1 IT 340 Final Project Guidelines and Rubric O.docx

1
IT 340 Final Project Guidelines and Rubric
Overview
A computer network is the foundation of every organization’s
information technology (IT) infrastructure. Computing networks
provide the backbone and
framework for running business applications, sharing content,
communication, and collaboration. In your assessment in this
course you will take on the role of a
junior network administrator, with responsibility for managing,
supporting, and recommending networking solutions. Within
this role, you will create a report
for the senior administrators, based on the scenario provided in
which the organization is looking to expand to a new location.
While writing your report you will
apply networking concepts, fundamentals, and troubleshooting
skills in developing recommendations to a real-world scenario.
This report provides an
opportunity for you to illustrate critical thinking in evaluating
and solving networking business requirements that would assist
in meeting organizational goals
and objectives.
The Project in Context: Course Learning Objectives and the
Newton Ad Agency: There are two key contexts that should help
to guide your work in this project.
The first is the function of this project in the organizational

culture and business drivers of your imagined employer,
Newton Ad Agency. Be sure to carefully
review the scenario below to help you formulate your
recommendations.
The second key context is your learning in the whole of this
course. This project has been selected and developed in part
because it allows you to directly
address the following course outcomes:
informing optimal support practices
hes to network problems for
informing potential solutions to network errors and ensuring
rapid resolution
support business goals and objectives
-world situations for
informing management and upgrade suggestions
As you can see, these outcomes ask you to relate your scholarly
engagement with networking theory and practice to specific
business cases. In your final project,
this connection comes to life in your recommendations for
networking a new office for Newton Ad Agency.
You will work toward a successful final project throughout the
course, most notably through the completion of two milestones,
which will be submitted at
various points throughout the course to scaffold learning and
ensure quality final submissions. In Milestone One, due in
Module Three, you will draft the

introduction of the project and the first section of the body.
This milestone will address key considerations for network
design and local area network (LAN)
topology. In Milestone Two, due in Module Five, you will draft
additional sections of the project. These sections are on the
selection of an internet service
provider and networking considerations that include hardware
and software selection, printer configuration, and bandwidth.
The final project itself will include
revised versions of your work on these milestones, as well as
additional work on network errors and a conclusion to the
project. The final project is due in
Module Seven.
2
Scenario: The Newton Ad Agency: Take a close-up look at the
Newton Ad Agency scenario for this project, which will also be
used throughout the course.
The Newton Ad Agency is an advertising firm with offices in
Austin, Texas; Minneapolis, Minnesota; and New York City,
New York. The offices in
Austin include a headquarters and a satellite office located two
miles away in a rural area.
The Austin headquarters is home to the executive team and 750
employees. The headquarters also stores the corporate data and
is the corporate
internet backbone. It hosts the IT department that centrally
manages all LAN services, including the wireless LAN. The IT

department also manages
the wide area network (WAN) that connects all of the offices
via site-to-site virtual private network (VPN) tunnels.
The Minneapolis and New York offices host about 200
employees each. Approximately 50% of these employees are
mobile (i.e., travelling more
than 80% of the time). The New York office focuses on
producing and disseminating large advertising media content to
clients. For this reason, the
New York office hosts the corporate media and web servers.
The rural satellite office in Austin focuses on billboard ad
designs and is connected to
the corporate WAN with a wireless point-to-point bridge to the
Austin headquarters data center. The rural office is home to 100
employees.
To hire and retain the best talents, Newton Ad Agency allows
employees to work from home. This removes the constraint that
employees have to
live within commuting distance from the firm’s offices. Remote
and mobile employees are provided access to the corporate
network via a VPN
client. The VPN client requires employees to have access to
reliable internet services to allow for effective collaboration
across teams, and for
access to media content. The company provides all employees
with a laptop with full disk encryption, data loss prevention
(DLP), and antivirus
software. The IT department manages all corporate laptops and
has the ability to log into all systems for support. This means
that all laptops are
centrally managed by the one IT department.
Due to an increase in opportunities for expansion to new
markets, Newton has embarked on an initiative to hire and train

