costing a network

I have to cost a network for an assignment.. I'm a mature student and not sure where to begin on it..

apart from consultation cost
man hr per day cost
network cable cost
software
hardware
training
Not sure of any others..

If anyone knows of a site that has some clues.. I'd be glad to know about it. I have surfed and not found too much on it.

Hope there is someone out there than can throw some more light on it..

I would doubt you would find network design consulting how to on web. This is how folks make money. Making money is not open source :-)

But perhaps I can help.

Your "cost of a network" is a bit open. Is this a new network from the ground up? Or is there an existing structure that you are building upon. All new servers and workstations? What are they going to use the network for? Lots of other questions.

You need to know what they want to do before you can design a network for them. You can't price a network until you design it.

So lets start with the basics.

wanderer
CIO, CNE, MVP
did construction contracting for 15 years so I know a bit about how to bid a job :-)

Well I would get the comptia project+ book from the library as it will describe all this and WBS, COO, etc in detail. sounds like you are doing the cisco final for the academy.

Nice alphabet soup wonderer2

Juniperr
MCNE6,CNE5,CNE4,CNS(groupwise, bordermanager, zenworks), MCP (NT4,XP pro), CCNA, Project+

Thanks for replying..
I am putting in 9 new nodes/PC's
a server with programs and printer on it and a proxy server....

I am putting a new laser printer in

and need to know how to cost cable input... put metre or per job.. ?

Cabling is done by project bid. Total cost not by feet or manhours. If you have the length of the home runs to the network closet X how many you can guesstimate. If you have a drop down ceiling and don't have to go thru concrete walls it will run you about $1500 to $2k. I would just call a local cabling/low voltage licensed contractor and ask for a off the top of the head estimate [after all 10-12 home runs is something they should be doing almost weekly]

Forget the proxy server unless you are doing web hosting. A simple cable/dsl router is cheaper faster and less maintenance.

A decent server with fault tolerance [dual hot swap power supplies, raid1 for OS, raid5 for data plus hot spares] will run you $10K to $20K depending on how beefy. This is just hardware.

Server license and cals plus what software you are going to run is pretty easy to price. You can get pricing from the software vendor of the apps you want to run. You can look up MS pricing on the web.

Figure $1k per workstation. Good laserjet will run around $2K with jetdirect card.

You really wouldn't need a consultant or their service with what you have. But if you didn't want to do the project management and have them do everything you can figure about $3000 in markup/overhead. Can be more but I am figuring a reasonable consultant.

You're funny Juniperr! Usually I never put credentials but wanted to be clear that I had a bit of experience in discussing this project. You have a nice set yourself. Netware rules!

Thanks for all the information from both.. pleased with it.
I will get the book too.. I thought a proxy would be good for security issues.. but I did read about the other option..
Will probably change that bit.. I liked the idea that it only gives out one address when there are 9 nodes running to it.. to the web..
It won't be hosting so will quit that part of the project.

I'm well underway with it and mostly only had the costing to do..

Appreciated.............

Heidi

As far as consulting fee's they are flat bid or man hours on projects such as server builds and such, Cabling is always flat bid that ive seen. As a client I would do flat bid as the consultant will eat the cost if there are unseen problems and you are set on the amount in your budgeting, However if they are good the consultant will come out ahead as they will figure in some unforseen expenses that might not arise. (I am a network consultant/Engineer and have seen both sides go in favor at different times. )
As far as a proxy they are good if you have limited bandwidth as most web sites are static and proxy servers cache internet sites, also they can keep track of the sites that your people visit and can do URL filtering, If you are hosting you would use a reverse proxy to cache your web server to releave the load.
As far as hiding your IP that is called PAT (port address translation) also referred to as NAT ( network address translation) there is a difference though (most people do PAT and call it NAT).
This is done at the router or firewall personally I would use a PIX 501 in such a small network. I am against linksys in a work environment if you are using cable or DSL you will not need a router infront as it can do PPPoE and such. just my two cents.
I feel for ya as I had to take the project+ for my MCNE and it was boring reading material.
For RAID it depends on the OS ie.. NT/2000/2003 you need 5 drives 2 in a mirror set(system) and 3 for raid 5 (data), Novell 3 drives all in RAID 5 , Unix would be RAID 10 ( different from RAID 0+1) usualy 6 to 10 drives. These are the best practice setup's from the OS peeps so dont flaim me! For fast read and write performance on any use 0+1 instead of the RAID 5.
Good luck!
P.S I ment no disrespect just funnin with ya wanderer2 and yes netware does rock (my certs show my divotion)!!! Im jelouse of the CIO though WOOT!

