LAN Proposal

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LAN (Local Area Network) Proposal, Revised Fall 1995 (Incomplete)

by Roy H. Campbell and Members of CS 490
Network Protocols The Wire Network Topologies Hubs and Routers Conceptual Diagram Conceptual Diagram (multi-story building) Recommendations: Horizontal Wiring EIA/TIA Horizontal Wiring Standards Example: Mellon Building Mellon Building Cost Estimate (excluding router) Glossary

Network Protocols
A network protocol is a method used to transport information. Each protocol has a certain capacity at which it can transfer information. This capacity is usually denoted using Mbps or Kbps You can think of a protocol's capacity to be the cross sectional of a pipe.

Why would we want greater capacity? New applications employing pictures, animations, audio and/or video require greater network capacity. The 'pipe' is shared. ATM is different. Using ATM every user can take advantage of the entire 155 Mbps. What protocol is appropriate for the schools needs? Plan to use ATM in the future Ethernet is the short term solution Why not use ATM now? It is a new technology and, at this time, it is cost prohibitive to configure every desktop machine for ATM.

The Wire
Like the network protocols, wire has a rated capacity.

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The capacity of the wiring must meet or exceed that of the protocol that it will be carry. UTP Level 5 meets or exceeds the capacity of all the current protocols. AT&Tand Beldin have tested UTP Level 5 at 622 Mbps and 1 Gbps What about coaxial cable EIA/TIA no longer has a standard for co-ax EIA/TIA adopted UTP as the standard for copper wiring. Why not use fiber? Fiber does have its advantages has a very large capacity impervious to EMI and RF interference Can cover a greater distance The disadvantages of fiber include: the fiber is expensive the interface cards are expensive What are the recommendations Use UTP Level 5 use fiber where distance > 90 meters and/or EMI could cause problems

Network Topologies
There are a number of network topologies

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LAN Proposal The star and hierarchical star topologies are the most robust Ethernet and ATM over UTP require the star topologies

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Hubs and Routers

What is a hub? a hub acts as a multiport repeater anything it receives on one port is repeated to all other ports the network is analogous to a party line What is a router? a router acts as a traffic cop. Each message is only broadcast over the network segment that it has permission to travel over. Why would you want to use a router? A router allows you to segment the network this reduces the number of devices on a network segment it also reduces collisions it protects data traveling over the network What are our recommendations? Every school should have a router the network in the school should be broken down into at least 3 segments (requires 3 hubs) one segment would be used for the administration offices one segment would be used for the classrooms one segment would contain the shared resources for the administration and classroom and also any servers (email, etc.) that will need access to the outside world Each lab should have its own hub To reduce support costs: standardize the hubs and routers throughout both districts routers have management software, the hubs should too

Conceptual Diagram
Based on the recommendations, the conceptual design of a network would be:

Conceptual Diagram (multi-story building)

A network for a larger building may look like: Note the fiber backbone used for the vertical wiring.

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Recommendations
The Wire Adopt EIA/TIA guidelines Install UTP Level 5 for horizontal wiring. Use fiber for backbone (vertical) wiring. Wiring a building Hubs and Routers Every school should have a router The network in the school should be broken down into at least 3 segments (requires 3 hubs) one segment would be used for the administration offices one segment would be used for the classrooms one segment would contain the shared resources for the administration and classroom and also any servers (email, etc.) that will need access to the outside world Each lab should have a hub To reduce support costs: standardize the hubs and routers throughout both districts routers have management software, the hubs should too

Horizontal Wiring
General recommendations for horizontal wiring Adopt EIA/TIA standards Use level 5 hardware - wall jacks, etc. Always use cable trays Classrooms: Minimum 2 drops per room 1 drop can be used for Ethernet and the other to support localtalk devices. It is better to initially place more drops into a room if it is known that more than 2 devices will be resident in each room. The wire can be left unconnected until such time that it is needed. Leal's technology plan calls for 3 computers in each classroom. Running 4 drops into each classroom would be appropriate. If additional jacks are needed, solutions include Four or 8 port dumb hubs (ethernet or localtalk) Using the cable trays and running additional wire. Preferable to have them in same location. We felt the front of the room was appropriate. Labs Two drop minimum Will require a hub for each lab secure area to house hub. Possible to place the lab's server in same location. http://srg.cs.uiuc.edu/schools/rc-lan.html 3/18/2012 10:32:48 AM

LAN Proposal Wiring Offices Two drops near phone jack Meeting Rooms: Treated in the same manner as classrooms Minimum of 2 drops in each location Libraries: Treated in the same manner as labs The number of computers and peripherals dictate that most libraries have a hub.

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EIA/TIA Horizontal Wiring Standards

A network infrastructure based on the standards developed by the Electronics and Telephone Industry Associations will meet your needs for many years into the future. The standards define the maximum length of the cable runs: 100 meter maximum between network devices (i.e.. hub and computer) No more than 90 meters between wall jack a crossconnect equipment in wiring closet. No more than 3 meters from the wall jack to the network device (computer, printer, etc.) Is it wise not to follow EIA/TIA standards? While ethernet can propagate over a distance greater than 90 meters, installing cable with runs over 90 meters will not allow you to migrate to newer network protocols as they become cost effective. Anything installed using the EIA/TIA standards will remain compliant with any new network technologies It's wise to do it right the first time. Wiring usually accounts for less than 5 Studies have shown that wiring, done incorrectly, accounts for nearly 70 all down time.

Example: Mellon Building

Mellon Building Cost Estimate (excluding router)

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Glossary
EIA - Electronics Industry Association. Standards setting body for the electronics industry. FDDI - Fiber Distrubuted Data Interface. Recently developed standard for transfering data at 100 Mbps over fiber-optic cable. CDDI - FDDI standard over copper. Collision - A collision occurs when two devices on the same network segment attempt to simultaneously transmit. hub - acts as a multiport repeater. See multiport repeater. multiport repeater - a repeater operates at the electrical level, it boosts any signal it receives on a port and transmits on all other ports router - acts as a traffic cop. Each message is only broadcast over the network segment (port) that message has permission to travel over. topology - a physical layout TIA - Telephone Industry Association. Standards setting body for the telephone industry.
Edited 3.15.97 Leah J. West

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