Huffman Trucking Service Request SR-ht-010
NTC/361

Huffman Trucking Service Request SR-ht-010
Huffman Trucking is a national transportation company that provides carrier services for various vendors, including the United States Government. At present the company has a main office in Cleveland Ohio and hubs located in California, Missouri, and New Jersey (Apollo Group, Inc., 2012) . The ability to remain competitive relies on capable employees and efficient systems that operate at full capacity. The company is in the midst of developing the yearly budget and is examining all of the current systems in place. The Chief Information Officer (CIO) has requested a full review of all the current telephone and data network systems in all locations. Along with the review, recommendations for changes are also required. This document will outline Huffman Trucking’s systems and identify areas for improvement to maintain the company’s high level of service.
Telephone Systems
Looking at the current systems in the four plants and offices one can see that all four of the offices and plants have different telecommunication systems. Huffman Trucking has locations in four states with offices and plants located in California, Missouri, New Jersey, and Ohio. Many of the locations are using wiring that is not adequate for the system to have the capabilities to function in a business capacity. The California and New Jersey locations use a plain old telephone system (POTS), Private Branch Exchange (PBX). When using the PBX system they only have a limited number of lines coming into the system, thus making it difficult for upgrading. Many of the locations do not currently have a voice mail feature on their telephones. have the abilities to even have voice mail on their original systems so they have had to use other way in which to get their voice mail. The system is also not able to handle the volume of calls coming in on a daily basis. Huffman Trucking is trying to upgrade to a system that can be used to connect to all locations instantly. This will allow more effective service to the consumers. The California diagram does not show telephones, so one can assume that they are using VoIP software, thus meaning that all calls must be made from the computer terminals listed.
Plain old telephone service (POTS) is the voice-grade telephone service that remains the basic form of residential and small business service connection to the telephone network (Wikipedia, 2012).
Some of the protocols that maybe included in a typical telephone system are: * Tones sometimes known as dial tone and the ringing signal. * Operator service for such things as conference calling, long distance calling, or for directory assistance. * Communication options, such as duplex or bi-directional.

Some of the Advantages and Disadvantages of Huffman’s current telephone systems include the following factors:
Advantages
* Intercom used internally * More cost-effective with using current equipment * T-1 or a dedicated line is required for telephone system * Reliability caused by familiarity * When dialing internally prefix of number is shared with all extensions. * Efficiency, flexibility, expandability, and professionalism.

Disadvantages * Additional lines will be required when using dial-up modems. * Easier for outside security issues to arise. * Upgrading can be costly. * No battery backup in case of power outages. * Some systems have no Caller-ID. * System may not be as clear as other systems.

Recommendations for Huffman Trucking include all offices upgrade to Voice over Internet Protocol networks. Huffman needs to look at the inconsistency of their telephone system. With the use of old technology and with the use of the POTS and the old system PBX system they should realize that newer equipment is needed. The best way for Huffman to make the right decisions on exactly what equipment to upgrade they should look for what works and what does not. A few of the items that can be considered prior to purchase are: * Lower usage costs * Enhance feature sets and communication capabilities * Create a uniform service network throughout the corporation.

