Network Design Process
Dr.Rab Nawaz Jadoon
Department of Computer Science Assistant Professor
COMSATS University, Abbottabad
DCS Pakistan
COMSATS University, Islamabad
(Abbottabad Campus)
Telecommunication Network Design (TND)
Introduction
According to Albert Einstein
“The world we’ve made as a result of the level of
thinking we have done thus far creates problems
that we cannot solve at the same level at which we
created them.”
To paraphrase Einstein,
Networking professionals have the ability to create networks that are
so complex that when problems arise they can’t be solved using the
same sort of thinking that was used to create the networks.
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Good Network Design
Must fulfill customer requirements like,
Availability, scalability, affordability, security, and
manageability.
Many customers also wants network performance,
often called a Service Level.
To meet these needs, difficult network design choices and
tradeoffs must be made when designing the logical network
before any physical devices or media are selected.
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Good Network Design
When a customer expects a quick response to a
network design request, a bottom-up (connect-
the-dots) network design methodology can be
used, if,
The customer’s applications and goals are well
known.
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Good Network Design
Scalability and performance problems appear as
the number of network users increases.
These problems can be avoided if the network
designer uses top-down methods that perform
requirements analysis before technology selection.
Top-down network design is a methodology for designing
networks that begins at the upper layers of the OSI
reference model before moving to the lower layers.
The top-down methodology focuses on applications,
sessions, and data transport before the selection of routers,
switches, and media that operate at the lower layers
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Good Network Design
The top-down network design process includes
exploring organizational and group structures to
find the people for whom the network will
provide services and,
From whom the designer should get valuable
information to make the design succeed.
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Top down network design
Top-down network design is also iterative.
To avoid getting bogged down in details too quickly,
it is important to first get an overall view of a
customer’s requirements.
Later, more detail can be gathered on protocol
behavior, scalability requirements, technology
preferences, and so on.
Top-down network design recognizes that the logical
model and the physical design can change as more
information is gathered.
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Structured Network design process
The main goal of structured systems analysis is,
To more accurately represent user’s needs, which
unfortunately often are ignored or misrepresented.
Structured systems analysis has the following
characteristics:
The system is designed in a top-down sequence.
During the design project,
Characterize the existing system,
Determine new user requirements, and
Propose a structure for the future system.
A focus is placed on data flow, data types, and processes
that access or change the data.
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SNDP
A focus is placed on understanding the location and needs
of user communities that access or change data and
processes.
A logical model is developed before the physical model.
The logical model represents the basic building blocks, divided by
function, and the structure of the system.
The physical model represents devices and specific
technologies and implementations.
Specifications are derived from the requirements gathered
at the beginning of the top-down sequence.
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Remarks
With large network design projects, modularity
is essential.
The design should be split functionally to make the
project more manageable.
For example, the functions carried out in campus LANs can
be analyzed separately from the functions carried out in
remote-access networks, virtual private networks (VPN),
and WANs.
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CISCO Prospect
Cisco recommends a modular approach with its
three-layer hierarchical model.
This model divides networks into,
Core
Distribution and,
Access layers.
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Systems Development life
Cycles(SDLC)
Typical systems are developed and continue to
exist over a period of time, often called a
systems development life cycle.
Feedback from the users of the system causes the
system to then be redesigned or modified, tested,
and optimized again.
New requirements arise as the network opens the
door to new uses.
As people get used to the new network and take advantage
of the services it offers, they soon take it for granted and
expect it to do more.
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Network design phases
Four major phases
Analyze requirements
Network analyst interviews users and technical personnel to
gain an understanding.
Characterizing the existing network
The last step is to analyze current and future network
traffic, including traffic flow and load, protocol behavior, and
quality of service (QoS) requirements.
Develop the logical design
Logical topology for the new or enhanced network, network
layer addressing, naming, switching and routing protocols.
Also includes security planning, network management
design.
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SDLC
Develop the physical design
Technologies and products that realize the logical design are
selected.
