TOPIC:  Develop, in general terms, a cost-effective structured cabling plan for a tiered LAN within a scientific R&D organization that is building a new five-story research facility. The first floor will contain the lobby and administrative offices. The second and third floors will contain labs that utilize fairly large pieces of heavy-power-consumption equipment (e.g., small linear accelerators and reactive ion chambers). Numerous technicians and scientists will be working on this floor and data requirements include high-speed transmission of high bandwidth data (e.g., color video). The fourth floor will contain offices for the lab personnel and the fifth floor will contain executive offices. Your plan should describe and illustrate the horizontal cabling for each floor as well as the vertical cabling runs. INSTRUCTIONS: In these writing assignments, there is not a “right or wrong” answer. Rather, cases provide a vehicle for you to demonstrate your understanding and ability to apply course concepts. You must use at least two appropriate sources (other than your course textbook) that are properly cited; do not solely use the case itself to support your position. You are strongly encouraged to use the following outline so that your analysis is organized appropriately:

Cost-Effective Structured Cabling Plan for a Tiered LAN

Introduction
In today’s highly interconnected and technology-dependent world, a robust and efficient network infrastructure is critical for the success and productivity of any organization. This is particularly true for scientific research and development (R&D) organizations, where the need for high-speed data transmission and reliable connectivity is paramount. This paper seeks to develop a cost-effective structured cabling plan for a tiered LAN within a scientific R&D organization that is building a new five-story research facility.

I. Floor Layout and Data Requirements
A. First Floor: Lobby and Administrative Offices
The first floor of the research facility comprises the lobby and administrative offices. The data requirements in this area are relatively low compared to the other floors, primarily consisting of basic office functions such as email, web browsing, and file sharing. A standard Cat 6 cabling infrastructure, which allows for data transfer speeds of up to 10 gigabits per second (Gbps), would be sufficient for this floor.

B. Second and Third Floors: Labs with Heavy-Power-Consumption Equipment
The second and third floors will house laboratories that utilize fairly large pieces of heavy-power-consumption equipment, such as small linear accelerators and reactive ion chambers. The data requirements for these floors are considerably higher due to the need for high-speed transmission of high-bandwidth data, such as color video. To meet these requirements, a fiber optic backbone should be implemented, along with Cat 6a or Cat 7 cabling for horizontal connectivity. This would allow for data transfer speeds of up to 40 Gbps, ensuring smooth operation of the equipment and efficient data transmission.

C. Fourth Floor: Offices for Lab Personnel
The fourth floor will house offices for the lab personnel. While the data requirements in this area are not as high as the labs, a reliable and fast network connection is still vital. A Cat 6a or Cat 7 cabling infrastructure should be implemented on this floor to ensure high-speed connectivity and support future expansion.

D. Fifth Floor: Executive Offices
The fifth floor will contain executive offices, which will have similar data requirements as the administrative offices on the first floor. Therefore, a Cat 6 cabling infrastructure should be sufficient for this floor.

II. Horizontal Cabling
Horizontal cabling refers to the cabling infrastructure that connects end-user devices, such as computers, to the centralized network equipment, such as switches and routers. Each floor of the research facility will require horizontal cabling to connect the various rooms and workstations. The following recommendations should be considered for each floor:

A. First Floor: Lobby and Administrative Offices
On the first floor, a structured cabling system based on Cat 6 cabling should be implemented. This will provide reliable connectivity and support data transfer speeds of up to 10 Gbps. A star topology, where each workstation is directly connected to a central switch, would be an appropriate choice for this floor.

B. Second and Third Floors: Labs with Heavy-Power-Consumption Equipment
Considering the high bandwidth requirements of the labs on the second and third floors, a fiber optic backbone should be deployed to provide high-speed connectivity. The horizontal cabling could be based on Cat 6a or Cat 7 cabling, which can support up to 40 Gbps, ensuring smooth operation of the heavy-power-consumption equipment. The cabling should be organized into separate trunking systems, allowing for easy installation and maintenance.

C. Fourth Floor: Offices for Lab Personnel
Similar to the labs, the offices on the fourth floor would benefit from a structured cabling system based on Cat 6a or Cat 7 cabling, providing high-speed connectivity and supporting future expansion. The cabling layout should be organized to ensure efficient connectivity for all workstations.

D. Fifth Floor: Executive Offices
For the executive offices on the fifth floor, a Cat 6 cabling system would be sufficient, similar to the first floor. This will provide reliable connectivity while keeping costs relatively low.

III. Vertical Cabling
Vertical cabling refers to the cabling infrastructure that connects the various floors of the research facility. To ensure efficient and reliable connectivity between the floors, a fiber optic backbone should be implemented. This would provide high-speed data transmission and allow for future scalability. The backbone cabling should be properly organized and labeled to facilitate maintenance and troubleshooting.

Conclusion
In conclusion, a cost-effective structured cabling plan for a tiered LAN within a scientific R&D organization’s new five-story research facility has been developed. The plan takes into consideration the specific data requirements and floor layouts of the facility, utilizing appropriate cabling technologies and topologies to ensure reliable and high-speed connectivity throughout the building. Implementation of this plan will ensure optimal network performance and support the scientific R&D organization’s operations effectively.