Network Protocols
Huffman Trucking utilizes different protocols in their respective plant and office facilities. Protocols are sets of rules that define how two devices communicate over the internet. There are three specific pieces that protocols define. Syntax, Semantics, and Timing (Shelly, Cash, & Serwatka, 2004) . Syntax involves the coding and formation of the data. Semantics deals with the information needed for establishing a connection. Timing refers to how the flow of data is controlled on the network. The most common type of protocol used today is Transmission Control Protocol/ Internet Protocol (TCP/IP).
There are currently three plants at Huffman Trucking that utilize the first type of protocol, Transmission control protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP). This type of protocol system deals with the exchange of packet information among differing networks such as Local Area Networks (LAN) using Ethernet and Token Ring, and also Wide Area Networks (WAN). The system is composed of five layers which are used to prepare and transport data using a packet system. The data is broken up into packets and sent to each individual layer which prepares it for transmission and then sends the information across the network (Shelly, Cash, & Serwatka, 2004). The IP layer addresses the packets for transmission while The TCP layer prepares the packets and initiates the transfer. Error checking and address confirmation guarantees data transmission along the network. The three plants using TCP/IP protocols at Huffman are Missouri Plant (Token Ring Network), California Plant (Ethernet Network), and Ohio Plant (Token Ring). Additionally the New Jersey Office also uses TCP/IP protocol (Apollo Group Inc, 2012).
Another type of protocol identified was Internetwork Packet Exchange/Sequenced Packet Exchange (IPX/SPX). This type of protocol was used in the Missouri and Ohio Office of Huffman Trucking. The protocol allows data packets to be transmitted over different types of Local Area Networks. Novell Netware communications developed this specific protocol after a previous one known as Xerox Network systems was not accepted because of the large use of TCP/IP. This protocol is not supportive of other networks or applications and does not involve internet connections (Torpey, 2011). It is mainly used on local networks and with Novell Netware’s clients and servers. Both office facilities using this type of protocol have Novell Border Manager servers and Lotus Notes.
The existing protocols are in place due to the type of equipment and system set up in each location. The majority of facilities use token ring type networks which work best with TCP/IP protocols for packet based transport. The remaining locations that are using the IPX/SPX protocols are still using Novell servers and they only work with that type of protocol which makes it less expensive than upgrading the systems.
The advantages for using the TCP/IP protocols with the current systems are noted as follows: * Failure Recovery feature * Networks may be added without interruption * Error checking capabilities * Compatibility with other platforms (Siyan & Parker, 2002)
Among the disadvantages are that TCP/IP cannot transfer real time data quickly. The reason is the error checking interferes with streaming and audio/video transfer so that type of transmission is done on a different protocol (Shelly, Cash, & Serwatka, 2004).
There are not many advantages for the continuing use of IPX/SPX protocols since TCP/IP has phased out most of its use in business and enterprise use. The disadvantages are mainly that the protocol is unable to support other hardware or applications and there is no internet usage. In addition Novell has stopped making the protocol and does not support Netware any longer (Torpey,2011).
Recommendations for improving communications within Huffman are to update the servers that are currently using IPX/SPX protocols and replace them with TCP/IP protocols for greater compatibility and networking with the other hubs. The addition of up to date technology would be an asset to the company’s additional facilities. The benefits would be improved communications and increased turnaround time for vendors and consumers. The internal communications would also be improved as a result of the upgrade
Topologies
The topologies at Huffman are comprised mainly of Token Ring and Bus technology. The Missouri and Ohio Office and Plants are configured with Token Ring which is a network where all the devices are arranged in a circle pattern. Information is transmitted in one direction to each device. The data is passed around the network with a token that captures the message and passes it around the circle. The advantages of this type of network is that each device has access to the information and the ability to transmit. Data is transferred at a decent rate of speed and does not require a network server to manage connectivity. The disadvantages of this type of network is that a malfunction in one of the devices may cause the entire network to have issues. Also adding or changing devices will affect the network.
Bus topology is used in the New Jersey and California Office. Bus topology refers to a single cable that connects all the workstations, servers, printers and other devices on the network. The cable runs from device to device by using connectors that plug into the network adapter cards (Falls Connect, 2012). Each device has a terminator on one end and a cable going out to the next device on the other end (Falls Connect, 2012) . The terminators on each end device simply stop the network signal from reflecting back into the cable and colliding with other transmissions. There are also network size limitations. The main advantages of Bus is the price due to the smaller cables and lack of network hubs. They are good for smaller type networks that don’t require high speeds. The disadvantages include the limitations in size and speed and if a connection goes bad, the entire network will be shut down. An additional consideration is the difficulty in troubleshooting problems within the devices.
The California Plant utilizes Ethernet technology which is good for faster connections. This type of technology can be configured with Bus or Ring networks to increase the connection and manage the data traffic more efficiently. Ethernet is the most common type of network because it is compatible with other setups and can be combined with other technologies. The information transmitted is sent along a single cable in digital form. There is a feature in Ethernet that prevents collisions from occurring by having the ability to listen and detect if there is other transmission on the network and waiting until the line is clear.
Recommendations for improved transmission is to include Ethernet technology in the hubs running Token Ring and Bus networks and also upgrade the plants that are running without routers, switches, or hubs. Attaching these devices to Ethernet cabling will allow faster transmission and routing of calls. This will ultimately benefit Huffman by dispatching requests and data to the drivers and allowing the office to process consumer transactions in a more reliable way.

