IT 200 Project One: Technology Hardware and Software
IT-200-17447-M01
Valerie Olds
August 4th, 2024
Introduction
As an information technology specialist, you are contracted for the task of creating a
secure network for a small tax preparation company. The James Otis Tax Associates company is
expanding quickly, and they want to provide each employee with tools and technology that fits
their needs and assists them in completing their work effectively and securely. In this report, the
needs of each employee will be addressed, and the appropriate hardware and software systems
will be outlined and described. Additionally, a network topology is recommended to connect all
employees, as well as laid out in a Visio diagram.
Certified Public Accountant (CPA)
A Certified Public Accountant (CPA) is a senior tax preparation professional responsible
for handling sensitive customer data, preparing corporate tax returns, and overseeing personal tax
returns from tax and data-entry specialists. Due to the high volume of work, and extensive
amounts of data needed to prepare the work, quality hardware and software are needed. An HP
Envy 34” WUHD All-in-One with Windows 11 would be a great starting point. With the large
amount of information needed, and having multiple programs to use, the large screen is
beneficial for the user. With an Intel Core i7 processor, 16 GB of RAM, NVIDIA GeForce RTX
1650 graphics, and a 1TB SSD, this computer has more than enough computing power to
manage all the business needs. This computer also comes with built-in speakers, 7 total USB
ports, and a wireless keyboard and mouse (Best Buy, 2024). A shared Brother MFC-L8900CDW
Color All-In-One Laser Printer would be a great solution for all document printing and scanning,
as well as the option to fax. This printer also has an incredible built-in device, network, and
document security features, as well as the ability to secure the printer by use of the NFC card
reader, restricting access to only those with an approved badge (Best Buy, 2024).
Intuit QuickBooks is a leading software for tax professionals. QuickBooks Online
Accountant offers tools, training, and community to support accounting professionals in small
businesses. It provides month-end reviews to automatically resolve common bookkeeping issues,
a performance center to visualize clients' business performance, advisory training for self-paced
lessons, and advanced features to manage firm's books. These features help accounting
professionals become financial superheroes for small businesses (QuickBooks, 2024). In addition
to QuickBooks, Microsoft 365 Business Premium provides access to many programs such as
Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, OneDrive, Microsoft Defender, and many more. Office 365
tools enable CPAs to efficiently manage documents, collaborate with colleagues and clients, and
communicate via email and video conferencing, while also providing secure cloud storage and
backup options.
When it comes to security measures, this is a vital component to the business’s network.
A firewall included into the network is especially important to keep all information safe and out
of criminal hands. Additionally, included within the Microsoft 365 Business Premium are
Microsoft Defender, Microsoft Entra ID, Intune, and Microsoft Purview. Eash of these programs
provide vital security features such as protecting application and business data, online threat
protection such as malware and ransomware, protection of employee identities as well as their
credentials, and the ability to restrict access through labeling, classification, and protection to any
sensitive information within the system (Microsoft, 2024).
In terms of Human Computer Interaction, the hardware and software components should
be both intuitive and user-friendly. Windows 11, Microsoft 360, and Intuit QuickBooks all have
interfaces that are easy to use, as well as resources to show the user any features they may need
assistance to use. With the ease of use of these programs, which allows the CPA to focus on their
work without having the frustration of difficult to use programs. These programs also have
compatibility with each other, for smooth transitions and integration. The CPU and RAM
provided by the pc allow for seamless use of all programs, without sacrificing speed and
processing ability. Having the large monitor also assists the CPA in having all information
available in one space, without having to switch between program screens.
Networking equipment will be shared by all users within this business. This will include
the network itself, with a firewall, router, and switch. In terms of ease of use with document and
data sharing, I would opt for a cloud based server Microsoft Azure. It is a cloud platform that
integrates over 200 products and cloud services. This allows users to build, manage and run
applications across multiple places. This service allows the user to pay for only the amount of
storage or services they use, cutting down on extra costs. There is also extremely strict security
and is backed by experts to ensure the safest space for data back up and storage (Microsoft,
2024).
Tax Specialist
The tax specialist has an important role to the business. They have a multifaceted role of
entering client data, as well as verifying that tax returns are correct. Even though the
responsibilities of this employee are much less than the CPA, they will still need a moderately
powered computer to manage the amount of data they will process. I would go with the HP
Pavilion 32” All-In-One. This computer compares a bit with the above mentioned HP Envy,
albeit not quite as powerful. However, it still boasts an Intel i5 Processor, 16 GB of RAM, Intel
UHD Graphics 730, and a 1TB SSD. This also comes preloaded with Windows 11 operating
system, built-in speakers, and a wireless keyboard and mouse (Best Buy, 2024).
