Planning, Designing and Implementing a Network for the Naval Reserve

This thesis focuses on an analysis of the technology and steps involved in planning, designing and implementing a network for the Naval Reserve Force. The Naval Reserve is undergoing a multi-year program that will dramatically upgrade the Naval Reserve Network. The upgrades are needed to establish an effective Wide Area Network that is compliant with Department of the Navy Chief Information Officer's information technology standards guidance. Through the study, the challenges to implementing an effective network were identified as well as recommended strategies for successfully implementing the network. The thesis includes a requirements analysis of a typical Reserve Center and a recommendation for a standardized Reserve Center Local Area Network architecture. An overall standard network architecture is needed to improve system performance and interoperability. In addition, the thesis studies how to best stimulate the changes to business practices that will be required to ensure that the network will not be underutilized. The recommendations and information presented will benefit the Naval Reserve Force in their ongoing efforts to implement an effective Wide Area Network and to standardize their Information Technology infrastructure.