IT 200 Project One Technology Hardware and Software
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School
Southern New Hampshire University *
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Course
200
Subject
Information Systems
Date
Dec 6, 2023
Type
docx
Pages
6
Uploaded by SuperResolveCrane38
Vanessa Head
IT-200 Fundamentals Info Technology
Anthony Moreira
21 November 2023
IT 200 Project One Technology Hardware and Software
Technology Needs Report
The rapidly growing company of James Otis Tax Associates prioritizes productivity and retention of employees in their firm. The firm requires appropriate technology and tools that are going to be significant factors for their company to be sustainable. This technology needs assessment serves as an essential tool for the fulfillment of their priorities and needs in their office. The technology needs for each employee are as follows:
Certified Public Accountant (CPA)
The CPA is a senior position at a tax preparation company. The CPA will be not only handling sensitive customer data from personal tax returns but also preparing tax returns for corporate clients. The CPA is also responsible for the personal tax returns filled out by the tax and data-entry specialist employees.
Hardware:
Laptop - Lenovo ThinkPad E15 Gen 4
o
Intel 12th Gen Core i7 Processor
o
16GB RAM
o
512GB SSD storage
o
15.6″ 1080p IPS display with anti-glare technology
o
Fingerprint sensor for secure access
Docking Station - ThinkPad Universal Thunderbolt 4 Dock
Dual Monitors - ThinkVision 23.8 inch Touch Monitor - T24t-20,
Keyboard/Mouse - Microsoft - Sculpt Desktop Ergonomic Full-size Wireless USB Keyboard and Mouse
Phone - Cisco 7841 VOIP phone
Printer - Pantum M6602N
Software:
QuickBooks Online Accountant
ProConnect Tax
Intuit Tax Advisor
Microsoft 365 Business Premium
Security Measures:
Norton Small Business Premium
BitLocker Enabled
Strong password management
Networking Equipment:
Same for all users in the firm
o
Cable router provided by ISP
o
Cisco Meraki MX
o
NETGEAR JGS524E 24-Port Gigabit Ethernet Switch
Tax Specialist
The tax specialist has the dual role of entering data and verifying that tax returns are correct. This position involves customer interaction in gathering data for minimizing taxes owed or maximizing tax refunds.
Hardware:
Laptop - Lenovo ThinkPad E15 Gen 4
o
Intel 12th Gen Core i7 Processor
o
16GB RAM
o
512GB SSD storage
o
15.6″ 1080p IPS display with anti-glare technology
o
Fingerprint sensor for secure access
Docking Station - ThinkPad Universal Thunderbolt 4 Dock
Dual Monitors - ThinkVision 23.8 inch Touch Monitor - T24t-20,
Keyboard/Mouse - Microsoft - Sculpt Desktop Ergonomic Full-size Wireless USB Keyboard and Mouse
Phone - Cisco 7841 VOIP phone
Printer - Pantum M6602N
Software:
QuickBooks Online Accountant
ProConnect Tax
Intuit Tax Advisor
Microsoft 365 Business Premium
Security Measures:
Norton Small Business Premium
BitLocker Enabled
Strong password management
Networking Equipment:
Same for all users in the firm
o
Cable router provided by ISP
o
Cisco Meraki MX
o
NETGEAR JGS524E 24-Port Gigabit Ethernet Switch
Data-Entry Specialist
This position requires data entry for personal tax returns for customers who walk in the door. Although the data-entry specialist works with sensitive customer data, they do not have access to the tax
returns once the returns are submitted to the tax specialist for review.
Hardware:
Laptop - Lenovo ThinkPad E15 Gen 4
o
Intel 12th Gen Core i7 Processor
o
16GB RAM
o
512GB SSD storage
o
15.6″ 1080p IPS display with anti-glare technology
o
Fingerprint sensor for secure access
Docking Station - ThinkPad Universal Thunderbolt 4 Dock
Dual Monitors - ThinkVision 23.8 inch Touch Monitor - T24t-20,
Keyboard/Mouse - Microsoft - Sculpt Desktop Ergonomic Full-size Wireless USB Keyboard and Mouse
Phone - Cisco 7841 VOIP phone
Scanner - Fujitsu ScanSnap iX1600
Software:
QuickBooks Online Accountant
ProConnect Tax
Intuit Tax Advisor
Microsoft 365 Business Premium
Security Measures:
Norton Small Business Premium
BitLocker Enabled
Strong password management
Networking Equipment:
Same for all users in the firm
o
Cable router provided by ISP
o
Cisco Meraki MX
o
NETGEAR JGS524E 24-Port Gigabit Ethernet Switch
Hardware Overview:
The hardware that was selected for all three users is almost identical to each other apart from the printer/scanner. The laptop, Lenovo ThinkPad E15 Gen 4, is an efficient and effective machine to handle the day-to-day duties of each member in the firm. The machine comes with an Intel 12th Gen Core i7 Processor, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD for fast boot times and smooth operation. Having a
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laptop for each user ensures they can complete their work on the go if needed as well. When not on the go, they can use the Thunderbolt dock to connect to their dual ThinkVision 23.8 inch Touch Monitors. The monitors are a nice size to be able to multitask between different applications, they have an ergonomic flexible stand, and come with Eye-caring with Natural Low Blue Light technology. I am also suggesting the employees use the Microsoft Sculpt Desktop Ergonomic Keyboard and Mouse. The phone
chosen for each is the Cisco 7841 VOIP phone. The Cisco 7841 VOIP phone is a highly effective and cost-
