Mini Case

Case Study 1:

Book :Business Data Communications and Networking

8th Edition

Jerry Fitzgerald and Alan Dennis

Chapter 1

Introduction to Data Communications

IV. Bangkok supplies is a medium-sized distributor of electrical equipment that operates in Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia. It has eight warehouses spread across the four countries to service its customers(primarily hardware stores and electrical contractors).Products arrive from the manufacturers (often in China) and are stored in the warehouses until they are picked and put on a truck for delivery to their customers. The networking equipment in the warehouses is old and is starting to create problems, which are expected to increase as the equipment gets older. The vice president of operations, Suk Prem, would like to replace the existing LANs and add some new wireless LAN technology into all the warehouses, but he is concerned that this may not be the right time to replace the equipment. He has read several technology forecasts that suggest there will be dramatic improvements in networking speeds over the next few years, especially in wireless technologies. He has asked you for advice about upgrading the equipment. Should Bangkok supplies replace the networking equipment in all the warehouses now, should it wait until newer networking technologies are available or should it upgrade some of the warehouses this year some next year and some the year after, so that some warehouses will benefit from the expected future improvements in networking technologies?

Questions to be answered

He has asked you for advice about upgrading the equipment.

1. Should Bangkok supplies replace the networking equipment in all the warehouses now?

Answer: There will be advised to him that replacing all the networking equipment in all the warehouses at once is not good approach to cope situation.

2. Should it wait until newer networking technologies are available?

To wait...