new college graduates to
support the company’s Vision 2020 program. Vision 2020
focuses on global expansion. The initiative is to hire graduates
into the marketing,
finance, and IT departments.
Final Project: New Location Network: You were hired as part of
the Vision 2020 program and have been working at Newton for
some time now. You have spent
a considerable portion of your time troubleshooting and
analyzing the organization’s computer network to keep it
running smoothly. Your direct supervisor and
lead network administrator have been very impressed with your
skills and fast learning abilities. In order to determine if you are
ready to take on more
responsibility, you have been asked for your input in regard to
the new office location setup project.
Newton is considering adding a new office and is exploring
potential locations in Tacoma, Washington; Rochester, New
York; or Fayetteville, North Carolina. Your
task is to choose one of the possible locations and deliver a
report to the team with key considerations and recommendations
for the setup of the network
infrastructure at the new office. This office will be home to 50
employees, including the new executive vice president of sales
and marketing. All the possible
sites have offices located on the third floor of an office building
with access to fiber, cable, and T1 internet service providers. In
addition to the standard
3

network, the site must support live video teleconferencing calls
with employees based at the other sites, as well as reliably send
print jobs to billboard printers
located in the satellite office in Austin.
Prompt
How would you approach setting up the network at the location
you have selected? What considerations are key in informing
the systems and resources
necessary to meet the organization’s needs and support the
business goals and objectives?
Specifically, the following critical elements must be addressed:
I. Introduction: Summarize the key considerations of the
project, being sure to identify your chosen location. For
example, what are the “must haves?”
What are the constraints?
II. LAN Topology
A. Describe possible LAN topologies that could be used at the
new location.
B. Compare the identified LAN topology possibilities based on
their relative strengths and weaknesses in regard to support
practices.
C. Based on your comparison, determine the appropriate LAN
topology for this location to allow for optimal support practices.
Be sure to explain your
reasoning.
III. Internet Service Provider (Note: This section is based on
research into actual providers at the office location that you

select.)
A. Explain key considerations for identifying an internet service
provider for the new location.
B. Compare at least two internet providers available in the
location you have chosen in regard to speed, security, and
reliability. Be sure to address
how these specifics would impact business goals and objectives.
C. Based on your analysis, determine the appropriate internet
provider for this location to meet the business goals and
objectives. Be sure to explain
your reasoning.
IV. Additional Considerations: In this section, you will address
the accompanying considerations for the network based on the
needs of the new office
location.
A. Make appropriate hardware and software recommendations to
meet the needs of the new office location. Be sure to explain
your reasoning.
B. Make appropriate printer configuration recommendations to
meet the distance printing needs of the new office location. Be
sure to explain your
reasoning.
C. Make appropriate bandwidth and device recommendations to
meet the teleconferencing needs of the new office location. Be
sure to explain your
reasoning.
V. Potential Errors: In this section, you will discuss common
network errors and how your recommendations will minimize
and address these issues.

A. Based on your previous recommendations, describe common
network errors that the new location may encounter.
B. Describe effective troubleshooting approaches to the errors
you identified.
C. Explain how the approaches you described would ensure
rapid resolution of the errors. Be sure your response is specific
to the business location.
VI. Conclusion: Summarize your recommendations for the new
location, being sure to support your suggestions using
networking concepts.
4
As you develop your work, continue to look back on and
consider each of these key elements. Remember, writing is a
process that unfolds over time, and
typically requires reconsideration and revision of key element.
Milestones
Milestone One: Final Project Sections I and II
In Module Three, you will submit sections one and two of the
final project. Section one is the introduction section. Section
two covers LAN topography. This
milestone will be graded with the Milestone One Rubric.
Milestone Two: Final Project Sections III and IV
In Module Five, you will submit sections three and four of the
final project. Section three focuses on the selection of an
internet service provider. Section four
focuses on hardware and software recommendations and printer

