Bank network design and recomendation

Scorpius Corporation is a hypothetical financial institution (bank) that operates primarily in the state of Colorado, USA. It’s main office is located in Denver, Colorado and has been providing financial and banking services to the citizen of Colorado since 1985 A.D. Scorpius corporation has a market capital of 20 Billion US dollar and is the 4th largest bank in Colorado. With over 21 different locations in Colorado, it has been providing banking and financial services like electronic banking, business loans, treasury services (payrolls and deposits), credit card processing, check collection, ATM service, identity theft protection, digital payments and transfer, construction financing, auto loans, and many more.

Scorpius Corporation has over 400 employees serving roughly 2.1 million customers annually. It believes in finding appropriate financial solutions that cater the needs of its customers. Scorpius Co. has been actively participating in fulfilling its corporate social responsibility by helping people to learn, find work, find affordable housing, provide student loans, and so on. In 2019, Scorpius Co. donated $100,000 for the public school of Colorado. This financial institution has been helping homeless people by providing them foods and clothing and participating in community cleaning campaign.

Scorpius Corporation has been providing electronic banking and payment services to its customer since the early days of its establishment. It is recommended that Scorpius Co. use the distributed Network for their operation and banking services because distributed network supports better communication, lower the cost of operations, reliability, exceptional spend and incremental growth, and high degree of cohesiveness and transparency.

Apart from this it has better openness (easy to build and change, separation of policy form mechanism), reliability (availability via redundancy, consistency, secure, and fault tolerance), performance (high degree of interaction due to fine-grain and coarse-grain parallelism), and scalability (system could grow along with time).

The author has recommended following five areas of functionality needed by Scorpius Corporation that can be provided via distributed networking:

1. Communication:

Distributed network supports better communication for Scorpius Corporation as employees and customers could connect and interact with each-other virtually by login the network. Unlike in person visit, an employee could be transferred to any available banker by the system which saves the time for customer and ensures effective communication. All the employee’s computer and telephone would be in the distributed network, that means client will be connected by simple login and solve the employee or customer problem without any delay. The provision of email, VoIP, video call could ensure better communication between employees despite the geographical differences.

2. Resource Sharing:

Scorpius Corporation has 21 locations within Colorado which are directly connected via distributed network. Distributed network supports resource sharing as programs, data, and equipment need to be shared between the different computer within a location or across different locations. They could share physical resources like printer, fax machines, and scanner between the different client computers. This resource sharing saves the cost for the Scorpius Corporation.

3. Sharing of Data:

Perhaps the most crucial aspect of distributed network is sharing of data using a secure virtual private network. Client computer need to get remote access to the server for sharing of data which is made possible by distributed network. A distributed network connects all the client computer with the main server via secure login, authentication, and authorization and helps to share important customer data like bank statement, deposit, withdrawal, loan information, and so on. This ensures employees at different location could login remotely and work on common report and interact with graphical computer screen.

4. Ecommerce:

5. Manage various resources:

With the distributed network, Scorpius Corporation could manage all its resources like data and files remotely in its main server. Managing the resources would be quite easy as everyone with appropriate authentication would get access to the crucial files, data, and information and system administrator could simply make changes in the data files and its access policy which applies to all the users who access it.

The following security and performance requirements need to be supported by distributed network in-order to identify the capacity planning and performance report:

1. The distributed network should be scalable or be able to cover the network segments of entire Scorpius Corporation.

2. It should be capable of supporting wireless devices like cellphones, modem, mouse, printer, fax machines and the internet flow.

3. It should be able to analyze the speed of network.

4. It should support expert analysis with reduction in guess work and identification of actual problem leading to mean time to repair.

5. It should be able to identify the traffic based on IP packets for most of the applications.

6. Systems could be affected by malicious software which need to be prevented, identified, and rectified in timely manner.

7. A firewall needs to be placed so that unauthorized users will be restricted, and limited access should be provided to clients with user’s id and password.

Network communication model and protocols are crucial for the effective communication between different systems within the organizational network. The network communication model helps to reflect the design or architecture of the communication network while the protocols establishes the rules on how to communicate. Scorpius corporation, a financial institution would be using open system interconnection (OSI) model as its network architecture along with several communication protocols depending upon the security and performance requirements discussed earlier. Use of OSI model ensures troubleshooting would be easier as it is divided into seven different layers with their own separate distinctive functions.

