INTERNETWORKING I

CHAPTER 8 STUDY GUIDE

 

 

What are the three steps in designing a new network?

 

·         Gather information about the organization

·         Do a detailed analysis and assessment of the current and projected requirements

·         Identify resources and constraints of the organization

 

For technical fields, name six things the design process should include:

 

·         Designer (the person doing the design)

·         Client (the person who requested the design)

·         User(s) (people who will be using the network)

·         Brainstorming (generation of ideas for the design)

·         Specifications development (measurements to tell how well the design works)

·         Building and testing (make sure network meets the needs/objectives of the client and standards of industry)

 

Why is documenting the design of a network important?

 

If you have good documentation on hand, it can make it easier to “see” what the network will look like and how it should act before it actually is up and running, it can make troubleshooting much easier after the network is installed and running, it is easier to train new networking administrators/personnel in the network layout if there is documentation available.

 

What are six types of documentation you should create when designing/documenting a network?

 

·         Engineering journal

·         Logical topology

·         Physical topology

·         Cut sheets

·         Problem-solving matrices

·         Labeled outlets

·         Labeled cable runs

·         Summary of outlets and cable runs

·         Summary of devices, MAC addresses, IP addresses

 

What does the TIA/EIA-569 standard describe?

 

How wiring closets are to be arranged in a building and that additional wiring closets are required if a building floor exceeds 1000 square meters.

 

On a three-floor building, what is the minimum number of wiring closets you should have?

 

3

 

What devices can you use to extend beyond the 100-meter cable run limit on Cat 5 UTP?

 

Repeaters, hubs, switches, bridges, routers

 

What are the requirements for wiring closet walls, floors, and ceilings?

 

·         Raised floors or ladder racks

·         Tile or finished surface of floor (concrete)

·         Minimum of 2 walls covered with 20mm A-C plywood that is at least 2.4 m. high

·         MDF with POP should have interior walls covered from floor to ceiling with the above mentioned plywood and a minimum of 4.6 m. of wall space for terminations and related equipment.

·         Fire prevention materials that meet codes (e.g., plywood, paint, etc.)

·         No dropped or false ceilings

 

What are the requirements for wiring closet temperature and humidity levels?

 

·         Air conditioned to keep temperature approximately 21 degrees C when all equipment in operation

·         No water or steam pipes running through closet (except for fire sprinkler)

·         Humidity level between 30-50%

 

What are the requirements for wiring closet power outlets?

 

·         Minimum 2 dedicated, non-switched, AC duplex outlets on separate circuits

·         One duplex power outlet every 1.8 m on each wall 150 mm above floor

·         Wall switch immediately inside door to control room’s lighting

 

What are the requirements for wiring closet location and types of lighting?

 

·         Incandescent is best, but florescent can be used with proper installation

·         Minimum 500 lx brightness (50 foot candles)

·         Fixtures mounted minimum 2.6 m above floor

 

What are the requirements for wiring closet room/equipment access?

 

·         Door width of .9 m minimum

·         Door should swing into the room

·         Lock should be on outside of door

 

What are the requirements for wiring closet cable access and support?

 

·         Hub and patch panel mounted to wall with hinged wall bracket or on distribution rack

·         Hinged wall bracket must be attached to plywood that covers wall surface

·         Distribution rack minimum 15.2 cm wall clearance for equipment, plus another 30.5-45.5 cm.

·         A 55.9 cm floor plate should be used to floor mount the distribution rack

·         If using a cabinet, need at least 76.2 cm clearance in front. Typical cabinets are 1.8 m high by .74 m wide by .66 m deep

What important feature should wall/ceiling openings for conduit have if the conduit contains network cabling?

 

They should be sealed with smoke- and flame-retardant materials that meet all codes.

 

What is a MDF?

 

Main Distribution Facility. It is the main wiring closet of the building.

 

Where should a MDF be located in a single-story building?

 

Near the POP.

 

Where should a MDF be located in a multi-story building?

 

On a middle floor.

 

What is the POP?

 

Point of Presence – where the telephone service enters the building.

 

What is the definition of a wiring closet?

 

The central point of a star topology where the hub is located.

 

How do you determine the location of wiring closets in a building?

 

Draw a floor plan (or get blue prints of the building) approximately to scale. Add all devices that will be connected to the network in the areas where you decide they will be most effective and meet standards.

 

What is a catchment area? How is one created?

 

The area around a hub/wiring closet that does not extend beyond the total cable run length of your media. Catchment areas are created by creating wiring closets.

 

What is an IDF? Where is it located in the building?

 

Intermediate distribution facility. There should be one on each floor and/or within a 1000 sq. meter radius.

 

What is the recommended cabling to use for backbone (vertical) cabling?

 

Fiber optic; 62.5/125 micron multi-mode

 

What is the TIA/EIA standard that specifies backbone cabling?