configurations and bandwidth. This milestone will be graded
with the Milestone Two Rubric.
Final Submission: Networking Recommendations for Newton
Ad Agency
In Module Seven, you will submit your final project. It should
be a complete, polished artifact containing all of the critical
elements of the final project. It should
reflect the incorporation of feedback gained throughout the
course. This submission will be graded with the Final Project
Rubric.
Rubric
Guidelines for Submission: Your report must be 3 to 5 pages in
length. Use double-spacing, 12-point Times New Roman font,
one-inch margins, and APA
formatting.
Instructor Feedback: This activity uses an integrated rubric in
Blackboard. Students can view instructor feedback in the Grade
Center. For more information,
review these instructions.
Critical Elements Exemplary (100%) Proficient (85%) Needs
Improvement (55%) Not Evident (0%) Value
Introduction
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
summary demonstrates a

complex grasp of the
considerations necessary
when adding to a network
Summarizes the key
considerations of the project
and identifies a new location
Summarizes the key
and identifies a new location,
but summary is cursory or
inappropriate
Does not summarize the key
6
http://snhu-
media.snhu.edu/files/production_documentation/formatting/rubr
ic_feedback_instructions_student.pdf
5
LAN Topology: LAN
Topologies
description demonstrates a
nuanced understanding of
network infrastructures

Describes possible LAN
topologies that could be used
at the new location
Describes possible LAN
topologies that could be used
at the new location, but
descriptions is cursory or
contains inaccuracies
Does not describe possible
LAN topologies
8
LAN Topology: Strengths
and Weaknesses
comparison demonstrates a
complex grasp of the
differences between LAN
topologies
Compares identified LAN
topology possibilities based
on relative strengths and
weaknesses in regard to
support practices
Compares identified LAN
topology possibilities based
on relative strengths and
weaknesses, but comparison

is illogical, lacking in detail, or
Does not compare identified
LAN topology possibilities
8
LAN Topology: Optimal
Support
explanation demonstrates
insightful awareness of the
connection between network
topologies and support
practices
Determines the appropriate
LAN topology for the location
to allow for optimal support
practices and explains
reasoning
Determines LAN topology for
the location, but topology is
not appropriate or
explanation contains gaps in
logic or accuracy
Does not determine the LAN
topology for the new location
8

Internet Service
Provider: Key
Considerations
explanation demonstrates an
considerations necessary to
meet the needs of the new
location
Explains key considerations
for identifying an internet
service provider for the new
location
Explains considerations for
identifying an internet service
provider for the new location,
but explanation is cursory,
illogical, or contains
inaccuracies
Does not explain key
considerations for identifying
an internet service provider
for the new location
6
Internet Service
Provider: Speed,
Security, and Reliability

comparison demonstrates an
insightful awareness of how
speed, security, and reliability
relate to business goals and
objectives
Compares at least two
internet providers available in
the location chosen in regard
to speed, security, and
reliability, addressing the
impact on business goals and
objectives
Compares at least two
internet providers, but
comparison is cursory,
illogical, or contains
inaccuracies
Does not compare at least
two internet providers
6
Internet Service
Provider: Business Goals
and Objectives

connection between internet
service providers and business
goals and objectives
Determines an appropriate
internet provider for the
location to meet the business
goals and objectives and
explains reasoning
Determines an internet
provider for the location, but
provider is not appropriate or
explanation contains gaps in
logic or accuracy
Does not determine internet
provider for location
6
6
Additional
Considerations:
Hardware and Software

astute ability to align
hardware and software to the
needs of business locations
Makes appropriate hardware
and software
recommendations to meet
the needs of the new office
location, and explains
reasoning
Makes hardware and software
recommendations, but
hardware and software is not
appropriate, or explanation
contains gaps in logic or
accuracy
Does not make hardware and
software recommendations
6
Additional
Considerations: Printer
Configuration
astute ability to align printer
configuration and the distance
printing needs of the new
office location

