Network Design

Chapter One

Internetworking Basics

Internetworking is a collection of individuals, connected by intermediate networking device

which functions as single large network. Internetworking—the communication between two or
more networks—encompasses every aspect of connecting computers together. It can use
different network technologies such as Ethernet, Token Ring, and Fiber Distributed Data
Interface (FDDI).

An internetwork requires many protocols and features to permit scalability and manageability
without constant manual intervention. Large internetworks can consist of the following three
distinct components:

 Campus networks, which consist of locally connected users in a building or group of

buildings
 Wide-area networks (WANs), which connect campuses together
 Remote connections, which link branch offices and single users (mobile users and/or
telecommuters) to a local campus or the Internet

Fig 1.1:- Example of a typical enterprise internetwork

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Despite improvements in equipment performance and media capabilities, internetwork design is

becoming more difficult. The trend is toward increasingly complex environments involving
multiple media, multiple protocols, and interconnection to networks outside any single
organization’s dominion of control. Carefully designing internetworks can reduce the hardships
associated with growth as a networking environment evolves.

Network designers faced with designing an internetwork have four basic types of
internetworking devices available to them:

 Hubs (concentrators)
 Bridges
 Switches
 Routers

Hubs

Hubs (concentrators) are used to connect multiple users to a single physical device, which
connects to the network. Hubs and concentrators act as repeaters by regenerating the signal as it
passes through them.

Bridges

Bridges are used to logically separate network segments within the same network. They operate
at the Open System Interconnect (OSI) data link layer (Layer 2) and are independent of higher-
layer protocols.

Switches

Switches are similar to bridges but usually have more ports. Switches provide a unique network
segment on each port, thereby separating collision domains. Today, network designers are
replacing hubs in their wiring closets with switches to increase their network performance and
bandwidth while protecting their existing wiring investments.

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An individual Layer 2 switch might offer some or all of the following benefits:

 Bandwidth: - LAN switches provide excellent performance for individual users by

allocating dedicated bandwidth to each switch port. Each switch port represents a
different network segment. This technique is known as micro segmenting.
 VLANs: - LAN switches can group individual ports into switched logical workgroups
called VLANs, thereby restricting the broadcast domain to designated VLAN member
ports. VLANs are also known as switched domains and autonomous switching domains.
Communication between VLANs requires a router.
 Automated packet recognition and translation:-This capability allows the switch to
translate frame formats automatically, such as Ethernet MAC to FDDI SNAP.

Routers

Routers separate broadcast domains and are used to connect different networks. Routers direct
network traffic based on the destination network layer address (Layer 3) rather than the
workstation data link layer or Media Access Control (MAC) address. Routers are protocol
dependent.

Because routers use Layer 3 addresses, which typically have structure, routers can use techniques
(such as address summarization) to build networks that maintain performance and
responsiveness as they grow in size. By imposing structure (usually hierarchical) on a network,
routers can effectively use redundant paths and determine optimal routes even in a dynamically
changing network.

Routers are necessary to ensure scalability as the network grows and expands. They provide the
following capabilities that are vital in network designs:

 Broadcast and multicast control

 Broadcast segmentation
 Security
 Quality of Service (QoS)
 Multimedia

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Introduction to Network Design

Network design is an iterative process encompassing topological design, network synthesis, and
network realization ensuring that a new network or service meets the subscriber and operator
needs.

Network design refers to the planning of implementation of computer network infrastructures.

Network is usually designed by network engineers, IT administrators and other related staff
which is done before the implementation of the new network infrastructure.

Good networks do not happen by accident. They are the result of hard work by network
designers and technicians, who identify network requirements and select the best solutions to
meet the needs of a business.

The steps required to design a good network are as follows:

1. Verify the business goals and technical requirements.

2. Determine the features and functions required to meet the needs identified in Step 1.
3. Perform a network-readiness assessment.
4. Create a solution and site acceptance test plan.
5. Create a project plan.

After the network requirements have been identified, the steps to designing a good network are
followed as the project implementation moves forward. Network users generally do not think in
terms of the complexity of the underlying network. They think of the network as a way to access
the applications they need, when they need them.

Most businesses actually have only a few requirements for their network:

 The network should stay up all the time, even in the event of failed links, equipment
failure, and overloaded conditions.
 The network should reliably deliver applications and provide reasonable response times
from any host to any host.

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 The network should be secure. It should protect the data that is transmitted over it and
data stored on the devices that connect to it.
 The network should be easy to modify to adapt to network growth and general business
changes.
 Network troubleshooting should be easy. Though network failures occur occasionally,
finding and fixing the problem should not be too time-consuming.

The above network requirements would be translated into the following four fundamental
network design goals:

Scalability: - Scalability refers to how much growth a network design must support. Scalable
network designs can grow to include new user groups and remote sites and can support new
applications without impacting the level of service delivered to existing users.

Availability: - Availability refers to the amount of time a network is available to users and is
often a critical goal for network design customers. It can be expressed as a percent uptime per
year, month, week, day, or hour, compared to the total time in that period. A network designed
for availability is one that delivers consistent, reliable performance, 24 hours a day, 7 days a
week. In addition, the failure of a single link or piece of equipment should not significantly
impact network performance.

Security: - Security is a key technical goal, and security design is one of the most important
aspects of enterprise network design. Increased threats from both inside and outside the
enterprise network require the most up-to-date security rules and technologies. An overall goal
that most companies have is that security problems should not disrupt the company’s ability to
conduct business. Security is a feature that must be designed into the network, not added on after
the network is complete. Planning the location of security devices, filters, and firewall features is
critical to safeguarding network resources.

