4-1Chapter 4Network DesignThis chapter deals with the process of visualizing and planning the basic form and operation of anetwork.The network design process is the formation of the network, from initial conceptto the plan of implementation. In this Networking Guide, for the sake of brevity,the process of network design is separated from the process of networkconfiguration. Network design is presented and treated as the decisions leadingup to the selection of hardware, and network configuration is the process ofputting hardware together to create a functioning network.As this Networking Guide is concerned with the decisions made regardinghardware and facility cabling and not with the administration of networks or thespecific uses to which they are put, several aspects of the overall process ofnetwork design are not treated in this document, such as the selection of aNetwork Operating System (NOS), the choice of applications or of workstationtypes, or other specific decisions generally out of the purview of CabletronSystems as a provider of networking hardware.NOTESWhen designing a network installation or configuration, drawthe network. At the very least, make a rough sketch of eachaspect of the network design process. Seeing the various partsof your design will help you identify strengths and weaknessesand make it easier for you to achieve a grasp of the network asa whole.Similarly, draw out the network configuration once you beginselecting hardware. While it is not necessary to representevery port, labeling modules and showing the connectionsmade between them can point out potential problems beforethey are cemented into the configuration.
