Chapter 2 Documenting Network Analysis & Design

CHAPTER 2
DOCUMENTING NETWORK ANALYSIS & DESIGN
Expected Outcomes Able to analyse the network requirements and respond to a Customer’s RFC Able to generate the contents of network design document

Documenting Your Design
• If you are given a request for proposal (RFP), respond to the request in the exact format that the RFP specifies
• If no RFP, you should still write a design document
• Describe your customer’s requirements and how your design meets those requirements
• Document the budget for the project • Explain plans for implementing the design

Typical RFP Response Topics
A network topology for the new design Information on the protocols, technologies, and products that
form the design An implementation plan A training plan Support and service information Prices and payment options Qualifications of the responding vendor or supplier Recommendations from other customers Legal contractual terms and conditions

Contents of a Network Design Document
 Executive summary  Project goal  Project scope  Design requirements  Current state of the network  New logical and physical design  Results of network design testing  Implementation plan  Project budget

Design Requirements
• Business goals explain the role the network design will play in helping an organization succeed
• Technical goals include scalability, performance, security, manageability, usability, adaptability, and affordability

Logical and Physical Design
• Logical design
• Topology • Models for addressing and naming • Switching and routing protocols • Security strategies • Network management strategies
• Physical design
• Actual technologies and devices

Implementation Plan
Recommendations for deploying the network design
Project schedule
Including any dates and times for service provider installations
Any plans for outsourcing Training Risks A fallback plan if the implementation should fail A plan for evolving the design as new
requirements arise

Possible Appendixes
 Detailed topology maps  Device configurations  Addressing and naming details  Network design testing results  Contact information  Pricing and payment options  More information about the company that is presenting the
design
 Annual reports, product catalogs, press releases
 Legal contractual terms and conditions

Summary
• When a customer provides an RFP, make sure to follow the prescribed format • When not bound by an RFP, develop a design document that describes requirements, the existing network, the logical and physical design, an implementation plan, and the budget • Be sure to include an executive summary • In some cases, you should also include appendixes with detailed information

Review Questions
• Why is it important to document your network design? • What are the major topics in a design document? • What are some possible appendixes for a design document?