Assessment 1 – Network Server Design and Requirements Report

Course and Unit Details

Qualification Code/Title: ICT50415 Diploma of Information Technology Networking

Unit of Competency: ICTNWK505 Design, build and test a network server

Assessment Title/Type: Assessment 1 – Requirements and Server Design Report (Individual)

Weighting: 30% of unit result (competency-based: Satisfactory / Not Satisfactory)

Mode: Open-book, take-home written report

Length: Approximately 2,500–3,000 words (8–10 pages equivalent)

Due Date: As advised on the class schedule / LMS

Location: AHIC campus or online LMS submission

Assessment Cover Sheet

All submissions must include the standard College cover sheet with:

• Student name and ID
• Unit code and title
• Assessment title and number
• Student declaration that the work is original and not plagiarised
• Signature and date

Instructions to Candidates

• Complete this assessment according to the instructions in this document and your trainer’s verbal guidance.
• If you do not meet the requirements at first attempt, you will receive feedback and one (1) opportunity to resubmit to demonstrate competence.
• Ask your assessor for clarification if any part of the task is unclear before you submit.
• Refer to the College assessment, re‑submission and re‑sit policies on the LMS.
• Notify your assessor promptly if you experience any issue that may affect your performance.
• Read all questions carefully and address every numbered task.
• To be deemed competent in this unit you must achieve Satisfactory in this assessment and in the remaining assessments for ICTNWK505.[web:53]
• This is an open‑book, individual assessment. You may use class notes, learner guides, textbooks and credible online resources. You must reference all sources using Harvard style.
• Plagiarism and collusion are academic misconduct. Any evidence of copying or sharing answers may result in a Not Satisfactory outcome and disciplinary action.
• Submit a typed report in MS Word or PDF. Use Times New Roman, size 12, single line spacing and appropriate headings.

Presentation Guidelines

• Include: Executive summary, Acknowledgements (if relevant), Table of contents, Introduction, Body sections aligned with tasks, Conclusion, Reference list (minimum five scholarly/industry sources), and Appendices (screenshots, detailed tables) as required.
• Write in clear, professional English. Avoid bullet‑point lists as your only form of response; use paragraphs, diagrams and tables appropriately.
• Embed screenshots where requested and label them clearly (e.g. “Figure 1: Proposed server hardware configuration”).

Scenario

You are working as an IT consultant for AHIC College. The College was established in 2000 and currently has approximately 500 users. AHIC delivers qualifications such as Diploma of Accounting, Certificate IV in Accounting, Advanced Diploma of IT (Networking), Diploma of IT (Networking), Certificate IV in IT (Networking), and other business and management courses.

The College’s existing infrastructure includes three core servers: a domain controller, a print server and a proxy server. AHIC is planning to open a new branch at Pitt Street, Town Hall, Sydney, and requires an updated network server design that supports both campuses and future growth.

You have been engaged to produce a formal Requirements Document for the new branch and convert it into a high‑level Server Design Document. The design must be realistic, technically justified and aligned with the unit ICTNWK505 elements and performance criteria.[web:49][web:53]

Assessment Task – Report Requirements

Prepare a structured report that addresses the following items. Use headings that mirror the numbering below. Target lengths are indicative only and refer to main discussion (excluding diagrams and screenshots).

1. Determine and Analyse Requirements and Collect Possible Server Designs (½ page)

   Summarise AHIC’s current environment and high‑level requirements for the new Pitt Street branch. Identify key functional needs (e.g. user authentication, file and print services, internet access, application hosting, remote access) and non‑functional needs (e.g. availability, security, scalability, performance). Briefly outline at least two possible server design approaches (for example, centralised vs distributed roles, physical vs virtualised servers) without yet making a final recommendation.

2. Assess Business Problems, Opportunities, Scope, Objectives and Budget (1 page)

   Describe the main business problems with the current environment (for example, limited scalability, single points of failure, manual printer sharing, inconsistent access control). Identify opportunities created by the new site (such as standardised group policies, improved security, remote management, and future cloud integration). Define the scope of work, project objectives, and any reasonable budget assumptions. State how you would confirm these details with the appropriate person (e.g. IT Manager, Campus Director).

