Introduction
Companies are looking for ways to improve their network infrastructure and security controls to meet the demands of their expanding businesses as the technology landscape continues to change. Brown-Rath, a retail company, is having trouble with slow download speeds when accessing a web server outside of the company. To determine whether the issue is internal or external to the company, they need to find a tool. The company also needs to strengthen network security and offer a different network architecture, given that it is anticipated that its size will double over the next five years.
Background
Employees frequently encounter slow download speeds, which can be annoying and time-consuming, when attempting to access web servers. Various networking tools can be used to troubleshoot the issue and determine whether the issue is with the company’s network or the outside world. For instance, a network monitoring tool can be used to track the network’s performance and spot any bottlenecks that might be affecting download speeds (Ayoubi et al., 2018). To find the potential bottleneck, network traffic can be captured and analyzed using a network analyzer tool.
A straightforward and manageable network architecture is aflat design, in which all hosts and servers are connected to the primary router via access points and switches (Abuarqoub, 2020). However, as the business develops and grows, this design may present challenges, including potential network congestion and security risks. As a result, businesses need to think about alternate network architectures that can accommodate growth while preserving the network’s performance and security.
Critical Analysis
Locating the Network
It is critical to determine whether the network issue is internal to the business or external when an employee encounters extremely slow downloading speeds when connecting to a web server via the Internet. In this sense,traceroute diagnostic tool could be used to find the problem(Vermeulen et al., 2022). A traceroute is a tool that sends a number of packets to the target server and counts how quickly it responds at each network hop.
One can identify the network issue by looking at the traceroute results. It might be a problem with the employee’s device or the local network, for instance, if the traceroute results show that the response time is slow at the first hop. On the other hand, if there is a problem with the web server or Internet Service Provider (ISP), the response time is slow at the second or third hop (Greenstein, 2020). Companies can quickly identify network issues and take swift action to fix them by using a network diagnostic tool like a traceroute, which reduces network downtime and boosts overall productivity.
Brown-Rath can locate the problem’s source using a traceroute. The company’s internal network infrastructure may be at fault if the traceroute indicates that the issue is occurring within the company’s network. On the other hand, if the traceroute reveals that the issue is occurring outside of the business’s network, it might be a problem with the web server or the ISP.
Alternative Network Architecture
The network topology at Brown-Rath is currently based on a flat design. This design works well for small networks, but since the company’s size is predicted to double in the next five years, it might not be the best option for their long-term requirements (Abuarqoub, 2020). In order to protect customer data, the business must also strengthen network security.
A hierarchical design is an alternative network architecture that Brown-Rath might take into account. The network is divided into three layers in a hierarchical design: the access layer, the distribution layer, and the core layer (Popa, 2021). End devices like computers and printers are connected to the network by the access layer. The distribution layer connects to the core layer and collects traffic from the access layer (Popa, 2021). The core layer supplies high-speed connectivity between routers and distribution switches, ensuring that the network can handle heavy traffic loads (Popa, 2021).
Conclusion
Finally, Brown-Rath can use a traceroute to identify network issues when accessing web servers outside of the company and encountering slow downloading speeds. The company’s network security and scalability can also be improved, as can performance and resilience, with an alternative network architecture built on a hierarchical design. To meet the demands of their expanding company and keep their competitive edge in the retail sector, Brown-Rath must put these solutions into action.
Reference List
Abuarqoub, A. (2020) ‘A Review of the Control Plane Scalability Approaches in Software Defined Networking’, Future Internet, 12(3). Web.
Ayoubi, S., et al. (2018) ‘Machine Learning for Cognitive Network Management’, IEEE Communications Magazine, 56(1), pp. 158-165. Web.
Greenstein, S. (2020) ‘The Basic Economics of Internet Infrastructure’, Journal of Economic Perspectives, 34(2), pp. 192-214. Web.
Popa, L. (2021) What is hierarchical network design? Web.
Vermeulen, K., et al. (2022) ‘Internet scale reverse traceroute’, Proceedings of the 22nd ACM Internet Measurement Conference, Nice, France. Web.