The learning center at International Paper no longer has an internet connection, making it impossible to access online training materials. Departments have moved meetings to other rooms, negatively impacting plant performance. The network administrator and author developed a plan to give the learning center wireless internet and intranet access within two weeks, allowing employee meetings and training to return to the intended space. The proposal compares router options and selects a switch that meets the company's security and network needs within budget.

1. International PaperRenovating the Learning Center Internet ConnectionBy: Guy Foreman2010

2. Abstract Internal Paper’s learning center is no longer a place where employees are taught and trained about safety. The learning center has no internet connection which makes it impossible to connect to the company’s intranet to access learning material. Departments no longer gather in the learning center, instead they have move to other rooms and have caused negative results in plant performance. The plant’s network administrator and I have done research and developed several plans that will give the learning center a way to connect to the intranet, internet, and allow wireless connections when needed. We have determined that after this proposal has been approved work can begin in two weeks. The purpose of this is to move employee meetings back to the learning center where learning and training was intended to be.

3. Report The learning center was designed to be a place where plant employees learned new aspects of jobs, performed safety training, and gathered for company meetings.

4. The company has placed all valuable and undisclosed files on the intranet. This was done to provide a secure place to store files and make them accessible to most employees.

5. During the time period when the learning center was built there was not a need for internet use in the building because all learning and training was done from books. Every since the company decided to put all training material online, the use of the learning center has declined.

6. One of the reasons this company has survived for so long is because we have constantly found a way to be cost efficient and be a low cost producer.

7. We are spending double the money now to fund our monthly training because the weekly safety meetings are usually held an hour before second shift starts. The only available place to meet is the maintenance MWS room which is occupied from 2:00 pm until 4:00 pm. With this in mind, employees have to come in 2 hours early or stay over 2 hours late.

8. The company has mandatory OSHA training that must be taken 4 times a year by all employees. Classroom #4 in the learning center has 20 computers that could be used by employees to take the OSHA test.

9. There have been several times when defective paper has been produced due to the computers not monitoring the paper machines because they were being used for test purposes.

10. Router Comparison ChartMethods

11. I considered several things including the number of ports, our network speed, and power over internet, and switch type. The most valuable feature that this switch adds to the business is Quality of service (QoS).

13. The FS726TP offers the security features, network speeds, and the Quality of Service features that will ensure that this will meet the company’s security policies. The 24 ports add the ability to easily add another switch, a router, an IP camera, or even VOIP phone service.

14. ConclusionWe have put together this plan that would have cost over $3500 by an outside contractor for under $1000. Not only is this plan two thirds cheaper than an outside contractor would have done it for, but it also will be ready for future additions the company if the decides.