Scorpius corporation would be using some the most popular communication protocols like Hyper Text Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS), File Transfer Protocol (FTP), Simple Mail Transport Protocol (SMTP), Transmission Control Protocol (UDP), and Post office Protocol (POP). The analysis of using each of these communication protocol along with which part of the network and network application use it has been given below:

Transmission Control Protocol (TCP):

TCP is a widely used communication protocol that tracks the packets being sent to ensure the receipt and checks the transmission throughout the whole process. TCP would be used for mostly online banking and any financial transactions as it is reliable. Since TCP would be used while sending packets back and forth between the bank’s computer and server, there would be no corruption or data loss during the transmission as TCP receives, verifies, and checks for any errors during the transmission of packets. TCP would be used mostly in the transport layer (layer 4) and the session layer (layer 5) of the OSI model by network applications like worldwide web, file transfer relies, remote administration, and email.

Simple Mail Transport Protocol:

SMTP is a part of application layer of OSI model that is often used by applications like email. It is used to send and distribute outgoing emails using the store and forward process. Scorpius corporation could use SMTP to secure and send the text message or email to the right computer or email inbox using the mail transfer agent (MTA). SMTP provides a set of codes that allows server to break message into different categories and later assemble it by the destination computer. Thus, it is secure.

File Transport Protocol (FTP):

FTP is a part of transport layer of the OSI model which is used to transfer the computer files like program files, multimedia files, text files, and documents between the server and client in the network. “FTP can be used with user-based password authentication or with anonymous user access.” (corporatetobank.com, 1) It is based on client server architecture that utilizes a separate data control and connection between the client and server applications. Thus, the security requirements of secure login by customer and bank employees to the system is possible via FTP.

Hyper Text Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS):

HTTPS is used to transmit and request files like web pages and web page components over the computer network or internet by the customer or banking employees. It is a part of application layer that helps to protect crucial banking and financial information using encryption techniques. It works closely with the transport layer security and helps to protect the users from attacks like man-in-the-middle attacks thru the encryption and secure identification of the server. Scorpius corporation could use HTTP to protect its customer and banking and financial information from being tampered and stolen thus providing customer with secure online banking facilities.

Secure Socket Layer (SSL):

Scorpius corporation would be using secure socket layer mostly for secure login and protection of customer information. SSL uses the private keys to allows bank’s customer to interact with the server while it uses public keys to issue certificate to the confirm the identity of whomever trying to login the company’s network. It would be used mostly by Scorpius corporation’s customer and employees while using the bank’s online website.

The above-mentioned network protocols are just a few that would by used by Scorpius corporation. Other network protocols like IPsec, Secure Shell (SSH) protocol, Odette File Transfer Protocol (OFTP), Electronic Banking Internet Communication Standard (EBICS), and so on could also be used if additional security requirements are added by the Scorpius corporation. Most of the above discussed network communication protocol would be used for online banking, secure and authenticated login, email, and security purpose by the Scorpius corporation so that valuable customer information and other financial information could be protected from hackers.

Based on the above-mentioned analysis of the protocols, the author would like to recommend the following extra protocols for Scorpius corporation to use in its daily banking operation.

Wireless Application Protocol (WAP):

Scorpius corporation need to think beyond the regular old web browsers and application for computers and move on to the wireless devices like cellphones, tablets, and so on. Most people these days prefer mobile banking and use mobile apps provided by the bank to apply for credit card, send or receive money, pay bills, do online shopping, and many more. Thus, the use of WAP helps to provide mobile banking application to the customer which they can use via cellphone and perform various financial transactions. WAP is also secure as it uses latest encryption techniques and is easy to use.

Gigabit Ethernet:

The author recommends Scorpius corporation to use gigabit ethernet protocol for the network communication. The gigabit ethernet protocol is a part of both the physical and data link layer and can be used with both the fiber optic cables and twisted pair cables and has an awesome transmission speed of 1Gbps (1000 Mbps). The use of gigabit ethernet helps to meet one of the security requirements (speed) of Scorpius corporation. Likewise, ethernet uses the CSMA/CD (Carrier Sense Multiple Access/Collision Detection) which ensures there is minimum collision and helps to increase the speed of transmission by minimizing the delay caused by collision.

Internet Protocol (IP):

For the network layer, the author recommends Scorpius corporation to use the Internet Protocol (IP). Every network device has a distinct Media Access Control (MAC) address which is used along with the network address to send the data packets using the router across the network. Since, network devices like printer, fax machines, and cell phones lacks network address, the use of IP helps to provide a network address to these devices and make sure they can be used for sending and receive packets. Thus, use of IP lets Scorpius corporation to these network devise across the network.

Internet Chat Relay (ICR):

Scorpius corporation is recommended to use ICR (application layer) to real time text messaging between the customer and the bank. The use of ICR protocol ensures that the customer’s queries could be listened and solved immediately. Likewise, bank officials and employees could use ICR for various private message, data transfer, and server side and client-side command. Thus, operational efficiency could be increased, and customer could be satisfied.

Scorpius corporation would be using distributed network which would be used for some major purpose like communication within the bank and its branches all over Colorado, providing online and on call customer services, resource sharing, ecommerce or online banking like deposit check, withdraw, ATM, checking customer credit, sharing of data, remote login of customer account, managing various resources like printer and fax, and so on.