Test, optimize and doc the design
Write and implement a test plan, build a prototype, optimize
the network design
Document your work with a network design proposal.
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Network design and
implementation cycle
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CISCO Approach
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CISCO PDIOO Network Life Cycle
P
P Plan
O D D Design
R
I Implement
O Operate
O Optimize
R Retire
O I
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Criteria of success/Failure
Determining the criteria for success, you should
find the consequences of failure:
What will happen if the network design project fails
or if the network, when installed, does not perform
to specification?
How visible is the project to upper-level
management?
Will the success (or possible failure) of the project be
visible to executives?
To what extent could unforeseen behavior of the
new network disrupt business operations?
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Networks Must Make Business Sense
Network upgrades are made not because
some new technology sounds interesting to the
engineers, but because it will help an enterprise
increase profits, productivity, market share, and
cash flow.
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Challenge
The challenge for network designers is to build
networks that allow,
Data to travel in and out of the enterprise network
from various wired and wireless portals without
picking up any viruses and without being read by
parties for whom it was not intended.
The designer is challenged to develop,
Secure, resilient, and manageable solutions that enable
users to work efficiently and securely wherever they are
physically located.
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Importance of Network Security
and Resiliency
Network security has filtered to the top of the
list of business goals.
Security was, is and be important all the time.
When security and operational problems occur,
networks must recover quickly.
Networks must be resilient.
In the current business environment, security and
disaster recovery should be considered with every
network design choice.
The network designer must propose solutions that
provide resiliency and stability.
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Network Design Business Goals
Increase revenue and profit
Increase market share
Expand into new markets
Increase competitive advantages over
companies in the same market
Reduce costs
Increase employee productivity
Shorten product-development cycles
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Network Design Business Goals
Offer new customer services
Offer better customer support
Open the network to key constituent
(prospects, investors, customers, business partners,
suppliers, and employees)
Avoid business disruption caused by network
security problems
Avoid business disruption caused by natural and
unnatural disasters
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Network Design Business Goals
Modernize outdated technologies
Reduce telecommunications and network costs,
including overhead associated with separate
networks for voice, data, and video
Make data centers more efficient in their usage
of power, cabling, racks, storage, and WAN
circuits.
Comply with IT architecture design and
governance goals
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Analyzing business constraints
Politics and policies
In the case of office politics, your best bet is to listen
rather than talk.
Your goal is to learn about any hidden agendas or history
behind the project that could cause it to fail.
Pay attention to personnel issues that could affect
the project.
Are there any managers, network engineers, or users who
want the project to fail for any reason?
Find out who your advocates and opponents are.
In some cases, no matter how technically sound your
network design is, there will be people who have a negative
reaction to it.
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Policies
You need to discuss with your customer any
policies about protocols, standards, and
vendors.
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Budgetary and staffing constraits
Your network design must fit the customer’s
budget.
The budget should include allocations for equipment
purchases, software licenses, maintenance and
support agreements, testing, training, and staffing.
The budget might also include consulting fees (including
your fees) and outsourcing expenses.
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Business Goal Checklist
You can use the following checklist to determine
if you have addressed your client’s business-
oriented objectives and concerns.
Check Questionnaire
I have researched the customer’s industry and competition.
I understand the customer’s corporate structure.
I have compiled a list of the customer’s primary business goals.
I understand the customer’s criteria for success and the ramifications of failure.
I understand the scope of the network design project.
I have identified the customer’s network applications.
The customer has explained policies regarding approved vendors, protocols, or
platforms.
The customer has explained any policies regarding open versus proprietary
solutions.
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Business Goal Checklist
Check Questionnaire
I know the budget for this project.
I know the schedule for this project, including the final due date and major
milestones, and I believe it is practical.
I have a good understanding of the technical expertise of my clients and any
relevant internal or external staff.
I have discussed a staff-education plan with the customer.
I am aware of any office politics that might affect the network design.
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