Makes appropriate printer
configuration
recommendations to meet
the distance printing needs of
the new office location, and
explains reasoning
Makes printer configuration
recommendations, but printer
configuration is not
accuracy
Does not make printer
configuration
recommendations
6
Additional
Considerations:
Bandwidth
astute ability to align
bandwidth and devices to the
teleconferencing needs of the
new office location
Makes appropriate bandwidth
and device recommendations
to meet the teleconferencing

needs of the new office
location, and explains
reasoning
Makes bandwidth and device
recommendations, but
bandwidth or devices are not
accuracy
Does not make bandwidth and
device recommendations
6
Potential Errors:
Network Errors
description demonstrates an
insightful awareness of
common network errors
Describes common network
errors that the new location
may encounter based on
previous recommendations
Describes common network
errors that the new location
may encounter, but
description is cursory or

Does not describe common
network errors
8
Potential Errors:
Troubleshooting
approaches demonstrate a
sophisticated grasp of
effective troubleshooting
practices
Describes effective
troubleshooting approaches
to identified errors
Describes troubleshooting
approaches to identified
errors, but description is
cursory or approaches are not
effective for identified errors
Does not describe
troubleshooting approaches
to identified errors
8
Potential Errors: Rapid
Resolution

explanation demonstrates a
nuanced understanding of
how to ensure rapid
resolution when
troubleshooting potential
errors in business networks
Explains how the described
approaches would ensure
rapid resolution
Explains how the described
approaches would ensure
rapid resolution, but
explanation is inappropriate
for the business location or
Does not explain how the
described approaches would
ensure rapid resolution
8
7
Conclusion
support demonstrates a
complex grasp of network

concepts
Summarizes
recommendations for the new
location, supported with
application of network
concepts
Summarizes
location, but support is
cursory, inappropriate, or
illogical
Does not summarize
location
6
Articulation of Response Submission is free of errors
related to citations, grammar,
spelling, syntax, and
organization and is presented
in a professional and easy to
read format
Submission has no major
errors related to citations,
grammar, spelling, syntax, or
organization
Submission has major errors
spelling, syntax, or
organization that negatively

impact readability and
articulation of main ideas
Submission has critical errors
spelling, syntax, or
organization that prevent
understanding of ideas
4
Total 100%
Name: Module 03 Course Project Rubric
· Grid View
· List View
Needs Development
Novice
Competent
Proficient
Spreadsheet only contains necessary fields
Points:
10 (10%)
Points:
20 (20%)
Points:
35 (35%)
Points:
50 (50%)
Spreadsheet has new sheet labeled "Module 03 Explanation"
Points:
1 (1%)
Points:

4 (4%)
Points:
7 (7%)
Points:
10 (10%)
Module 03 Explanation tab includes how fields are useful or
unnecessary for classification of data
Points:
10 (10%)
Points:
15 (15%)
Points:
25 (25%)
Points:
35 (35%)
Spreadsheet submitted as Excel file
Points:
2 (2%)
Points:
3 (3%)
Points:
4 (4%)
Points:
5 (5%)
Module 03 Course Project - Data Retrieval
Use the 2014 Fourth Quarter spreadsheet for this deliverable.
Take the original spreadsheet and delete the columns that will
not be necessary in your analysis.
In the same Excel spreadsheet, create a new tab called "Module
03 Explanation". In the Module 03 Explanation tab, provide an
explanation on the fields that you will use and the fields that
you eliminated. What was your reasoning?

