"Build us a network" is too big
A charity says, "We need computers that work together in our office." Where do you start? There is no way to draw all of it in one go.
Break it into small pieces: who needs what, which kit, which software, which settings and which links. Each piece is easy. Put them together and the design is done.
By the end of this lesson
Note
I can break a brief into hardware, software, settings and connections for each group of users.
Key words
| Word | What it means |
|---|---|
| Decomposition | breaking a big problem into smaller parts you can solve one at a time |
| Network | computers and devices joined together so they can share data |
| Router | a device that passes messages from one network to another |
| Hardware | the physical parts, such as switches, cables and PCs |
| Software | the programs that run on the hardware |
| Setting | a choice you set on a device or a program, such as an address |
| Reusable component | a part you design once and use many times |
| Permission | what a person or group is allowed to do or see |
The cells students fill in are left blank in this preview.
Starter
Have a go
Starter
3 questionsYour answers are marked here and are not kept. A college account keeps every student’s marks.
The brief
Hollin Trust is a small charity. It has 20 office staff, 15 volunteers who share four PCs, and 5 trustees who work from home.
It needs shared files, a printer, Wi-Fi for visitors, safe access from home for the trustees, and a daily copy of its files.
Worked example: parts for each group
| Group | Hardware | Software and settings | Data connections |
|---|---|---|---|
| Office staff | 20 PCs, 1 switch, 1 printer, 1 file server | File sharing with a folder for each team. Printer set up on the server | Wired to the switch |
| Volunteers | 4 shared PCs | A volunteer account with no access to staff folders. Auto sign-out | Wired to the switch |
| Trustees | Their own laptops | A VPN (a safe tunnel across the internet) and a second check at sign-in | Over the internet to the router |
| Visitors | 1 wireless access point | Guest Wi-Fi with a password, kept apart from the office | Wireless |
| Backup | 1 backup drive in another room | A job that copies the server every night | Wired to the server |
The cells students fill in are left blank in this preview.
Check
Have a go
Check
3 questionsYour answers are marked here and are not kept. A college account keeps every student’s marks.