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Transcript of recorded interview 

Note: Tutor plays the role of David-David Foundation’s Newcastle office network manager. 

Student: At the Newcastle office it seems that at the moment the only piece of equipment is one router. So, what kind of router is that? Is it like a consumer device or enterprise or… 

Tutor: the router that we have at the moment, I don't have specific information as to the model or make of the router. What I do have is just general information about the network configuration and the devices present. 

Let me see if there's any other information that's been shared with me from the boss. Yeah, about as specific as it goes. It does say home office router providing services to the network. 

Student: And looking at the laptops and workstations, what kind of age are they and what kind of performance too? 

Tutor: Okay. Is this in reference to both offices or just Newcastle? 

Student: Mostly Newcastle, yes. 

Tutor: So, in Newcastle, sorry, could you repeat the question one more time? 

Student: So looking at the laptops and workstations in Newcastle, what kind of age and performance are we looking at on them? 

Tutor: Yeah, lovely. So, I don't have particularly age on there, but I do have just simply that we have 15 staff permanently on there and that we have staff using VPN to connect to the head office site. There are no specifics as to what the specs are of their of their equipment, but it just says, that I assume if they're remote connecting that would be that a lot of them will use laptop configurations, but that's about it. 

Student: So, am I right in saying that the desktop workstations at Newcastle are connected wirelessly because I noticed that there wasn't any net switch there. 

Tutor: So, the main sort of network in the office is just like a basic LAN network. And then the rest of it, I don't…It doesn't specifically tell me whether it's a wired or wireless connection, but if we have remote connections, I imagine that people can just sort of bring their laptops in and connect wirelessly to the router. 

Student: So, looking at the upstream connection to the Internet from the office, how reliable has that been in the past? 

Tutor: So, at first you know in the earlier days it was okay, but at the moment we are having repeated connectivity issues essentially. We recently updated some equipment, so maybe that could be related, I suppose. 

Let me just see if I have any information on time frame very quickly for you. No, I haven't been given any specific information about the times that these started occurring, but just suffice it to say that we've been having more and more irregularities with connection. 

Student: So, at the moment, is there any infrastructure around the router? So, is there like a network rack? Is there a power distribution to that point? 

Tutor: Okay, so the general spec for the head office, in the head office the layout is single server, it's running Windows Server 2016 that's performing basically a whole bunch of roles, it's DHCP, it's DNS, domain control, VPN, file, print and web server and an e-mail server. 

And then the rest of that network is essentially built around our staff coming in remotely. We're just sort of adding laptops to that. So I assume possibly wirelessly connecting, although that have not been given the specific information. That's pretty much the set up for the head office other than we have recently updated a perimeter router and a firewall and in the Newcastle office basically just a very simple local area network, single small office, single home office router. That's in the Newcastle office, the routers doing DHCP and DNS and there is no domain control. Staff just use a VPN with laptops to connect to the head office. 

Student: So, looking at the building itself in Newcastle, so how difficult would it be to run new cabling to workstations there? So, would the building have an impact on that? 

Tutor: Not that I'm aware of, although I haven't been given the specific building plans. 

Student: Okay. Does the company have a preferred retailer for new hardware? 

Tutor: We don't currently have a preferred retailer. Based on your consultations, we could shift to whoever. Like I say, at the moment we're running quite a basic system, just a standard Windows Server. We don't have a particular manufacturer that we go to, just whatever will meet the business needs essentially. 

Student: So, are there any plans to expand the Newcastle office in the future? 

Tutor: Let's see…We are, like any business hoping to expand over time. We don't have specific plans for expansion at the moment beyond like the regular trying to invest back into the company and see if we can grow organically. But obviously we're having some issues that's kind of put a dampener on current expansion plans until we amend the current problem. 

Student: Are you aware if there's any remote workers based there in the Newcastle area? 

Tutor: Yes. So, the remote workers, of those, we have 15 permanent staff in Newcastle, we've got 10 parttime staff and then remote workers, specifically 10 people. 

Student: And are there any workers remotely at the head office too? Are you aware of that? 

Tutor: Let me just have a double checker. Yes, we have got 20 full time staff, 10 contract staff. Of the contract staff, so that's the 10 contracted staff, they do have laptops for working remotely, but they do often attend the head office for meetings and any that do work remotely, they are based around the country kind of spread out, so it can be a mixture of them either heading in for meetings or just remote work. 

Student: So, looking to, is there currently an infrastructure upgrade plan for the head office as well or is it just in Newcastle? 

Tutor: At the moment with the head office, I've not been given information about particular upgrade plans beyond our management hoping to double down on what we can actually do there. Like I say, I think this sort of consultation with yourselves is maybe a precursor, sorting out some initial problems before moving on to the upgrade plan. 