Submit the edited spreadsheet with only the fields you will use
to determine if the sales consultants are in policy.
Submit your completed assignments to the drop box below.
Please check the Course Calendar for specific due dates.
Save your spreadsheet as a Microsoft Excel. (Mac users, please
remember to append the ".xls" extension to the filename.) The
name of the files should be your first initial and last name,
followed by an underscore and the name of the assignment, and
an underscore and the date. An example is shown below:
October 2014Sales System NumberDate of SaleExtract
DateSales Consultant IDSC Last nameSC First
NameStateOfficeRegion TerritoryTax TypeTotal ContractsTotal
SalesTotal Cancellations265801-
201411110/1/1411/1/1435353356RuccoAdriano
FNYMANHATTANNORTHDOWNSTATE NEW
YORKW210$30,291.001265801-
201411110/1/1411/1/1466464667WiareCarol
P.GAATLANTASOUTHATLANTA-NORTH
GEORGIAW24$39,999.000315320-
201411110/3/1411/1/1457575758FrankBenjaminFLMIAMIFL/H
ISOUTH FLORIDA109911$92,829.001265980-
201411110/3/1411/1/1475265980ManuterVictorNYMANHATT
ANNORTHDOWNSTATE NEW YORKW24$44,255.002329247-
201411110/5/1411/1/1483748200TravasFrancisco ATXEL
PASOSOUTHSAN ANTONIO10990$0.000399053-
201411110/10/1411/1/1426354410SmithDebbieFLMIAMIFL/HI
SOUTH FLORIDA10995$20,100.001407197-
201411110/11/1411/1/1433407197HestonKelly
LARArkansasSOUTHWESTARKANSAS10990$7,881.00040788
6-201411110/12/1411/1/1440278386NovaJeremy
SARArkansasSOUTHWESTARKANSAS10991$10,000.0004107
18-201411110/13/1411/1/1441107218BusterJacqueline
MMSTri-

StateSOUTHWESTMISSISSIPPI109911$83,641.005265005-
201411110/14/1411/1/1426150025JonesJenniferNYMANHATT
ANNORTHDOWNSTATE NEW YORKW213$0.0013265288-
SOUTH FLORIDA10990$0.000265440-
SOUTH FLORIDA10997$44,242.000265778-
201411110/20/1411/1/1426356778DimitEnriqueFLMIAMIFL/HI
SOUTH FLORIDAW21$555.000265758-
201411110/20/1411/1/1426457518HansenVanessaNYMANHAT
TANNORTHDOWNSTATE NEW
YORKW29$80,000.000265068-
201411110/20/1411/1/1426520168VegaWilliamNYMANHATTA
NNORTHDOWNSTATE NEW YORKW210$45,000.000265609-
201411110/20/1411/1/1426526109PeriterEugeneNYMANHATT
ANNORTHDOWNSTATE NEW
YORKW225$54,535.000265862-
201411110/25/1411/1/1412658262WeareverErickNYMANHATT
201411110/25/1411/1/1426161204UarlikeYaniri
ANYMANHATTANNORTHDOWNSTATE NEW
YORKW24$14,344.000265823-
201411110/25/1411/1/1426531823NayenAliciaILCHICAGONO
RTHILLINOISW21$6,566.000330618-
201411110/26/1411/1/1433011618KiteDavid
NKYLOUISVILLESOUTHKENTUCKY10991$250.000332509-
201411110/26/1411/1/1433255099YorkAlex
VNYMANHATTANNORTHDOWNSTATE NEW
YORKW216$50,000.001333704-
201411110/28/1411/1/1433233704AmisherAisha
TNYBRONXNORTHDOWNSTATE NEW
YORK10990$321.000407148-
201411110/28/1411/1/1443207148BushDouglas
BARArkansasSOUTHWESTARKANSAS10993$600.000265752-
201411110/30/1411/1/1426325752ReganAndres

