BTEC Level 4 Unit 2 Networking (M/618/7393) Assignment Brief 2026

Unit 2 Networking Assignment Brief

Transferable skills and competencies developed

• Computational thinking (including its relevance to everyday life)
• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of essential facts, concepts, principles, and theories relating to computing and computer applications.
• Use such knowledge and understanding in the modelling and design of computerbased systems for the purposes of comprehension, communication, prediction, and the understanding of trade-offs.
• Recognize and analyze criteria and specifications appropriate to specific problems, and plan strategies for their solutions.
• Critical evaluation and testing: analyze the extent to which a computer-based system meets the criteria defined for its current use and future development.
• Methods and tools: deploy appropriate theory, practices and tools for the design, implementation, and evaluation of computer-based systems.

Computing-related practical skills:

• The ability to specify, design and construct reliable, secure, and usable computer-based
• The ability to evaluate systems in terms of quality attributes and possible trade-offs presented within the given problem.
• The ability to deploy effectively the tools used for the construction and documentation of computer applications, with particular emphasis on understanding the whole process involved in the effective deployment of computers to solve practical problems.
• The ability to critically evaluate and analyze complex problems, including those with incomplete information, and devise appropriate solutions, within the constraints of a budget.

Generic skills for employability 

• Intellectual skills: critical thinking; making a case; numeracy and literacy.
• Self-management: self-awareness and reflection; goal setting and action planning.
• Independence and adaptability; acting on initiative; innovation and creativity.
• Interaction: reflection and communication.
• Contextual awareness, e.g. the ability to understand and meet the needs of individuals, business, and the community, and to understand how workplaces and organisations are governed.

Vocational Scenario

Fashionista (PVT) LTD is a Sri Lankan based apparel manufacturer and exporter, which the head office and the Factory in Colombo. The company manufactures garments including T-shirts and denim trousers for European market.

The CEO plans to expand the company’s operations of Fashionista and build another factory. The management has decided to open a new branch office in Kegalle and wants it to be one of the most prominent tech-oriented offices and a mega factory in Kegalle with the latest tech facilities, including smart devices, such as physical security solutions like smart gates, and new ERP software IP camera Systems, fingerprint and facial recognition system for staff attendance, and fully computerized embroidery plant.

You have been appointed as the Junior Implementation Engineer of Fashionista, and your task is to design a new network for the Kegalle branch and restructure the existing Colombo network that connects both networks. The organization planned to implement a web server, Dedicated file server and an email server as well.

Prepare a network architectural design and implement it with your suggestions and recommendations to meet the company’s requirements.

The floor plan of the head office in Colombo is as follows:

Floor 1:

• Reception area and Customer Services Area – with Wi-Fi facilities
• Fashion Designers (10 employees)
• Maintenance Department (16)
• Administration (25 employees)
• Manufacturing (12 employees)

Floor 2:

• Director suits (6 suits)
• Boardroom with Video conferencing facility and Wi-Fi.
• Administration Department (15 Employees)
• HR Department includes one fingerprint scanner (6 employees) Floor 3:
• Accounting & Finance Department (8 employees)
• IT Technical support (4 employees)
• The Server Room

The newly established floor plan of the Kegalle is as follows:

Floor 1:

• Reception area
• Customer Services Area– with Wi-Fi facilities
• Manufacturing includes two embroidery plants (20 Employees) 8 IP cameras

Floor 2:

• Administration Department (17 Employees)
• HR Department includes fingerprint scanner (7 employees)
• Accounting & Finance Department (18 employees)
• IT Department (6 employees)
• The Server Room
• 6 IP cameras

The following requirements are given by the Management.

• All the departments must be separated with unique subnets.
• The conference room of the head office and Customer Services Areas of each  branch are equipped with Wi-Fi connections with the security enabled.
• Connectivity between two branches (Colombo & Kegalle) which would allow intra-branch connectivity between departments. (Use Inter VLAN routing RIP or any routing protocol- evidence must be provided)
• Designer can choose his own IP range for both branches and subnetting calculations must be provided within the report except the server room.
• All the PC must retrieve IP from the DHCP server.
• The number of servers required for the Server room needs to be decided by the Network designer and should be assigned with 0.0.0/24 subnet. (Uses static IPs)
• (Note: Clearly state your assumptions. You are allowed to design the network according to

your assumptions, but the main requirements should not be violated)

Assignment activity and guidance

Activity 01

• Discuss the benefits and constraints of different network system types that can be implemented in the Kegalle branch and the main IEEE Ethernet standards that can be used in above LAN and WLAN design.
• Discuss the importance and impact of network topologies and assess the main network protocol suites that are used in network design using examples. Recommend suitable network topologies and network protocols for above scenario and evaluate your answer with valid points.

Activity 02

• Discuss the operating principles of network devices (Ex: Router, Switch, Etc.) and server types that can be used for above scenario while exploring different servers that are available in today’s market with their specifications and recommend
• Discuss the inter-dependence of workstation hardware and networking software and provide examples for networking software that can be used in above network design

Activity 03

• Prepare a written network design plan to meet the above-mentioned user requirements including a blueprint drawn using a modeling tool (Ex: Microsoft Visio, EdrawMax) and test and evaluate the proposed design by analysing user feedback with the aim of optimizing your design and improving efficiency.
• (Support your answer by providing the VLAN and IP subnetting scheme for the above scenario and the list of devices, network components and software used to design the network for the above scenario and while justifying your selections.
• Install and configure Network services, devices and applications (Ex: VLAN, WiFi, DNS,Proxy, Web, Etc.) according to the proposed design to accomplish the user requirements and design a detailed Maintenance schedule for above Network.

*Note: – Screen shots of Configuration scripts should be presented. The Cisco Packet Tracer file link must be submitted for external verification purposes. 

Activity 04

• Implement a networked system based on your prepared design with valid evidence.
• Develop test cases and conduct verification (Ex: Ping, extended ping, trace route, telnet, SSH, etc.) to test the above Network and analyse the test results against the expected results.
• Recommend potential future enhancements for the networked system with valid justifications and critically reflect on the implemented network, including the plan, design, configurations, tests and the decisions made to enhance the system.