Networks Case Study 1 (Wired)
Introduction
Customer required capacity for 200 computers in 6 separate buildings to share an Internet connection, mail server and document storage facility.
Overview
The customer was a private school based in a converted Victorian stately home. The outbuildings were old servant quarters and stables and had been converted into class rooms.
The layout of the buildings meant that there was no easy way of installing the cable in a neat and tidy fashion.
The main challenge was how to achieve connectivity between all of the buildings without digging up the brand new car park.
There was a possibility the school would implement a video streaming facility to assist teachers in the next 12 months which required good uninterrupted throughput otherwise the video would lag and judder.
Added to this was another possibility of upgrading their telephone system to a VOIP solution.
They required the new network to be able to cope with anything they threw at it for the next 10 years.
Implementation
We installed a high capacity network device called a switch in a central location where the server was based.
The new switch allowed us to combine several connected cables to form a single extremely fast cable to the outbuildings.
We ran 2 cables to each outbuilding across the tops of walls and existing telegraph poles using high quality armoured external grade cable.
Each combined cable when running normally allowed for lots of throughput. If any of the cables failed the other cable could sense a problem and seamlessly take over.
To comprehensively make sure good quality connectivity was maintained and to compensate for any new technology each switch had a priority service function. If they wanted to dedicate more capacity to a certain device such as their video streaming facility this could be programmed via technology calls QoS (Quality of Service).
We used slim line structured plastic trunking throughout the school to minimise the amount of drilling etc needed for each network point. As a result the the buildings original features remained unscathed.
