← WA Computer Science ATAR Unit 1

Factors that affect network design

The needs and limits, such as cost, performance, reliability, security, scalability and user needs, that decide which devices, cables and layout a network should use.

Part of: WA Computer Science ATAR Year 11 — Network Communications — Module 85

Understanding Factors that affect network design in WA Computer Science ATAR Unit 1

What it does: The bandwidth needs of applications shape the design, so the code sets high bandwidth for a demanding application. Ethernet cable weakens over about 100 m, so the physical layout of the site affects which cable the design uses. Cost and budget limit which cables and devices a designer can pick. A good design meets the needs at an affordable price, not the highest price. The number of users and devices affects design. Planning for growth is called scalability, for example by choosing switches with spare ports. Applications such as video streaming need a lot of bandwidth. The designer must make sure the network can carry the combined demand.

Common mistakes: The cost and budget limit must be stored with = (assignment). == compares values, so budget is never created and the program fails. It should be budget = 8000. The if statement that adjusts the design for the number of users is missing its colon. It should be if users > 200:.

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Learning

Duo

A school has a small budget for a new computer lab network. Which design choice is driven by cost?

Choosing the most expensive equipment so the network is as fast as possibleChoosing cheaper Ethernet cable and an unmanaged switch instead of fibre and high-end gear

Matches

design = cheapest_option # ignore users

↓

Only cost is considered. The design ignores user needs, performance and reliability, so the network may be too slow or fail often.

Applying

Meanings

Term

network design factors

Meaning

The needs and limits, such as cost, performance, reliability, security, scalability and user needs, that decide which devices, cables and layout a network should use.

Practice

budget ← 8000

Testing

Gaps

IF totalCost budget THEN

Check Answer

Spots

1budget == 8000

2cost = 9500

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Quick Questions

1. A school has a small budget for a new computer lab network. Which design choice is driven by cost?

A. Choosing the most expensive equipment so the network is as fast as possible

B. Choosing cheaper Ethernet cable and an unmanaged switch instead of fibre and high-end gear ✓

Cost and budget limit which cables and devices a designer can pick. A good design meets the needs at an affordable price, not the highest price.

2. A company expects to grow from 20 to 200 staff over the next three years. Which factor should the designer focus on?

A. Latency, because more staff always means slower ping times

B. Scalability, so more devices can be added without rebuilding the network ✓

The number of users and devices affects design. Planning for growth is called scalability, for example by choosing switches with spare ports.

3. A workshop floor has heavy machinery that produces a lot of electrical interference. Which cabling is the better design choice?

A. Fibre optic cable, because it is not affected by electrical interference ✓

B. Unshielded copper cable, because it is cheaper and interference does not matter

The physical environment shapes the design. Fibre uses light, so it is not affected by electrical interference the way copper cable is.

4. A design team is planning for 100 students who will all stream HD video at once. Which factor matters most here?

A. The bandwidth needs of the application, which decide the network capacity required ✓

B. The colour of the cables, because it affects video quality

Applications such as video streaming need a lot of bandwidth. The designer must make sure the network can carry the combined demand.

5. Which statement about the number of users and devices is correct?

A. More users and devices need more ports, more capacity and often more access points ✓

B. The number of users has no effect on which devices a network needs

Each extra device uses ports or wireless connections and shares bandwidth, so the number of devices changes what equipment is needed.

Match the Pairs

budget = 5000 → Sets a cost limit that restricts which devices and cables can be chosen

users = 250 → Records how many people and devices the network must support

Applications such as video streaming need high bandwidth, so the design must provide enough capacity → if app == "video": bandwidth = "high"

The physical environment can rule out some options, so a long distance between buildings suggests fibre cable → if distance > 100: cable = "fibre"

design = cheapest_option # ignore users → Only cost is considered. The design ignores user needs, performance and reliability, so the network may be too slow or fail often.

plan = buy_equipment # no support, no growth → Maintenance, support and scalability are ignored, so the network is hard to repair and cannot grow with more users.

Key Term

network design factors

The needs and limits, such as cost, performance, reliability, security, scalability and user needs, that decide which devices, cables and layout a network should use.

Fill in the Blanks

1. IF totalCost > budget THEN chooseCheaperCable() END IF

Hint: Type the comparison operator that checks whether the cost is greater than the money available.

2. IF users > 100 THEN addSwitch() END IF

Hint: Type the function name that adds the device which connects many wired devices to a network.

3. IF distance > 100 THEN cable ← "fibre" END IF

Hint: Type the variable name that stores the type of cable being chosen.

4. IF app = "video" THEN bandwidthNeed ← "high" END IF

Hint: Type the operator that tests whether the application is equal to a value.

5. IF sparePorts < 2 THEN planUpgrade() END IF

Hint: Type the function name that prepares for network growth when spare ports are running low.

Spot the Error

Question 1

A budget == 8000

B cost = 9500

C if cost > budget:

D print("Over budget")

Line A — The cost and budget limit must be stored with = (assignment). == compares values, so budget is never created and the program fails. It should be budget = 8000.

Question 2

A users = 250

B if users > 200

C plan = "add switch"

D else:

E plan = "one switch"

Line B — The if statement that adjusts the design for the number of users is missing its colon. It should be if users > 200:.

Question 3

A def cost(cable_m, rate)

B return cable_m * rate

C print(cost(50, 2.5))

Line A — A function header that calculates cabling cost must end with a colon. It should be def cost(cable_m, rate):.

Question 4

A video_mbps = 25

B users = 10

C total = video_mbps + users

D print(total)

Line C — The bandwidth needed is the speed per user multiplied by the number of users, not added. It should be total = video_mbps * users.

Question 5

A needs_security = True

B wifi = "open"

C if needs_security:

D wifi = "open, no password"

E print(wifi)

Line D — When security is a design factor, the Wi-Fi must be protected with encryption and a password. Setting it to open again ignores the security need. It should be wifi = "WPA3 password".

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