3. Analyse Client Needs to Determine Server Specifications (½ page)

   Translate the requirements into preliminary server specifications. Discuss user numbers, expected workloads, storage needs, backup and recovery requirements, and performance considerations. Propose indicative CPU, RAM, storage, NICs and redundancy level for the primary server(s) at the new site.

4. Identify Server Applications and Features (½ page)

   List and briefly describe the server roles, applications and features required to support AHIC operations (for example, Active Directory Domain Services, DNS, DHCP, file and print services, web server/IIS, remote access/VPN, centralised logging, backup software). Link each role to a specific business requirement.

5. Identify Network Operating System Features (½ page)

   Outline the key features of the chosen network operating system (e.g. Windows Server 2019/2022 or an enterprise Linux distribution) that support your server solution. Highlight features such as group policy, role‑based access control, built‑in security tools, clustering options and integration with virtualisation platforms.

6. Research Available Network Operating Systems (1 page)

   Research at least two current network operating systems that could meet AHIC’s requirements. Compare them based on technical capabilities, vendor support lifecycle, licensing model, security features and compatibility with existing College systems.[web:52][web:57] Draw on credible vendor or industry documentation and provide in‑text citations and references.

7. Analyse the Most Suitable Network Operating System (½ page)

   Evaluate the options from Task 6 against AHIC’s current and projected needs (user growth, second site, potential cloud services). Justify which operating system is most suitable for the server environment and why alternatives are less appropriate.

8. Choose the Network Operating System (½ page)

   State your final choice of network operating system for the new branch servers, explicitly referencing technical, business and budget requirements. Summarise the key decision criteria in a short table (e.g. cost, skills, support, security, scalability).

9. Analyse and Document Data Migration (½ page)

   Describe the data migration requirements from existing AHIC servers to the new environment. Identify what data and services must be migrated (for example, user accounts, group policies, shared folders, print queues) and outline a safe migration approach, including risk mitigation and rollback options.[web:53]

10. Produce Installation Checklists (2 pages)

    Develop practical installation and configuration checklists as part of quality assurance. Include pre‑installation checks (hardware, firmware, backups), operating system installation steps, role/service configuration checkpoints, security hardening actions, and post‑installation validation steps. Present these as tables or bullet lists that another technician could follow.

11. Identify Required Software (½ page)

    Identify at least four key software components required for the solution (for example, server OS licences, backup software, anti‑malware/endpoint protection, monitoring tools, hypervisor if relevant). Briefly justify each choice and indicate sources for budget costing.

12. Identify Server Components (½ page)

    Specify at least three critical hardware components with direct relevance to the server applications and features (for example, RAID storage controller, ECC RAM, redundant power supplies, enterprise‑grade NICs). Explain how each component supports availability, performance or resilience.

13. Identify Product Specifications and Limitations (½ page)

    Summarise the main specifications and known limitations of your selected hardware and software (maximum RAM, storage slots, supported OS versions, licence limits, known compatibility constraints). Discuss how these limitations influence the design and capacity planning.

14. Analyse System Interdependencies (1 page)

    Identify key interdependencies between servers, network devices, client systems and external services (such as internet gateway, cloud applications, authentication sources). Analyse how these interdependencies affect design choices, fault tolerance and change management. Include at least one simple dependency diagram or table.

15. Test Server for Benchmarking (½ page)

    Describe how you would test the built server against client specifications and requirements. Outline functional tests, basic performance checks, security checks and user acceptance tests, and indicate the tools or methods you would use.[web:49][web:53]

16. Prototype Design (½ page)

    Provide a high‑level prototype design for the server solution, including a network/server diagram that shows main roles, VLANs/subnets (if used), and connections between core services. Briefly explain how the prototype could be implemented in a lab or virtual environment before full deployment.

17. Work Health and Safety Preparation

    Explain how you would prepare for onsite work according to site‑specific safety requirements and enterprise WHS procedures. Mention PPE, safe lifting of hardware, cable management and electrical safety.[web:54][web:58]

18. Identify Safety Hazards and Risk Controls (½ page)

    Identify potential safety hazards in the server room or network cabinet environment (for example, trip hazards, overheating, unsecured racks, inadequate power distribution). Propose appropriate risk control measures in consultation with relevant personnel (e.g. WHS officer, facilities manager).

