Looking for network admins (corporate)

[flipz]

hey everyone. so im finishing up my network administration degree this quarter, and im in a class called "advanced networking topics."

for my final project, i have to pretend like i am a consultant company desigining a network from the ground up for a college. i have to figure everything from how much cable to run, to what software to run on the servers, how to link the campuses/buildings, and even what ports to open on the firewalls!!!

i have a lot of experience with home and very small business networks, but i have not actually done anything on a corporate level. i have taken all sorts of classes now, but i haven't actually had the experience to see it live.

i was wondering if anyone can link me to any websites or offer on help with my project.

here are the details:

Your consulting team has been awarded a contract to provide technical consulting services to a community college. [blah blah blah]. The college is now ready to "start from scratch" (we are assuming they have nothing to start with).

My projects details:
-Approximately 6000 students
-4 seperate campuses
-Campuses are 100 miles apart
-3 buildings per campus (all are 2 story buildings)
-3 computer labs per building (25 computers per lab)
-100 administrative PCs and 100 faculty PCs

i need to price out computers, routers, switches, servers, etc. and like i said, i need every detail from what brands/models to buy of all that stuff, all the way down to the dimensions of the server room!

so if anyone can provide me with any help/tips on magazines to look at, websites to look at, or anything of the sort... please help!! i have to create a whole report and give a 30 minute presentation.

thanks!!!

-flipz/brent

 

[Guest]

ask my brother

he is certified with network+ and a+ and a whole lotta other things


ill get his email asap

 

[Jchillin]

Flipz, just let me wish you good luck. My company has a contract with IBM who provides all the hardware you are referring to. Several of my IBM colleagues have discussed those avenues with me and I believe their site can provide much of the info you need.

http://www.ibm.com/largeenterprise/us/

The other thing you will need is LAN connections. You may want to check the resources pages at AT&T and Verizon.

Once again, good luck!

 

[thanew]

hrm... a lot of schools, atleast here, use dell because they get like a 10% discount... check on their website...

ibm has some servers... as for routers and the such, check out www.mwave.com / www.pricewatch.com

as for computer labs, here we have one mac lab, dual g4s, one regular dell lab, with just regular dell computers, and then workstations for the programming / cis stuff, with dual xenon procs, etc...

as for the wiring and all that, there are the standards which you may (should have) covered

 

[czcz]

www.cisco.com

Suggest you consider WLAN for building to building, PDC per campus, LAN-LAN VPN between campuses. Each computer lab can be wired to hub, different subnet from admin/faculty PCs. If 6k students matter, suggest you force them to use RADIUS+VPN on student-specific WLAN, or if you want open network do it on a bandwidth and permission limited subnet. For money and one-box solution sake suggest you use a *nix box per building and just set IPTABLES, FreeRADIUS, and OpenVPN with native router and four NICs there (VPN/WAN, Admin/Faculty,Labs, WLAN). Keeping subnets separate will simplify life when it comes to firewall and routing permissions/lets you put print servers wherever client needs it on the assumption that anyone on that subnet has permission for printer/so on, and will keep hardline connections secure from wireless net. Also adaptability and quicker start-up may help your presentation. If your goal is low bid but feature-rich and "secure" network, *nix should be your platform IMO.

HTH

 

[fishfreek]

Flipz, If you need school specific info jsut give me a buzz on PM. I have been employeed in the IT department of a college for 9 years.

Most of our servers are Dell's and the others are SUN. Our main backbone network runs on cisco equipment but the rest of the network is built on AllideTelesyn (sp?). The reason is Cisco is over priced by about 250%. An example a few years ago we wanted to add 16mb of ram to an internet router. Cisco wanted $700 (after our 33% rebate) for the 16mb upgrade chip. Same thing from another source was under $50. Thats an example of how over priced they are but some times you need a feature/function that only they offer.

In addition to the normal network routers and switches we have a device called a PacketShaper installed to control and limit internet usage. We have been using HP printers but slowly we will not be moving over to Dell printers. An ROI study showed the Dells to be cheaper to purchase, operate and maintain. No brainer to drop HP and go with Dell on the printers. We have standarized on Dell for desktops. We budget between $1100 and $1200 per CPU for our annual computer purchases.

Between our buildings we run Single mode and Multi mode fiber. This fiber supports the tcp/ip network as well as the ID card system. In addition to the fiber we have 1/2" coax and between 100 and 400 pair phone cable (depending on needs).

Within the buildings we use fiber between data closets when buildings have more than one. Most colleges and universities dont have the luxary of having all new construction so most of the buildings will be retrofited with wiring so existing data closets are hard to get to be proper size with proper heating/cooling and lighting.

We always request in new construction a wiring closet that is no smaller than 6'X6' square with AC vents and no heating vents. We also request that it be fed with electrical on its own circut and we key the door to a key that only the IT staff have. Access control is very important.

To each desktop we run 2 cat-5e, 1 cat3 and 1 RG59. We do not use Cat-6 because of cost. Unlike 'for profit' businesses colleges see no real revenue from the IT expense's so most administors see IT departments as a huge sespool of expense.

PM if you need more info on any specific item. I might be able to dig up an RFP for some construction projects recently completed if you want to see that. Footages will depend on every building and every drop. Often you cant get between point A and point B in a stright line due to having to always work in older buldings that where built prior to computers and the need for data cabling.

 

[Guest]

Flipz, If you need school specific info jsut give me a buzz on PM.

lol someone needs a spell checker



thats the forst spelling error i noticed that fishfreek made

 

[An t-iasg]

Good luck, flipz! You're getting into a good field.

I actually understood some of that stuff 8O -- my husband is a network designer. Definitely check out the Cisco website.

 

[Menagerie]

I don't understand any of it, but wish you the best of luck!