YORKW213$72,990.000265848-
201411110/30/1411/1/1426621106JustinMicah RaeLANEW
ORLEANSSOUTHLOUISIANAW27$35,000.000266106-
201411110/31/1411/1/1433135393WilliamsClarence
PKYLOUISVILLESOUTHKENTUCKY10999$21,222.000
November 2014Sales System NumberDate of SaleExtract
201411111/1/1412/1/1426354410SmithDebbieFLMIAMIFL/HIS
OUTH FLORIDA10995$20,100.001265068-
201411111/2/1412/1/1433407197HestonKelly
LARArkansasSOUTHWESTARKANSAS10990$0.000265288-
201411111/2/1412/1/1440278386NovaJeremy
40-201411111/2/1412/1/1441107218BusterJacqueline MMSTri-
201411111/3/1412/1/1433011618KiteDavid
201411111/4/1412/1/1433255099YorkAlex
YORKW29$30,000.001265609-
201411111/5/1412/1/1466464667WiareCarol
GEORGIAW21$550.000265758-
201411111/5/1412/1/1435353356RuccoAdriano
YORKW23$10,300.000265778-
OUTH FLORIDA109914$1,000.0013265862-
SOUTH FLORIDAW21$5,000.000266104-

OUTH FLORIDA10997$500.000330618-
201411111/8/1412/1/1426531823NayenAliciaILCHICAGONOR
THILLINOISW21$3,000.000407197-
201411111/10/1412/1/1433233704AmisherAisha
YORK10990$0.000407886-
201411111/10/1412/1/1443207148BushDouglas
BARArkansasSOUTHWESTARKANSAS10993$0.000265801-
201411111/11/1412/1/1426526109PeriterEugeneNYMANHATT
YORKW216$20,000.000265801-
201411111/12/1412/1/1426457518HansenVanessaNYMANHAT
TANNORTHDOWNSTATE NEW
YORKW22$1,010.000265980-
201411111/16/1412/1/1457575758FrankBenjaminFLMIAMIFL/
HISOUTH FLORIDA109911$500.0010315320-
201411111/17/1412/1/1426161204UarlikeYaniri
YORKW24$10,000.000407148-
201411111/29/1412/1/1426150025JonesJenniferNYMANHATT
6-201411111/30/1412/1/1426325752ReganAndres
YORKW25$20,000.000331393-

ORLEANSSOUTHLOUISIANAW22$1,000.000
December 2014Sales System NumberDate of SaleExtract
201411112/1/141/1/1526354410SmithDebbieFLMIAMIFL/HISO
UTH FLORIDA10990$0.000265288-
201411112/1/141/1/1540278386NovaJeremy
18-201411112/1/141/1/1526621106JustinMicah RaeLANEW
ORLEANSSOUTHLOUISIANAW210$0.0010265609-
201411112/2/141/1/1566464667WiareCarol
GEORGIAW29$7,000.003265440-
201411112/3/141/1/1541107218BusterJacqueline MMSTri-
UTH FLORIDA10991$500.000333704-
201411112/4/141/1/1557575758FrankBenjaminFLMIAMIFL/HI
SOUTH FLORIDA10999$2,000.005331393-
201411112/6/141/1/1526150025JonesJenniferNYMANHATTAN
NORTHDOWNSTATE NEW YORKW218$7,000.005265823-
UTH FLORIDA109914$1,000.0013407886-
201411112/9/141/1/1526526109PeriterEugeneNYMANHATTA
201411112/9/141/1/1526161204UarlikeYaniri
YORKW24$10,000.000399053-
201411112/10/141/1/1533255099YorkAlex

YORKW29$30,000.001265778-
201411112/12/141/1/1535353356RuccoAdriano
YORKW23$10,300.000265801-
201411112/13/141/1/1526457518HansenVanessaNYMANHATT
YORKW218$7,000.0010332509-
YORKW216$20,000.000265068-
201411112/15/141/1/1533407197HestonKelly
LARArkansasSOUTHWESTARKANSAS10990$0.000329247-
201411112/19/141/1/1533011618KiteDavid
201411112/20/141/1/1526325752ReganAndres
YORKW216$20,000.000265862-
SOUTH FLORIDAW21$5,000.000265848-
7-201411112/23/141/1/1533233704AmisherAisha
YORK10991$0.000330618-
ANNORTHDOWNSTATE NEW YORKW216$20,000.000

1 IT 340 Final Project Guidelines and Rubric O.docx

1 IT 340 Final Project Guidelines and Rubric O.docx

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