19. Obtain Client Sign‑off (1 page)

    Draft a short design report summary and a sign‑off section for the client. The summary should restate requirements, describe the agreed solution at a high level and note any assumptions or limitations. Include a simple sign‑off statement with space for client name, role, signature and date.[web:53]

Evidence Submission

• One word‑processed Requirements and Server Design Report addressing Tasks 1–19.
• Embedded or attached screenshots of any example configuration screens or vendor specification pages used to support your design (optional but recommended).
• Reference list with at least five sources using Harvard referencing.

Marking Criteria (Rubric)

Criterion	Satisfactory (S)	Not Satisfactory (NS)
Requirements Analysis and Scope	Clearly identifies business problems, opportunities, scope, objectives and budget; requirements logically derived from scenario and aligned to ICTNWK505 elements.[web:49][web:53]	Requirements incomplete, inconsistent or not linked to scenario and unit outcomes.
Technical Design and Specifications	Server OS, roles, hardware and software components are appropriate, justified and consistent with current industry practice and unit performance criteria.	Design is unrealistic, poorly justified or not technically aligned to unit requirements.
Data Migration, Testing and Quality Assurance	Data migration plan, installation checklists and test approach are documented in practical detail and support reliable implementation and benchmarking.	Migration, QA and testing processes are missing, generic or not workable.
Risk, WHS and Client Engagement	WHS considerations, hazard controls and client communication/sign‑off are addressed explicitly and appropriately.	WHS and client engagement aspects are superficial or absent.
Structure, Clarity and Referencing	Report is well organised with correct headings, professional language, correct spelling/grammar and at least five correctly formatted references.	Report is poorly structured, unclear or lacks adequate referencing.

Sample Answer study bay guide

An effective ICTNWK505 network server design report for AHIC starts with a precise description of current problems such as slow logons, isolated printers and the absence of centralised group policies. A strong solution then maps those issues to concrete server roles, for example using Windows Server to consolidate Active Directory, DNS, DHCP and file and print services so user access is consistent across both campuses. A well‑chosen hardware platform with ECC memory, RAID storage and redundant power supplies allows the new Pitt Street site to support 500 users with acceptable performance and resilience. Detailed installation checklists and a structured test plan aligned to vendor documentation reduce implementation risk and support repeatable deployment.[web:53] When students reference current training package guidance for ICTNWK505, their report naturally reflects real industry expectations and assessment standards in Australian VET.

High‑quality responses often include a simple but readable server diagram, a concise comparison of at least two network operating systems, and a realistic discussion of data migration and rollback options. They also recognise that WHS and risk management are core requirements rather than optional extras in a server deployment. Candidates who explicitly link their design choices back to scope, objectives and budget demonstrate the level of professional judgement assessors look for in capstone networking units.

In 2,500–3,000‑word write ICTNWK505 Assessment 1 report that analyses AHIC College requirements, designs a network server solution, documents migration and testing, and provides checklists and WHS controls. Prepare an individual requirements and server design report for ICTNWK505 that covers business analysis, OS choice, migration, QA, risk and client sign‑off.

 Academic References (APA 7th)

• Forouzan, B. A. (2021). Data communications and networking (6th ed.). McGraw‑Hill. https://www.mheducation.com
• Hwang, K., Dongarra, J., & Fox, G. (2019). Distributed and cloud computing: From parallel processing to the Internet of Things (2nd ed.). Morgan Kaufmann. https://doi.org/10.1016/C2017-0-03991-6
• Microsoft. (2022). Windows Server 2022 documentation. Microsoft Learn. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server
• Oppenheimer, P. (2022). Top-down network design (4th ed.). Cisco Press. https://www.ciscopress.com/store/top-down-network-design-9780136897034
• Tan, X., & Ma, T. (2020). Virtualization technologies and network security in data centers. IEEE Access, 8, 115234–115245. https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2020.3003511