Answer

Designing a Secure Network Architecture for University

Organization Picked for the Proposed Network

Security continues to be a pivotal issue when it comes to designing and deploying an enterprise network. Roozbahani and Azad (2015) assert that with the invention and diffusion of novel technologies such as universal computing, cloud computing, e-commerce, and enterprise mobility, network security remains a significant challenge. According to Ping (2012), campus network serves as a vital component of campus life. Therefore, network security is considered essential for a campus. Despite the significance of network security for campus life, campus network continues to faces tremendous challenges when it comes to addressing core issues associated with security, especially those under the governance of network architecture (Wang, 2014; Ping, 2012). Having a secured network safeguards an institution from cyber security attacks related to network. The e-library, teaching, management, and research are among the departmental activities of a university network, which can result in publishing, as well as linkage with external users. In relation to this, this project will focus on the establishment of a model architecture associated with a university campus network that can be embraced or adapted to establish a robust and flexible network, which responds to the requirements of the next generation.

Overview of the Network

The proposed network architecture will be hierarchically designed, as this is the most common design for enterprise and campus networks. The proposed design will provide a modular topology associated with building blocks that permit easy evolvement of the network. The adoption of the hierarchical network design eliminates the need for wholly-meshed network characterized by the interconnection of all network nodes, as in the case of a traditional design for campus network (Roozbahani & Azad, 2015). The proposed network architecture for campus or university network employs a hierarchical architecture, which is configured with various forms of security issues, thereby ensuring service quality. The arrangement for the proposed network architecture for a university is provided in the figure below:

Figure II: Proposed Secure Design of Campus Network

The proposed network architecture is associated with four primary aspects or components that highlight its significance and need for its adoption. First, the network offers a cost-effective design needed for a secure university network. Second, the network implements firewall meant for external and internal security. Third the network integrated the Virtual Local Area Network (VLANs) for security. Fourth, the network incorporates the use of a virtual private network for branch university or branch campus. 

Roles of Group Members

According to Mir et al. (2014), successful projects are often the outcome of careful planning, collaboration or cooperation of a project’s team or group members, and talent. Projects cannot move forward in the absence of key members owing to the influence of their roles in the projects’ success (Mir et al., 2014). In the execution of the proposed project, members will have different roles. These roles will include contribution to the attainment of the project’s objectives, provision of views or expertise on how the network design should be developed, completion of individual deliverables associated with the project, and documentation of the project’s process. Whereas these roles may be executed by any member of the group, specific roles such as assigning tasks to members, management of project’s deliverables, development of a project plan, leading and managing the project team, and provision of regular updates about the project’s progress to the supervisor will be assigned to the group leader. The group leader will be selected with the group members based on the majority vote system. The selection of the group leader will then be followed by the assigning of various roles to group members.