Switching
The switching needs that will be indentified for the Huffman Trucking Company will be determinate upon the location and what they are currently using on their network and how those networks can be improved. We will examine several offices and their network set ups, these offices include, California, Missouri, Ney Jersey and Ohio. Within each of these locations two different sub locations exist. The office and the plant both require different network setups and subsequently will have different configurations depending on their business needs. We will take the time to examine these one by one and evaluate their individual needs based on their current configuration and what devices are attached to the network and require connection to be operational. Additionally we are going to examine the benefits of a using a central switching system and what the disadvantages of this type of configuration as well as the suggested recommendations of how to effectively re configure the network for the best possible network usage.
The first place we will examine is the California office configuration. They have several devices that are connected to this network configuration including, telephones, desktop computers, fax machines and scanners. There also is a central system for running the company phone system. Switching does not currently exist on this system but could be beneficial for the configuration. It would be beneficial to have the printer, scanner and fax machine connected to a switch that could connect to all the computers on the network. This is because when a computer sends information to the switch the switch could redirect the packet to the correct device. So all the computers could be connected to the same devices and the devices information could be routed appropriately depending on the information that is being sent. However if the switching device goes down the access to items such as the printer, scanner, and fax machine will cease and could impede office productivity.
The plant is another case, the California plant has a good configuration and not many of the devices that are on this network would require that they be interconnected to provide information to each other. The machines and devices that are connected to the central Ethernet hub can access each other through the Ethernet if that is required, however, many of the machines and devices are department dependent and do not require attachment to other devices in order to function or perform their tasks efficiently. There are no suggested recommendations on how switching could be beneficial to the network structure of this particular facility.
The Missouri office configuration already features a switching port and is configured on ring network topography. The location of the network switch is however in effective. The information that travels around the ring and encounters the switching device only has one machine connected to it to rout data. The information that comes across on the switch will use only a yes or no to determine if the data trying to be routed is relevant to the function of the device on that network. The use of this switch to communicate to more than one device would be a better usage of this type of hardware that is already present. However the use of a switch device in that manner on ring topography might be ineffective at providing the needed services to the network due to the method of information transfer around the network.
The Missouri plant seems to have an effective network set up that does not appear to need any type of switching technology as all information is routed through a central hub in the event that the different machines require the ability to communicate with each other on the network. Each device hooked up to the network has their own set of independent devices that allow them to conduct the functions of their jobs. Each device also seems tethered to a specific location within the plant and it is an assumption that the device can perform all the functions of their designated area without the need to be connected to other devices.
The New Jersey office has a configuration that runs through a central server. The network configuration could use a different configuration to counter the fact that if the server goes down or if one of the machines on the network goes down you can run the risk of losing productivity for the day. The use of a switching device is recommended for connection to the scanner and printer. This action puts those two devices on their own switching device so that information can be routed to the switch and correctly distributed to the right device and is accessible by the entire network as opposed to only being accessible through the machine the device is connected to.
For the New Jersey plant the use of a switching network could be beneficial in the sense that each of the dummy machines could be put on a switch network which would allow information that is being sent to the dummy switch terminal to rout the information to the correct dummy machine as needed. This type of configuration would need to be set up on the switch terminal by the admin to determine what data would go to which machine but this would also allow the dummy machines to connect to the network in a rudimentary sense.
The Ohio office configuration is the same as the Missouri office configuration and so my recommendations for this particular configuration would be the same as the fore mentioned above configuration.
