Cobb County School District’s (CCSD) Lost Mountain Middle School has a Windows 2007a Client/Server fiber optic network with a star topology. The network operates at 1Gbps and is connected to the CCSD WAN (Wide Area Network) via two Sunesys 10GB fiber optic cables to the router. One of the fiber optic cables comes in from the CCSD Kennesaw hub, and the other comes from the CCSD Glover Street location. These two cables are for redundancy, in case one feed experiences a problem and shuts down. Two other fiber optic cables (for redundancy) then go from the router to the server. Out from the server, 1GB fiber optic cables run to each switch, and then 1GB goes to each node/workstation via Ethernet Cat5e cable. The school network server/ (MDF) and router are located centrally in the school, but in different rooms. The fiber optic cables run through a hole in the wall from the router to the server, and then extend from the server through the ceilings and walls to 126 seven- port switches throughout the school. Every classroom and administrative office in the school has access to a switch from which nodes can access the Internet. From each switch, Cat5e unshielded twisted pair (UTP) cables run to each workstation/printer. The school has four computer labs, each with thirty-one or thirty two student workstations and a network printer. The media center has twenty-five student workstations, four SLMS/Clerk workstations, and one network printer. There are also six laptops available for faculty checkout or student use while in the library. The thirty-six data drops in the library and elsewhere facilitate connection (via Cat5e cables) to the switches by eliminating the need for using an entire switch for just a few nodes. To provide Internet access for the teachers’ laptops, there are thirty-two Cysco SystemsWAPs (Wireless Access Points) throughout the school, running at 54Mgps. (B. Tibbitts, personal communication, September 9, 2011).

Media Center Router Server WAP Legend

Media Center Storage Room Server/Storage Room PTSA Office Computer Lab Storage Teacher Workroom Server Library Office School Store Media Center Teacher Mailroom Router WAP Copier 2 CCSD Network Cables to router Psychologist’s Office

Server/Storage Room Server Media Center Storage Room Rest room Router PTSA Storage Room Rest room Fiber optic cables OUT to all switches. Fiber optic cable OUT from router & IN to server Fiber optic IN from county

Legend Switch Data Drop Server WAP (wireless access point) Router Network Printer Cat 5e cable Fiber optic cable Student Workstation SLMS/Clerk/ Faculty Workstation