This employee would use the same software that the CPA would use. This includes the
Microsoft 365 software suite, QuickBooks, as well as the cloud based server Microsoft Azure.
Since this employee would not do the corporate tax returns like the CPA would do, their access
within QuickBooks could be limited to just the type of tax returns they are qualified to complete
and submit. Their access to Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Azure would ensure the data that they
enter, the data they receive from the Data Entry Specialist, and any data that needs to be
communicated with the CPA, can be done in a safe, secure, and efficient manner by using the
Azure cloud storage system.
The tax specialist would have a similar HCI to the CPA. The integrated systems that
collaborate well with each other make the system easy to use. Having easy to use software
streamlines the day to day operations and makes it easy for all employees to create, share and
access all needed files and forms. This computer also has a large screen, which helps create less
stress and takes less time to switch back and forth between programs, by having the large screen
to have multiple programs on screen at once. This creates a better work environment, causing
less stress to employees, which creates a safe and secure environment for clients as well.
Data Entry Specialist
A data entry specialist assists in entering data for clients for personal tax returns. This
employee mainly assists clients that visit the business as walk-in customers. Since this position is
mainly just data entry, the computing needs do not require as much power as the CPA or tax
specialist would. This employee also would not have access to those documents after they have
been submitted to the tax specialist for review. Due to the low demand on processing power, the
computer needed for this position can be a moderate to low processing power. I would
recommend the HP 23.8” All-In-One. Although this computer has less processing power than the
aforementioned computers, it has more than enough for the required position. This computer has
an Intel i3 processor, 8GB of RAM, Intel UHD Graphics and a 512GB SSD. This unit also
comes with integrated speakers, and a wired mouse and keyboard (Best Buy, 2024).
This computer comes with Windows 11 installed, which will run the required programs
needed for this position. I would still recommend QuickBooks and Microsoft 365, as both can be
used for data entry. QuickBooks allows for different users to have various levels of security
access. They can limit this user’s abilities to just client creation and data entry. Being that these
functions are limited, HCI is much easier for that position, as they do not have to worry about
any other functions within that program.
Conclusion
Even within a small office structure, there are many unique needs for each employee.
Each employee’s job and responsibilities differ vastly, and thus the needs change. Those that
need more computing power to manage more data processing will need a higher powered unit, as
opposed to someone who just enters data into a system. A major component is also the security
of the network. Every precaution must be taken to ensure that client data is safe and secure, as
well as having a place to back up that data. Security can be taken a step further by including
password changes at set intervals, phishing tactics awareness and ways to report suspicious
activity, and having employee badges with secure NFC cards to ensure printing is secure.
References
HP Envy 34" WUHD All-in-one Intel core i7 16GB memory nvidia geforce RTX 1650 1TB SSD
Turbo Silver Aluminum 34-c1354. Best Buy. (n.d.). https://www.bestbuy.com/site/hp-envy-34-
wuhd-all-in-one-intel-core-i7-16gb-memory-nvidia-geforce-rtx-1650-1tb-ssd-turbo-silver-
aluminum/6532242.p?skuId=6532242
Brother MFC-L8900CDW wireless color all-in-one laser printer white MFC-L8900CDW. Best
Buy. (n.d.-a). https://www.bestbuy.com/site/brother-mfc-l8900cdw-wireless-color-all-in-one-
laser-printer-white/5870903.p?skuId=5870903
Compare all Microsoft 365 plans. Microsoft. (n.d.). https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-
365/business/compare-all-microsoft-365-business-products
What is Azure-Microsoft Cloud Services: Microsoft Azure. What is Azure-Microsoft Cloud
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&ef_id=_k_EAIaIQobChMIsoKW6rjchwMVxUH_AR15ridJEAAYASACEgJhDvD_BwE_k_&
OCID=AIDcmm5edswduu_SEM__k_EAIaIQobChMIsoKW6rjchwMVxUH_AR15ridJEAAYA
SACEgJhDvD_BwE_k_&gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIsoKW6rjchwMVxUH_AR15ri
dJEAAYASACEgJhDvD_BwE
QuickBooks online accountant, Grow Your Accounting Practice: Intuit. QuickBooks®: Official
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HP Pavilion 32" 4K UHD all-in-one Intel core i5 16GB memory 1TB SSD sparkling black 32-
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core-i5-16gb-memory-1tb-ssd-sparkling-black/6498477.p?skuId=6498477
HP 23.8" full HD touch-screen all-in-one Intel core i3 8GB memory 512GB SSD starry white 24-
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one-intel-core-i3-8gb-memory-512gb-ssd-starry-white/6554768.p?skuId=6554768