The Ohio plant configuration is also the same as the Missouri configuration and so my recommendations for this facility would be the exact same as mentioned above in the previous sections related to the configuration of the Missouri system recommendations.
Network Security
In the world of operations there is much information shared regarding people. With the advancement of technology most if not all the information is shared across the world electronically. Some of the information can be very discriminating to a person’s character and can really damage their reputation rendering personal information. It is up to the industry as well as facilities providing services to have a security plan in place and follow guidelines. Someone within the organization should be appointed as the security official and they would handle all security issues as well as following privacy compliances.
There needs to be a team familiar with security measures, procedures, and agency operations. Inventory all applications and systems where electronic protected information can be found to protect the integrity and confidentiality. Identify current security measures and evaluate area where new or more measures may be warranted. Identify security threats and risk analysis, gather information, and build a solid risk management plan from past issues, for present and future issues. The results of the risk analysis will determine what procedures and policies are developed and put into action.
The plan developed defines how the organization responds to the technical, physical, and administrative safeguards. Each step taken and put into action should be documented concurrently as a ledger of when it took place, as within the Red Cross “if it is not documented it did not happen.” Each month an evaluation should be done and determination of new measures implemented as a result of the evaluation. Gaps in a security solution can place data integrity, information confidentiality, and mission-critical applications at risk.
Huffman Trucking needs integrated security controls that protect their infrastructure in today's dynamic, complex, and ever-changing threat landscape. They need to keep up with security policy and compliance requirements as their organization evolves (Cisco, 2011). There are a number of security measures to put into action but for the procedure to work efficiently, all employees whom would be utilizing the policies must be trained with the knowledge and understanding of such policies. The security policy and procedures would only be an advantage if it is maintained after being enforced if not it is a disadvantage.
A couple of advantages are an early return on the investment of the security system and easy replacement of manual processes. A couple of disadvantages are subsequent new changes may be needed later in the business after being comfortable with the old and reliance on existing processes if the current procedures are flawed. It is important to consider the benefits of topologies with point-to-point links. Link up/down topology changes can be propagated almost immediately to the underlying protocols.
Topologies with redundant equal-cost load sharing links are the most deterministic and optimized for convergence measured in milliseconds. With topologies that rely on indirect notification and timer-based detection, convergence is non-deterministic and convergence is measured in seconds (Cisco, 2011). The business can rest a bit and not stress about the system meltdowns and this would help to run the daily operations more smoothly.
In conclusion, Huffman trucking has a number of systems that are recommended for overhaul or combination of services. The equipment currently in place can be configured to increase the overall speed and accuracy of the organization’s services. The suggestions to improve the effectiveness of services are listed as follows * Upgrade the telephone systems to VoIP which would increase production by allowing automated routing of calls and less time on hold for consumers. * Replace IPX/SPX protocols with TCP/IP and update the servers. * Utilize Ethernet technology where available in the office systems that are not using any type of routers or switches to speed up communications and combine topologies to speed up data traffic. * Reconfigure and add switching devices for one or more of the plants indicated * Utilize Firewalls and antivirus configurations for the additional plant and office locations.
The inclusion of these changes will help Huffman to experience growth in consumer and employee capabilities within the company in addition to increasing overall profit and sales.

References
Apollo Group Inc., (2012). Huffman Trucking Company Virtual Organization Internet. Retrieved April 4, 2012. NTC/361 Network and Telecommunications Concepts. https://ecampus.phoenix.edu/secure/aapd/CIST/VOP/Business/Huffman//internet/facts.asp
Cisco, Inc. (2011). Campus Network for High Availability Design Guide. Retrieved from http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/solutions/Enterprise/Campus/HA_campus_DG/hacampusdg.html
Falls Connect (2012). Network Topologies. Retrieved from http://fallsconnect.com/topology.htm
Shelly, G., Cash, T., & Serwatka, J. (2004). Business Data Communications (4th ed.). Boston, MA: Course Technology.
Siyan, K., Parker, T. (2002). Overview of TCP/IP. Retrieved from http://www.informit.com/articles/article.aspx?p=28782
Torpey, J. (2011). The Disadvantages of the IPX/SPX Protocol. Retrieved from http://www.ehow.com/list_6127165_disadvantages-ipx_spx-protocol.html
Wikipedia. (2012). Plain Old Telephone Service. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plain_Old_Telephone_Service