NETWORKING FUNDAMENTALS

Determining Client and Network Requirements

DETERMINING CLIENT AND NETWORK
REQUIREMENTS
Introduction
INTRODUCTION
 Before you begin designing a network you need to
have a clear sense of the client’s expectations.
 Too often in the past, technology has been
purchased or developed without a clear idea of why
it is needed.
 The aim is to find a solution that fits the
requirements, not a requirement that fits the
technology.
DETERMINING CLIENT AND NETWORK
REQUIREMENTS
Identifying Organisational Requirements
IDENTIFYING ORGANISATIONAL
REQUIREMENTS
 A prerequisite to good network design is to discuss
the client’s networking needs, as this will enable
you to analyse the various issues the network
needs to address.
 To do this you will need to arrange several
meetings with the client.
 Initially these meetings will probably focus on fairly
broad managerial type issues, but as you obtain
more and more information about the client’s needs
you can then arrange meetings to discuss specific
issues.
DEFINING BUSINESS OBJECTIVES
 You should start the analysis process by asking the client
some questions about the desired functionality of the network,
such as:
 What tasks would the client like to automate or make more
efficient?
 What business applications does the client need to support?
 Does the client simply want to have shared access to word
processing files, or do they have multi-user databases to
support?
 Does the client require electronic mail and Internet, perhaps even
a web server?
 Is the client planning to incorporate EFTPOS operations into the
network?
 What is the estimated size of the network; how many users will
the network service?
 How important is network security?
 Does the client have an existing network, and what is its
function?
DEFINING BUSINESS OBJECTIVES
 Once you have considered all the business tasks
and functions the client requires, write them down
and assign priorities to each item – this is the
beginning of your network plan.
 As you create the plan, consider which parts you
can do now and which can be addressed later,
taking care of critical business functions first.
DEFINING BUSINESS OBJECTIVES
 The following points address some of the issues
that should be included in the network plan:
DEFINING BUSINESS OBJECTIVES
 Sizing the Network
 It is important to have a clear idea of the network’s
expected size, taking in to consideration the number of
users and the level of use.
 Plan for future growth by building in extra capacity from
the beginning.
 Consider what capacity the client may need in two or
three years and how an increase in the number of users
will affect data storage needs.
 A good network should be designed to grow easily with
the careful addition of existing technology.
DEFINING BUSINESS OBJECTIVES
 Following a Standards Approach
 It is important that you plan and build the network using
standard industry-proven components.
 As business relationships change, the network may
need to interconnect with others.
 It is therefore wise to design a network that is not likely
to pose compatibility problems.
 If you are designing a network for an independent
branch of a larger organisations, obtain copies of
current network operations and use these as your
standard.
DEFINING BUSINESS OBJECTIVES
 Connectivity
 What types of external connections will the network need?
 Is Internet access necessary?

 If so, will a dial-up connection suffice, or will you need a fill-

time dedicated link?

 Will the client require remote access for their staff?

 One of the most challenging aspects of designing a

network involves setting up links to external networks.
 Not only are these the most technically complex tasks of
implementing a network, but they also carry significant
costs, that the client needs to be aware of from the very
beginning.
DEFINING BUSINESS OBJECTIVES
 Connectivity
 Many organisations maintain a ‘web presence’ via the
development of an Internet home page, allowing them
to showcase their goods and services to the general
public.
 However, there is much more to the Internet than simply
creating a home page.
 It is important to make the client aware of the various
Internet services available as well as the technical
issues surrounding the implementation of those
services.
 You need to make sure that the client is well informed
about the potential security issues involved in
connecting their network to the Web.
DEFINING BUSINESS OBJECTIVES
 Connectivity
 The first question you should ask the client is what level
of Internet access they require: do they want the use the
Internet to promote their own business or to access
information?
 If the organisation simply wants to set up a home page
to provide client information, then they may choose to
contract an Internet Service Provider (ISP) and a web
designer to maintain their web presence, with little if any
interruption to internal network services.
 If the organisation decides that they would like their staff
to have Internet access, to be able to send emails and
browse the web, then the task becomes more difficult,
and more costly.
DEFINING BUSINESS OBJECTIVES
 Security
 While the network operating system is responsible for
maintain the overall security of the network, especially
in terms of user access and authentication, the type of
network hardware used can also have an impact on
security.
DEFINING BUSINESS OBJECTIVES
 Security
 Consider the following hardware-related security risks:
 The nature of wireless networking means that a potential
hacker does not need to have physical access to the network.
 Establishing a permanent Internet connection via ADSL
potentially makes the network accessible to anybody
connected to the Web.
DEFINING BUSINESS OBJECTIVES
 Security
 The risk may be minor, but it is important to make the
client aware that a risk exists.
 Of course there are also a number of hardware
solutions that can be implemented to help minimize risk
and improve security.
 For example
 Using intelligent routers with built-in firewalls which offer a
higher level of security than those without
 Using a switch or bridge to partition sensitive areas of a

