Mokona Modoki

Hi Everyone,

I have written the following article as a guideline / outline of what your Server Design report should contain. Again, these articles are derived from the points under “Introduction” on the Power Point Slides. Be sure to always read the Reading Notes, and go back through the Power Point presentation again at least once. If you have any further questions that require answers, please feel free to ask.

• Review Vendor Design and Specified Server for Design Applicability
  • Review the Vendor Design, in regards to the selected hardware and software, if you opted to source all your components individually
  • Review the Vendor Design, in regards to the hardware and software selected by the vendor for you, if you have opted to source a complete system
  • Is the design of your server, applicable to the requirements? How? Provide evidence
• Design a Server
  • Design your server
  • Provide a profile of the server, and the selected hardware and software components. Be detailed
  • Remember: Logical and Physical Design
• Analyse Server Design against Requirements of the Client
  • Does your server meet the requirements of the client? Detail each requirement that is met by each hardware and/or software component
  • Validate your design against the client requirements
• Test Server for Benchmarking against Client Specification Requirements
  • Build a server and run the required tests (you can use a machine in the lab, or your own at home) - Provide the results of your tests
  • OR fabricate accurate results for your tests
  • Include any additional hardware and software your used. Including built in hardware and software
• Make Required Changes to the Design from the Outcomes of the Design Testing
  • Make changes to your server hardware and software or configuration, based on the results of your testing
  • Provide evidence of further testing in the areas that received failures or negative results to show the improvements yielded from the changes

The Reading Notes contain further information in regards to what is required in each of the four sections of your document above. If you are unsure of where the information in the Reading Notes is, please ask.

I have had a few students asking me about what each of the two documents required so far should contain. Rather then continually send out similar email replies, I decided to create an article for you all to read instead. Hopefully this will help everyone out. Be sure to read the Reading Notes, they contain within the first pages, the content that should be in your document. Feel free to ask further questions if you still do not understand.

1. Choose Server Application
2. Choose Network Operating System

Choose Server Application

For this subject, I have requested a Specifications Document from each team. If you look in the Reading Notes for this subject, you will find the following dot points:

• Determine, Analyse, and Collect Possible Server Designs
  • Determine Possible Server Designs.
  • Analyse Possible Server Designs.
  • Collect Possible Server Designs.
• Anaylse Client Needs to Determine Specifications of Server
  • Analyse the Client Needs (document what the needs of the client are).
  • Based on the Client Needs, What are the Specifications of the Server?
    • IE: Within your individual groups, decide what your group believes the specifications of the server should be.
• Identify and Research Available Applications
  • Identify Available Applications.
  • Document Your Findings.
• Identify Server Applications and Features
  • What are the Server Applications?
  • What are the Features?
• Analyse Server Applications with Reference to Identified Requirements
  • Analyse the Server Applications against the Requirements.
• Provide Alternative Solutions, Including System Requirements and make Options Available to Client
  • Provide alternative solutions (including the system requirements) and include them in your documentation.
• Select and Source Server Application
  • What is the final server application (how will the server be used) and how do you come to this conclusion?

The term “Application” is a little confusing here. It has two meanings in this subject.

• Meaning One: What tasks and jobs are applied to, or will be required of the server

• Meaning Two: What software is installed, or will be installed on the server

Your documentation should make references to both. I understand that what you are creating does not necessarily meet the traditional content of a “Specifications Document”. However, if you were to “Google” Specifications or Specifications Document, you will find it is a fairly grey area.

Define: Specifications

Hence we decided this subject fits best under “Specifications Document”.

Choose Network Operating System

For this subject, I have requested a Technical Requirements Document from each team. If you look in the Reading Notes for this subject, you will find the following dot points:

• Identify the Network Operating System Features with Reference to Required Server Solution
  • Document the features of your chosen network operating system, in regards to what you defined as the “Final Server Application” in your document titled “Specifications Document”
• Research Available Network Operating Systems based on Technical Specification, Capability and Requirements
  • Document your research of available network operating systems with reference to your Specifications Document, and how other operating systems can meet the needs.
• Analyse the most Suitable Network Operating System with Reference to Identified Requirements, and Current and Projected Needs.
  • What is the most suitable network operating system?
  • How does it meet the identified requirements?
  • Does it meet the current needs? How?
  • Will it meet the projected needs? How?
• Choose the most Suitable Network Operating System based on Technical and Business Requirements
  • Make your recommendation!
  • Back up your recommendation with evidence explaining how the selected network operating system meets the technical requirements and the client requirements

Contrary to popular belief (mainly due to what you have heard from me) both of these documents will not be short. You should be creating a document that contains at least five to ten (5 - 10) pages of actual content, not including references, indexes, contents listings, and appendices (if required).

If you are using a word processing application (Microsoft Word for example) you could be writing your documents using the following style guide lines:

Font Size: 12 (obviously headings etc will have different font sizes)

Line Spacing: 1.5 (Maximum)

Font Type: Times (and variants) or Arial (and variants).

Remember: Presentation is Important Too!