 

578-A

 

 

 

How should an IDF be connected to a MDF in an extended star topology network?

 

·         Each IDF through its HCC (Horizontal Cross Connect [patch panel]) can be connected directly to the main distribution facility.

·         An IDF may be connected to another IDF and then the second IDF is connected to the MDF. This uses a ICC (Intermediate Cross Connect [patch panel]) to connect to the HCC of the first IDF.

 

What is a HCC?

 

Horizontal Cross Connect is the patch panel located in an IDF.

 

What is a MCC

 

Main Cross Connect is the patch panel located in a MDF.

 

Where would you find each one?

 

See above

 

What is the difference between AC and DC current?

 

DC flows at a constant value when circuits are one; AC rises and falls as power companies manufacture it.

 

What is AC line noise and what is one thing that can compound it?

 

Noise on an AC line that adds unwanted voltages to signals. Poor ground connection can compound it.

 

What is ESD? What can it do to a computer?

 

Electric Static Discharge. It can destroy semiconductors and data.

 

What is the purpose of a safety ground on a computer?

 

It is to prevent metal parts from becoming energized with hazardous voltage, which can result from a wiring fault in the computer.

 

What is the main problem with a large building that has multiple earth grounds?

 

Each earth ground can have a slightly different potential (voltage) to the common and hot wires so outlets are not really grounded.

 

What is the one-hand rule? Why is it a good idea to follow it when working on a computer?

 

When working on a computer (or any electrical device), only touch the device with one hand at a time. This way you won’t accidentally complete a circuit and get a nasty shock.

 

 

 

Is UTP a good conductor of electricity? (yes/no) Why or why not?

 

It’s copper-based, which is an excellent conductor.

 

What would happen if the ground wire for a networking device in one location has a slightly different potential than another device on the same network segment?

 

The closed circuit of UTP cabling would allow electrical current to flow from the negative source to the positive source.

 

What might happen if there is a faulty ground wire at the outlet that is used by a networking device?

 

Potentially fatal voltages between the UTP and the chassis of the device can build up.

 

Does electricity flow from negative to positive or positive to negative?

 

Negative to positive

 

Why is it not a good idea to use copper-based cabling for backbone cabling?

 

It can provide a pathway into the building if struck by lightening.

 

What is a normal mode problem?

 

A situation between the hot and neutral wire.

 

What is a common mode problem?

 

A situation between the hot (or neutral) wire and the ground wire.

 

Which poses the worst problem? Why?

 

Common mode. Because they can go directly to a computer’s chassis (or whatever) without any intervening filter (ground). This allows a common mode problem to cause more signal damage than does a normal mode problem.

 

What is the definition of a power disturbance?

 

Unwanted excess energy sent to electrical equipment.

 

What is a surge? Name at least one situation that could cause a surge.

 

Voltage increase above 110% normal. Lightening is one cause.

 

What is a spike? Name at least one situation that could cause a spike.

 

Impulse that produces a voltage overload, usually lasting a few microseconds. The electric company powering up after an outage is a cause of this.

 

 

What is a brownout? Name at least one situation that could cause a brownout.

 

When 80% less than normal electricity is available. An overloaded circuit can cause a brownout, or the electric company can intentionally cause a brownout (like when too many people are running their air conditioners on a very hot day) to decrease electricity usage.

 

What is a sag? Name at least one situation that could cause a sag.

 

A brownout that lasts less than a second. Depending on the wiring of the building, a sag can happen when the copier runs or a device that pulls a lot of electricity turns on (air conditioner, refrigerator, etc.)

 

What is oscillation? What is another name for this? What is a common cause of oscillation? What is the best way to get rid of oscillation?

 

Electrical noise (interference) on the line. This is also known as harmonics. It is often caused by excessively long electrical wiring runs which act as antenna. The only way to get rid of oscillation is by re-wiring.

 

What is a surge protector used for?

 

To compensate for surges and spikes (well, sometimes surges—depends on how good a surge protector you buy).

 

What is a MOV?

 

Metal Oxide Varistor – a type of surge protector. It redirects excess voltages from spikes and surges to a ground. It can absorb large currents without damage.

 

What is a UPS (not the delivery service!)?

 

Uninterruptible Power Source. It takes care of brownouts and sags by supplying power to the network/device for short periods of time until the electricity flow is back to normal. They often have batteries in them.

 

What is a generator?

 

An uninterruptible power source that can supply power during extended power outages (several hours).

 

Where should a UPS be installed in a network? A generator?

 

·         A UPS should be installed on every file server on the network and on intelligent internetworking devices (routers, switches, and bridges).

·         A generator is installed on primary internetworking devices (e.g., routers, switches) or on the main electrical hook-up of the network so the entire network is available (depends on how much you want to spend!).