Thanks for that huge chunk of information.. I was just about to do away with my proxy server as thought it maybe wasn't necessary expense.
How much will I save by just having one server? How much is a proxy server and does it take different software to make it a proxy.. will it need configuring from my intented MS2003 server software?
Not sure if I shouldn't just keep it simple and have one server only prob is I've written my assignment now and it has the proxy..
I am expected to set this up too.. it would be easier to set up a straight forward server..
not sure what to do.. like the idea of the proxy..

Juniperr...... where would I use the cisco PIX 501? Is it going to be compatible with other non cisco stuff? I think I would like to use this idea it sounds like a plan!... I am quitting on the proxy idea and using it in my project as a scenario that I would use proxy if the budget allowed so mentioning proxy set up but actually just doing an ordinary server. Any servers better than others? not surfed them yet.. been busy writing other parts of project... totalling 20 pages to date..... be pleased if you could clue me in on the cisco device please..

The PIX would be acting as your router so it would be like this...

Internet->cable/dsl modem->PIX->Switch->server, PC's, Printers, etc.


The other benifit to the PIX is that the PIX can be configured for VPN access either site to site or client to site that will give you growth for remote sites. I recomend using a cisco catalyst switch for future expansion. I tottaly agree a network should be built with a 100% expansion over 10 years in mind. I can not tell you how many people put in linksys routers and switches just to pull it all out a year later when it does not scale for their needs.

As far as a server OS it depends on what you want to do. For a small business I recommend Novell small business as it has everything you need including groupwise e-mail, I-manage, I-folder, I-print, Apache web server and can run on one server. Microsoft would need two to three servers for the same scenario. You would have a much more robust network using novell apposed to microsoft. As for Linux your Cost of ownership is higher as if you do not have a skilled staff getting support is costly and hard to find at this time. However the initial cost is lower by far.

Appreciate all the help.. this is great... I will surf and look at Novell small business. I'm not a linux fan because I don't know enough about it..
I guess the Novell will be ok here in England won't it? I will check it out. I appreciate the help on selection.. not a clue on that really and just building my scenario for the project and end result. :-)

I need a little more help on somthing that I have tried reading up on.. but not fully understood.

The patch panel!........... This is what I have figured so far.. (not being a networker) That each node is running to a hub.. then the single point out of the other side of the hub as it were, goes where?

where does the patch panel fit in. Remember the scenario, I'm only connecting 9 computers to a small business network.

Where does the UPS fit in... I presume that the server is plugged into that and to mains......

I don't need Modems in the 9 nodes do I? as they will all use the server modem right!........

Any help would be appreciated..

The patch pannel would be where all your cabling (from the wall jacks) terminates in the MDF (The room with the server and router). From the patch panel you would run patch cables to the switch. The UPS would be in the server which should be running powerchute (if its an APC) this software will shut down the server nicely as to not have a hard crash during an outage. If big enough UPS plug switch and router into it for the surge protection. Your internet connection would be from the PIX or if you have novell small business you would have two NICs in the server and run Bordermanager firewall (comes with small business) one NIC going to router and other to switch.

Thanks for the help.. had quite a lot of help on this forum.. glad to know that so many people are so willing to pass on knowledge.. Thanks juniperr............ a bunch!

Juniperr certainly deserves a pat on the back for this one.

On the other hand there is some poor consultant out there crying the blues... :-)