effective phone for small businesses. For the CPA and Tax Specialist I have recommended the Pantum M6602N 3 in 1 printer, scanner, and fax. Since the CPA and Tax Specialist will be dealing with preparing and reviewing tax documents, they will need to make sure they have access to all 3 functions. Having a compact all in 1 machine that also boosts a 20,000-page monthly duty cycle is a great and effective option. Since the Data Entry Specialist will not be able to review the tax returns after they are submitted,
a printer and fax machine is not needed. Since they primarily handle the walk-in traffic, they need an effective and efficient scanner to scan, and upload documents the clients bring in. This scanner is rated at 40 one-sided pages per minute and 80 images per minute. Software Overview:
Like the hardware components, the software for each employee is almost identical as well. Each laptop will be equipped with Microsoft 365 Business Premium which is compatible with Windows 11 Pro that the laptops are running. This will allow each employee to interact with each other using Outlook, Exchange, and Microsoft teams. It also is equipped with 1 TB of cloud storage on OneDrive per user. It also uses encryption and has advanced phishing and ransomware protection. For accounting and tax preparation software I suggest all three employees utilize QuickBooks Online Accountant and ProConnect Tax. Utilizing these 2 software programs in conjunction with each other will make the process of completing a tax return seamless. The process starts with the client’s books in QuickBooks Online Accountant. Data flows seamlessly into ProConnect Tax to populate the client’s tax return. Since the Tax Specialist and the CPA will also be reviewing the tax returns, I suggest they add Intuit Tax Advisor.
Intuit Tax Advisor can be added and accessed through ProConnect to analyze each client’s tax return and recommend strategies to achieve the maximum ROI for the client. Security Measures Overview:
Since each employee will be responsible for handling sensitive customer or company data, the security for each laptop and network must be exceptional. Each laptop will be equipped with Norton Small Business Premium antivirus protection. Norton Small Business Premium equips each device with:
Device Security
o
24/7 real-time antivirus to help protect your devices, plus a firewall to help block
cybercriminals from sneaking onto your network.
Cloud Backup
o
Help prevent the loss of your business data due to ransomware, PC theft, or hard drive failures by storing copies of files and folders in the shared cloud storage.
Secure Browser
o
Keep your team more private and safer from cybercriminals during their day-to-
day online tasks.
Software Updater
o
Software Updater helps you to keep your software up to date, so there are fewer
vulnerabilities for cybercriminals to exploit.
Utilities Ultimate
o
Norton Utilities Ultimate helps to get your Windows PC running smoothly again by cleaning out junk, plus unneeded apps, and data.
Password Manager
o
Create, store, and manage your passwords, credit card information, and other credentials more securely in a personal, encrypted, online vault.
Secure VPN
o
Access online work apps and websites more safely when you’re at home or on-
the-go with bank-grade VPN encryption.
Driver Updater
o
Help to keep drivers on your Windows PCs up to date and safer by downloading from a database of more than 60 million malware-free drivers.
In addition to Norton Small Business Premium, I suggest additional effective password policies and BitLocker be enabled on each laptop.
Networking Equipment Overview:
To establish the network in the office I suggest the firm uses Spectrum SMB services. With Spectrum Business Internet Ultra they will get 600 MBPS internet speed which will come with a modem/router combo. For additional firewall protection, I suggest Cisco Meraki MX. The Cisco Meraki MX is natively integrated with a comprehensive suite of security capabilities such as application-based firewalling, content filtering, web search filtering, intrusion detection and prevention, malware protection, site-to-site, and client VPN, among other capabilities. To connect all the devices to the same network, I recommend the NETGEAR JGS524E 24-Port Gigabit Ethernet Switch. Renowned for its efficiency and silent operation, this switch is suitable for small to medium organizations. Its plug-and-
play feature makes it easy to operate even without advanced IT skills. You can monitor, secure, and configure your network through the intuitive GUI. Human Computer Interaction Overview:
While determining what hardware, software, security, and network components I would select for each employee, I took into consideration the goals of Human Computer Interaction (HCI). Each component was reviewed thoroughly to ensure that it meets the 3 core aspects of HCI: usability, user experience and functionality. Each piece of hardware has been rated to be user friendly and the ergonomic features listed in most help create a positive user experience as well. Ergonomic products help to ensure the members of the firm are comfortable and increase productivity while working long hours. The software I have selected is one of the most highly rated and used software for this type of firm as they are very user friendly to not complicate the requirements of each position. The security measures will make sure the client information is protected while also not complicating each employee’s job requirements. The networking components are also designed to be operable without advanced IT skills.
Network Diagram
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