyze them, and offer a proposal that provides FractalApps with a converged network solution and explains how the components of the solution, and the solution as a whole, meet the identified requirements. The proposed solution must address each of the requirements identified. At least one network diagram must be incorporated to illustrate your proposed solution. You should do some research to address the cost issues and defend the proposed solution from a cost-benefit perspective. This is to be a general analysis of the benefits versus the cost of a converged network, not a full cost-benefit analysis with cost data.
Your plan and network diagram(s) includes three locations and how they interconnect: a small headquarters in DC where the founders and senior staff reside, a sales office based in NYC (Brooklyn), and a development house in San Francisco where the bulk of the developers live and work.
In your plan and diagram(s) you don’t need to specify the number of workers or workstations in each location, but you need to address the number of locations and type of network connections and support they need. The number of employees working at or through (remotely) for any location is not known and can be represented as a small office group in each location.
Note: At least one network diagram must be incorporated to illustrate your proposed solution in Project 3.
Please provide descriptive headings for each of the following four main topic criteria (not the items in the rubric).
1. Identify five specific business requirements that relate to the design and implementation of the network.
2. Define the cabling for the local area network(s); define the network components in the local area network and explain your reasoning for selecting each of these.
3. Define the wide area network infrastructure (technology); define the network components in the wide area network and explain your reasoning for selecting each of these.
4. Define the VPN components (hardware/software) for the organization. Explain what components go where, and what is required on the mobile devices. Justify your recommendation.
Your deliverable will be a 4 – 5-page Microsoft Word document. The page count includes the diagram(s) but does not count the cover page and references page. At IFSM 370 Project 3: Case Study Instructions least two (2) external sources (other than the assigned readings and other course materials) must be used, and citations and references must be in APA format.
Your paper will be scored according to the Scoring Rubric below. Be sure you have incorporated all required aspects of the assignment.
RUBRIC AND FORMAT:
Requirements Analysis
Analysis covers five requirements, defining them and providing explanations of each; and demonstrates understanding of course concepts, analysis, and critical thinking.

-Intro

-LAN Technology Solution
An appropriate technology solution is provided and thoroughly explained. It addresses all identified requirements.

-WAN Technology Solution
An appropriate technology solution is provided and thoroughly explained. It addresses all identified requirements. Communications component layout is appropriately integrated in the architectural diagram. Work demonstrates understanding of course concepts, analysis, and critical thinking.

-VPN Technology
An appropriate technology solution is provided and thoroughly explained. It addresses all identified requirements.

-Ending Summary

External Research
More than two sources other than assigned course readings or materials are incorporated and used effectively.

Document Format
The document reflects effective organization and correct sentence structure, grammar, and spelling; it is presented in a professional format; it incorporates illustrations or diagrams; and references are appropriately incorporated and cited, using APA style.