DESIGN AND SIMULATI ON OF A LAYER THREE MPLS-VPN WAN FOR ANY BANK IN

GHANA

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the study

The exponential growth of the Internet over the past several years has placed a tremendous strain on the

service provider networks. Not only has there been an increase in the number of users but there has been a

multifold increase in connection speeds, backbone traffic and newer applications. Initially ordinary data

applications required only store and forward capability in a best effort manner. The newer applications

like voice, multimedia traffic and real-time e-commerce applications are pushing towards higher

bandwidth and better guarantees, irrespective of the dynamic changes or interruption in the network.

To honor the service level guarantees, the service providers not only have to provide large data pipes

(which are also costlier), but also look for architectures which can provide & guarantee QoS and optimal

performance with minimal increase in the cost of network resources.

MPLS technology enables Service Providers to offer additional services for their customers, scale their

current offerings, and exercise more control over their growing networks by using its traffic engineering

capabilities.

A WAN, also known as long-haul network is a loose term used to distinguish networking technologies

from a geographical perspective. In contrast to local area networks (LAN), WANs provide

communications over substantially longer distances. Long-distance is a vague term that could entail

crossing a state, a country or even an ocean. Contrarily to LANs where organizations typically own and

manage their network, WAN service are typically a pay-for-service and are managed by regional

telecommunications carriers. [1]

As previously cited, a LAN’s primary purpose is to provide network access to hosts using various

topologies. In contrast to LANs, WANs are designed to interconnect networks through serial point-to-

point links. In a point-to-point WAN architecture, layer two frames are placed on the communications

medium at the source and removed at the destination. [1]

WANs may be characterized as series of specialized computers also known as packet switching nodes

(PSN) that connect networks through serial long-haul communications lines.

1.2 Problem Statement

Enterprise customers have in the past relied heavily upon traditional WAN/MAN services for their

connectivity requirements. Layer 2 circuits based on TDM, Frame Relay, ATM, and SONET have formed

the mainstay of most low-speed WAN services. But with high demand in internet cloud computing

enterprise customers are turning to Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS)-based VPN solutions because

they offer numerous secure alternatives to the traditional WAN/MAN connectivity offerings.

1.3 Objective of the study

Design and Simulate on Of a Layer Three MPLS-VPN WAN for any Bank in Ghana

The objective of this project is

1.4 Significance of the Study

When you have multiple branches across a state or a country, you would definitely be wanting to connect

all these branches together to facilitate data transfer/ access between them in order to accelerate the speed
of business transactions. Together to facilitate data transfer/ access between them in order to accelerate

the speed of business transactions.

This project seeks to provide:

1.4.1 Provisioning flexibility of enterprise networks

With MPLS VPN enterprise companies can run multiple services across their various branches such as

cloud computing. Most importantly, the ability to securely segment multiple organizations, services, and

applications while operating a single MPLS-based network

1.4.2 Less Maintenance

The design will reduce the labor and hence will save time. An enterprise company can manage all his

branches irrespective of the distance from a central point.

1.4.3 Wide geographical availability

This project will aid enterprise networks to cover larger geographical areas and reduce complex network

links to simple lease lines with few network elements

1.5 Scope of Study

The enhancement of enterprise networks in Ghana using the latest technology in IP routing for faster and

better services. This project can be implemented in telecommunication companies, universities banks and

hotels that operate with multiple branches.

1.6 Organization of study

The development and the Implementation of this system can be seen from 2 perspectives; the first aspect

is the project document and the other part is the system design and simulation. The project document is

organized in the following chapters:

Chapter one: focuses on the introduction of the project looking at the background to the study, problem

statement, objective of the study, significance of the study, scope of the study and the organization of the

study.

Chapter two: covers the literature review of the related works of the study. At this part, critical

examination and evaluation are done with respecting to the related works of other people vis-à-vis the

current trends of the project under development.

Chapter three: discusses mainly the design of the system by highlighting on the methodology, system

analysis and design, tools and techniques such as description of the mechanism by which the system

developer design an interface to capture the user response and view. This stage also bears the blending of

the traditional system development life cycle (SDLC) and project management techniques such as entity

relationship diagram (ERD), context and data flow diagram and use case diagram.

Chapter four: this chapter captures and discusses the system development and implementation. It also

analyses the user responses discussed in the third chapter while producing the screenshots of the system

interface and functionalities.

Chapter five: It comprises the conclusion of both the project document and the system development by

summarizing the entire project, including the recommendations about the system that could be further

researched and develop