Student: So then at the Newcastle office too, would there be a space for installing new equipment? So, would there be power sockets, physical air conditioning? Would there be the facilities for it? 

Tutor: Well, I don't have the particulars of power sockets and so forth. Yes, I would assume that that would be doable. We'd basically just have like a standard office layout, but enough to sort of adjust if necessary and have the basics for running an IT business. 

Student: So, that's all good then. Thank you. 

Tutor: Excellent. Thank you very much. 

 

New: 

Transcript of recorded interview 

Note: The tutor assumes the role of David-David Foundation’s Newcastle office network manager. 

Student: At the Newcastle office, it appears that currently, there is only one router in use. Could you provide details about the type of router? Is it a consumer-grade device or an enterprise-grade one? 

Tutor: Regarding the router currently in operation, I don't possess specific information regarding its make or model. My knowledge is limited to general insights into the network configuration and the equipment present. Let me review if there's any additional information provided by the management. As far as the details go, it is described as a home office router facilitating network services. 

Student: Regarding the laptops and workstations, what is their approximate age and performance level? 

Tutor: Are you inquiring about both offices or specifically the Newcastle branch? 

Student: Primarily focused on Newcastle, yes. 

Tutor: In Newcastle, I don't have precise information regarding the age of the equipment. However, I can confirm that we have 15 permanent staff members utilizing VPN connections to the head office. There are no specific specifications mentioned for their devices, but considering the remote connections, it's plausible that many are utilizing laptop configurations. 

Student: So, am I correct in assuming that the desktop workstations in Newcastle are connected wirelessly, given the absence of a network switch? 

Tutor: The primary network in the office operates on a basic LAN setup. Regarding the connectivity of the workstations, whether wired or wireless, it's not explicitly stated. Considering the remote connections, it's plausible that individuals utilize wireless connectivity by bringing in their laptops and connecting to the router. 

Student: How reliable has the upstream connection to the Internet been historically? 

Tutor: Initially, in the early stages, the connection was satisfactory. However, presently, we've been encountering recurring connectivity issues. We recently underwent equipment updates, which might be related to the observed issues. Unfortunately, I don't have specific time frame information regarding when these issues started, but it's evident that irregularities in the connection have been increasing. 

Student: Currently, is there any infrastructure surrounding the router? For instance, is there a network rack or power distribution in place? 

Tutor: The general setup for the head office comprises a single server running Windows Server 2016, fulfilling various roles such as DHCP, DNS, domain control, VPN, file, print, web, and email services. The network primarily revolves around staff members remotely accessing these services. For the Newcastle office, it's a simple local area network with a single home office router handling DHCP and DNS, without domain control. Staff members utilize VPN connections with laptops to access services at the head office. 

Student: Regarding the building itself in Newcastle, would there be any challenges in running new cabling to the workstations? Would the building layout affect this? 

Tutor: To the best of my knowledge, without access to specific building plans, there shouldn't be any significant obstacles. 

Student: Does the company have a preferred supplier for new hardware? 

Tutor: Currently, we don't have a designated supplier. Based on consultations, we're open to considering various options. Our current setup is relatively basic, relying on standard Windows Server configurations. We prioritize selecting hardware that aligns with our business requirements. 

Student: Are there any plans to expand the Newcastle office in the foreseeable future? 

Tutor: While we aspire to expand over time like any business, there are no concrete plans for expansion at present. Our current focus is on resolving existing issues before pursuing expansion opportunities. 

Student: Are there remote workers based in the Newcastle area? 

Tutor: Yes, among the 15 permanent staff members in Newcastle, we also have 10 part-time employees, along with 10 remote workers. 

Student: Are there remote workers stationed at the head office as well? 

Tutor: Let me confirm. Yes, we have 20 full-time and 10 contract staff members at the head office. The contracted staff members are equipped with laptops for remote work, although they often attend in-person meetings. These remote workers are dispersed throughout the country, with some opting for remote work while others attend office meetings as needed. 

Student: Is there an infrastructure upgrade plan for the head office or just the Newcastle office? 

Tutor: Currently, specific upgrade plans for the head office haven't been disclosed to me. Our management is keen on addressing immediate concerns, and this consultation may serve as a preliminary step before considering any upgrade initiatives. 

Student: Would there be adequate space for installing new equipment at the Newcastle office? Are there provisions such as power sockets and climate control? 

Tutor: While I don't have detailed information on power sockets and infrastructure specifics, I believe the office layout should accommodate new equipment adequately. We maintain a standard office setup, ensuring the essential infrastructure is in place to support our IT operations. 

Student: That's all for now. Thank you. 

Tutor: Excellent. Thank you for your time.