Textbook Questions
Assignment-Week 6

Question 2: How does the traditional approach to network design differ from the building-block approach?
Traditional Network Design:
The traditional network design approach follows a structured systems analysis and design process similar to that used to build application systems. * The network analyst meets with users to determine the needs and applications. * The analyst estimates data traffic on each part of the network. * The analyst designs circuits needed to support this traffic and obtain cost estimates. * Finally, a year or two later, the network is implemented.
Three forces are making the traditional design approach less appropriate for many of today’s networks: 1. The underlying technology of computers, networking devices and the circuits themselves are rapidly changing. 2. Network traffic is growing rapidly. 3. The balance of costs has changed dramatically over the last 10 years.

Building Block Approach:
The building-block approach attempts to build the network using a series of simple predefined building components, resulting in a simpler design process and a more easily managed network built with a smaller range of components. The basic process involves three steps that are performed repeatedly. Needs analysis involves developing a logical network design that includes the geographic scope of the network and a categorization of current and future network needs of the various network segments, users, and applications are either typical or high traffic. The next step, technology design, results in a set of one or more physical network designs. Network design and simulation tools can play an important role in selecting the technology that typical and high-volume users, applications, and network segments will use. The final step, cost assessment, gathers cost information for the network, usually through and RFP that specifies what equipment, software, and services are desired and asks vendors to provide their best prices. One of the keys to gaining acceptance by senior management of the network design lies in speaking management’s language, not the language of the technology.

Question 6: Describe the key parts of the technology design step. * Development of a physical network (or set of possible designs) * Specify the computers (Clients and servers) needed to support applications and users * New computers * Upgrades * Hardware devices

Computers or special purpose devices used for interconnecting networks

* Bridges * Routers * Gateway * Switches

Question 11: What are some major problems that can cause network designs to fail?
Many network projects failed because:

* Incomplete requirements * Business changes * wrong choice of technology * vendor misrepresentation * Lack design skills.

To avoid these common problems, here are some tips to get you started: * Dig out your existing security policy and begin updating it. * Use standards-based Websites to help create and update your security policy. * Involve all relevant members of your organization in the policy. * Train proactively on the elements of your security policy. * Divide network management into the FCAPS areas. * Take inventory of the network management tools in use and investigate their shortcomings. * Train employees to seek out new and emerging technologies and implement a formal review process. * Invest in training for all levels of IT staff, especially in the areas of new and emerging technologies.