“Network traffic refers to the amount of data moving across a network at a given point of time.” (Technopedia.com, 1). These movement of data packets across the network can sometime cause the problems like network congestion. It is estimated that Scorpius corporation will be serving an estimated 165,000 customers daily out of which more than 105,000 use online banking. Around 50% of this network traffic is for online banking, while customer care, communication within bank and its branches, sharing of data and resources sharing amounts to 15%, 15%, 15%, and 5% respectively.

The peak hours for each of the traffics is pretty much the same i.e. 70% of network traffic between 11:30 am to 3:00 pm. While rest of the 30% traffic is within the first and last office hours. The author has estimated that most of the sensitive and undesired network traffic in Scorpius corporation is most likely to occur between the peak hour of 11:30 am to 3:00 pm. So, Scorpius corporation need to understand different types of network traffics like heavy traffic, non-real time traffic, interactive traffic, and latency traffic.

As a banking institution, there would be large volume of data flowing thru Scorpius corporation’s network which is why the problem of congestion (loss or delay due to over-use of network resources, security attacks, poor network design, and faulty devices) is bound to arise. This network congestion needs to be addressed and reduced as soon as possible in-order for Scorpius corporation to strengthen their network security, protect valuable customer information from hackers, and provide fast and reliable service to customers and other stakeholders.

As mentioned earlier, network congestion could be a huge problem to Scorpius corporation if not identified and managed timely and properly. Depending upon how much Scorpius corporation is willing to invest, they have two options i.e. first to increase the bandwidth or infrastructure and second is to manage the network traffic using various methods. The author has mentioned several ways to reduce the network congestion which are: implementing routers, increasing infrastructure and bandwidth, monitoring network traffic, network segmentation, use of content delivery network, reconfiguring TCP/IP settings, backpressure routing, choke packets, use of implicit and explicit network congestion notification, prioritizing network traffic, and using network redundancy.

Based on the above network traffic analysis, Scorpius corporation is likely to face some network congestion problem in its business operation. The author has suggested the following four methods to reduce the network congestion after considering then factors like cost, bandwidth, infrastructures, sensitivity of data, efficiency, ease of deployment, architecture for scale, and so on.

Increasing the bandwidth:

The easiest way to solve the network congestion is increasing the bandwidth which allows the network to transfer more about of data in faster rate. It is already recommended for Scorpius corporation to use 1gigabet of ethernet (1000Mbps) which should sufficient solve most of the network traffic like congestion. However, if network congestion arises, Scorpius corporation could simply increase their bandwidth by purchasing it from network provider or use techniques like proxy cache, and automatic reboot of routers.

Network segmentation:

Dividing the network into several smaller network segments using the routers, bridges, and switches is known as network segmentation. By segmenting a network, Scorpius corporation could allocate a specific network segment to certain department according to their flow of traffic which significantly reduces the network congestion. Departments like loan and deposits may have small flow of traffic, while departments like customer can have huge flow of network traffic. If network is not segmented, all this traffic go thru same network and packets with huge data could take a significant amount of time to transfer data which slows down the whole process thus resulting the network congestion. Hence, with subnetting, traffic will be diverted which eventually improves the performance, isolate network problems, maximize bandwidth, and reduce the network congestion.

Reconfigure the TCP/IP setting:

Network congestion occurs when the sending pace of data by sender is higher than the receiving pace of data by receiver. In general data are transferred are very high speed due to high volume of transferred data, receiver may not be able to process all the data resulting the congestion problem and ultimately data loss. However, if network administrator configures or change the network setting and slow the request of packets, receiving computer will get enough time to process the packets which prevents the network congestion problem.

Choke packets:

The use of choke packet is simple yet effective method to reduce the network congestion. At first the router measures the buffer in use, average queue length, and line utilization which helps to detect the congestion. When the network begins the slow down, network administrator sends a choke packets which slows the output of sending computer (source). It allows the receiving computer and router (destination) to be able to keep up with the packet sending rate. Hence, network congestion is reduced significantly.

The author would like to recommend the use of Solar Winds Network Traffic Monitor (a software that promptly determines the faults, Wi-Fi performance issues, monitor bandwidth, and troubleshooting). The NPM with its security features helps to detect malicious traffic, create application traffic alerts and baselines in the real-time. It a subscription based service which could cost around roughly $1500 with excellent features like multivendor network monitoring, advanced alerting, intelligent maps, performance analysis, net-path and perf-stack for easy trouble shooting, and network insights for deeper visibility. If Scorpius corporation is to follow the above suggested methods, tools, and software to manage the network traffic, significant rection in the congestion problem and increase in the operational efficiency could be observed.

Network model drawings

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