Question

Design a Small Network [Recommended: conduct this task in pairs. In your journal, give the name of your partner.]

Your friend has purchased 6 new security cameras, and already has another 4 older cameras. The cameras all have 100Mb/s Ethernet NICs. The older cameras are powered from a power point, and support 720p, 10 fps video using MPEG4. The new cameras use PoE, and support 1080p, 25 fps video using H.264. They also have a Digital Video Recorder that supports receiving/recording videos from both older and newer cameras.

Design a network for your friend's home for the security cameras. This initial design separates the security camera network from any home network used in the house (that is, your design doesn't need to include home PCs, laptops etc). Your design should include:
a) A diagram of the network.
b) Explanation of the design (e.g. why did you choose a particular design/equipment), and any installation advice.
c) Table listing equipment to be purchased.
d) Calculation of the approximate throughput requirement for the video streams. Assume MPEG4 achieves 50:1 compression and H.264 achieves 100:1 compression.

Answer 1

For the security camera network, a separate network is recommended with PoE switch to power the new cameras. The throughput requirement for the video streams is calculated by considering the compression ratios of MPEG4 and H.264. The necessary equipment to be purchased includes a PoE switch, DVR, monitor, and optionally a router.

Step-by-step explanation:

In this network design, I would recommend setting up a separate network for the security cameras to ensure stability and security. The cameras will be connected to a network switch, which will then be connected to a Digital Video Recorder (DVR). The DVR will serve as the central hub for the cameras and will be connected to a monitor for viewing and can also be connected to a router for remote access.

For this design, I would suggest using a PoE (Power over Ethernet) switch to power the new cameras. This eliminates the need for individual power adapters for each camera. The switch should have enough ports to accommodate all the cameras, both old and new. Additionally, make sure that the switch supports Gigabit Ethernet to maximize the network speed.

Throughput Requirement:

To calculate the approximate throughput requirement for the video streams, we need to consider the compression ratios of MPEG4 and H.264. MPEG4 achieves a compression ratio of 50:1, while H.264 achieves a compression ratio of 100:1. Let's assume each camera is streaming at its maximum resolution and frame rate. The old cameras would require a total throughput of 4 cameras * 720p * 10 fps * (100 Mbps / 50) = 5,760 Mbps. The new cameras would require a total throughput of 6 cameras * 1080p * 25 fps * (100 Mbps / 100) = 32,400 Mbps. So, the approximate total throughput requirement for the video streams would be 5,760 Mbps + 32,400 Mbps = 38,160 Mbps.

Equipment to be Purchased:

The following equipment should be purchased for this network design:

• 1 PoE Switch with enough ports to accommodate all cameras
• 1 Digital Video Recorder (DVR)
• 1 Monitor for viewing the camera feeds
• 1 Router for remote access (optional)

It's important to note that the specific models and brands of the equipment would depend on the budget and specific requirements of your friend.