network from public access areas

DEFINING BUSINESS OBJECTIVES
 Security
 The level of security required is going to depend on the
type of information stored on a system.
 For example, a video store is going to have limited
security requirements whereas a legal firm is going to
have significant security requirements.
DEFINING BUSINESS OBJECTIVES
 Interoperability
 This refers to the hardware’s ability to communicate and
interact with different hardware and operating systems.
 When recommending new hardware you need to
consider what type of hardware is already in use and
make sure that the new component is compatible.
 You should also consider what standards exist within
the industry: if most other industries in this organisation
use XYZ, and you advise the client to use ABC then you
need to make sure that the two systems are compatible.
DEFINING BUSINESS OBJECTIVES
 Ease of Use
 The hardware needs to be easy to use, especially for
the end user.
 In situations where the client requires ongoing
administration access to the system, then the
recommended hardware should come with an easy-to-
use configuration interface, as well as good quality
documentation.
DEFINING BUSINESS OBJECTIVES
 Software Compatability
 You need to know what software the client intends to
run, both now and in the near future.
 Advising the client on a particular piece of hardware,
only find that it does not support the client’s operating
system or application software is embarrassing and can
be extremely expensive.
DEFINING BUSINESS OBJECTIVES
 Warranty
 Most manufacturers offer some level of warranty on
their hardware, but these can vary greatly not only from
manufacturer to manufacturer but also from item to
item.
 For example, some manufacturers have a ‘return to
base warranty’ which means that if a hardware
component fails, it needs to be couriered back to the
manufacturer for inspection and repairs or replacement,
and this can take several weeks.
DEFINING BUSINESS OBJECTIVES
 Cost
 Most clients will tell you that the most important
requirement they have is cost and they are right.
 However what many people fail to realize is that the
cheapest option is not always the best, and what the
client really needs is not the cheapest but the best value
for money.
 As an IT professional advising a client on network
hardware it is your responsibility to ensure that the
hardware you recommend offers the best value for
money possible.
DEFINING BUSINESS OBJECTIVES
 Existing Infrastructure
 If a network already exists, then it is important to
consider the existing infrastructure as it may limit what
options are available.
 In order to do this you will need to meet with other
technical staff as well as gain access to any existing
network documentation
DEFINING BUSINESS OBJECTIVES
 Existing Infrastructure
 Some of the issues you will need to address include:
 Can any of the existing hardware be reused?
 Will the new hardware be compatible with the existing

hardware?
 Will the new hardware be compatible with the existing

software?
 What effect will the new hardware have on productivity?

 Will the new hardware enable any new functions to be

undertaken (for example, video conferencing)?
 How many users will benefit from the installation of the new

hardware?
 How long will the new hardware take to install?

 What sort of disruption to existing services is likely during the

installation of the new hardware?

DETERMINING CLIENT AND
NETWORKING REQUIREMENTS
Working with the Client
WORKING WITH THE CLIENT
 In order to ensure that the network design best
suits the client’s needs, you will need to work
closely with them over a number of days, weeks or
even months.
 This will require you to organise meetings with the
client.
 You will also need to meet with a number of
different personnel within the client organisation,
such as team managers, key employees, and with
other maintenance support providers and
managers.
WORKING WITH THE CLIENT
 It may not be necessary to meet with key
employees as a group since mostly their team
managers will represent them.
 It may be more productive to conduct a number of
informal interviews or meetings with individual
employees and simply make notes of their business
requirements.
 You should make it clear that you value the
contribution of these employees.
CONDUCTING MEETINGS AND INTERVIEWS
 Meetings and Interviews involve communication
and collecting data, by asking questions and
discussing various issues concerning the network
requirements.
 The objective is to obtain information that can be
analysed in order to determine requirements.
CONDUCTING MEETINGS AND INTERVIEWS
 To do this successfully, a range of skills are
required:
 Speaking
 Listening
 Observing
 Understanding
 Questioning
 Analysing
 Note Taking
CONDUCTING MEETINGS AND INTERVIEWS
 Some helpful things to remember include:
 Your speech should be clear and understandable: do
not talk too quickly and avoid technical jargon.
 Many clients just want a computer network that works,
and are not concerned with all the technical detail.
 They also want to know that they are dealing with
professionals, so remember to be courteous and
helpful.
CONDUCTING MEETINGS AND INTERVIEWS
 Some helpful things to remember include:
 Develop good listening habits: concentrate on the
speaker’s message and listen for the main ideas,
concepts or principles.
 One technique that can be used to improve listening
skills is ‘active listening’.
 This means listening to what the person is saying and
mirroring what you believe has been said, by
paraphrasing or summarising their words.
 In this way, errors and misconceptions can be corrected
CONDUCTING MEETINGS AND INTERVIEWS
 Some helpful things to remember include:
 Take notes, but do not write down everything word for
word.
 Listen and think before writing, then record the key
words.
 Notes help you recall information revealed during the
interview.
CONDUCTING MEETINGS AND INTERVIEWS
 In between meetings, you should be talking to
vendors of equipment and services relating to the
network plan.
 You should be very familiar with the costs, the
services offered and the weaknesses of these
vendors.
 As you become familiar with these, you will be
better positioned to understand and recommend an
appropriate solution for the organisation.
CONDUCTING MEETINGS AND INTERVIEWS
 It is also useful to maintain good documentation
throughout this process.
 This documentation will form the basis of a report
you can present to management to summarise and
clarify your findings.
 Management can then sign off on the report as a
true and accurate description of the business
needs.