Network Design: Logical And Physical
Network Design: Logical and Physical
Developing an effective network is no short order that network managers attempt to ensure devices maintain access to other devices and files. Network design takes two forms, logical and physical; however, both are critical to assuring the extension of the employees maintains an even keel to satisfying business needs. The design used for contrasting the two design forms is a Local Area Network (LAN) and will illustrate this example for logical and physical designs.
Logical Network Design
The logical network design comprises of evaluating the needs for a network and contributes as the foundation for the physical network design infrastructure. Kleeman (1986) suggests identifying which devices will need to access what other devices and where to best store files. The logical network design relies on the collective needs of the users of the network. An additional suggestion Kleeman makes is to determine if all desktop computer equipment necessary for the network is available. Essentially, the network design will address how the network is used from a user and application standpoint in the immediate and distant future. If an existing network is in place, include data preservation and security when planning on how it will be transitioned to the new network. At this stage of the network design, the network manager will specify the different LAN hardware and software necessary to implement the network. Non-technical calculations include the project budget, the employment deadline, the security criteria for the network, and influence of downtime and network drag on users.
To better illustrate this stage of the network design process, a small business submitted a requirement to address issues relating to current LAN congestion and data integrity. The network manager “starts with a corporate strategic plan and maps out a unit business plan to identify future user needs and requirements.” The network...
Please login to view the full essay...