Manageability: No matter how good the initial network design is, the available network staff
must be able to manage and support the network. A network that is too complex or difficult to
maintain cannot function effectively and efficiently.

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Network Design Methodologies

While the roles of a network designer are indeed varied, and different general approaches to
network design exist, the entire concept of designing a network is greatly simplified through the
use of structured design methodologies.

The network design methodology section is derived from the Cisco Prepare, Plan, Design,
Implement, Operate, and Optimize (PPDIOO) methodology, which reflects a network's lifecycle.

Fig 1.2:- Network design Methodology

Prepare Phase: - this phase involves establishing the organizational (business) requirements,
developing a network strategy, and proposing a high-level conceptual architecture, identifying
technologies that can best support the architecture. Financial justification for the network
strategy is established by assessing the business case for the proposed architecture.

Plan Phase: - This phase involves identifying the network requirements, which are based on:-

 The goals for the network,

 Where the network will be installed,
 Who will require which network services, and so forth.

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The Plan phase also involves assessing the sites where the network will be installed and any
existing networks, and performing a gap analysis to determine if the existing system
infrastructure, sites, and operational environment can support the proposed system. A project
plan helps manage the tasks, responsibilities, critical milestones, and resources required to
implement the changes to the network. The project plan should align with the scope, cost, and
resource parameters established in the original business requirements. The output of this phase is
a set of network requirements.

Design Phase: - The initial requirements determined in the Plan phase drive the network design
specialists' activities. These specialists design the network according to those initial
requirements, incorporating any additional data gathered during network analysis and network
audit (when upgrading an existing network) and through discussion with managers and network
users. The network design specification that is produced is a comprehensive detailed design that
meets current business and technical requirements and incorporates specifications to support
availability, reliability, security, scalability, and performance. This design specification provides
the basis for the implementation activities.

Implement Phase: - Implementation and verification begins after the design has been approved.
The network and any additional components are built according to the design specifications, with
the goal of integrating devices without disrupting the existing network or creating points of
vulnerability.

Operate Phase: - Operation is the final test of the design's appropriateness. It involves
maintaining network health through day-to-day operations, which might include maintaining
high availability and reducing expenses. The fault detection and correction and performance
monitoring that occur in daily operations provide initial data for the network lifecycle's Optimize
phase.

Optimize Phase: - this phase is based on proactive network management, the goal of which is to
identify and resolve issues before real problems arise and the organization is affected. Reactive
fault detection and correction (troubleshooting) are necessary when proactive management
cannot predict and mitigate the failures.

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In the PPDIOO process, the Optimize phase might lead to network redesign

 If too many network problems or errors arise,

 If performance does not meet expectations, or
 If new applications are identified to support organizational and technical requirements.

Types of Network Design

Network
Design

Topological (Physical Design) Logical (Layer 2/3)

Topological or physical design of a network is a summary report consisting of the following-

 Network devices to be used.

 How each network devices are cabled?
 Which ports should be used?
 How each device is connected to the boarder network?

Logical Design deals with how packets are routed at layer 3/2 including the routing protocols to
be used in forwarding packets across the network.

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Modularizing and Structuring a Network

Modular design is commonly used in software development, where an application can be built
from multiple blocks of codes that collectively integrate to form the desired application. These
“building blocks” of modular structure enhance and simplify the overall application
architecture. For example, if an issue exists in one block or module of that software, it can
easily be isolated from the other modules and fixed separately without impacting other parts.
Furthermore, from the perspective of ongoing enhancements, it is easier to add additional
modules or blocks to this structure if new features are required. This makes the overall
application architecture more structured and manageable.

Similarly, modularity is one of the fundamental principles of a structured network. In a

structured network, the network architecture can be divided into multiple functional modules,
with each module serving a specific role in the network and represented by an individual
physical network. The individual physical network is also known as the places in the network
(PIN), such as the enterprise campus, WAN, or the data center. Consequently, these functional
modules are easy to replicate, redesign, and expand.

Studies show that when building an IT network, about 20 percent of the budget goes to
acquiring the hardware, and 80 percent goes to operational costs. For instance, if a network is
designed in a way (for example, flat) that cannot isolate security breaches, system upgrades, or
failures in certain parts of the network, it will not be “responsive enough” to adapt to future
business requirements such as scalability and fast network convergence. Whereas with the
modular design approach, if any given module faces an issue such as a security breach or the
addition or removal of modules, there should be no need to redesign the network or introduce
any effect to the other modules. Furthermore, breaking complex parts in the network based on
a modular approach into manageable blocks will optimize the overall network manageability.
In other words, from a network design point of view, modularity can promote design
simplicity, flexibility, fault isolation, and scalability. At the same time, modularity reduces
operational costs and complexities

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Hierarchical Network Design

In networking, a hierarchical design is used to group devices into multiple networks. The
networks are organized in a layered approach. The hierarchical design model has three basic
layers:

 Core layer: Connects distribution layer devices

 Distribution layer: Interconnects the smaller local networks

 Access layer: Provides connectivity for network hosts and end devices

Hierarchical networks have advantages over flat network designs. The benefit of dividing a flat
network into smaller, more manageable hierarchical blocks is that local traffic remains local.
Only traffic destined for other networks is moved to a higher layer.

Layer 2 devices in a flat network provide little opportunity to control broadcasts or to filter
undesirable traffic. As more devices and applications are added to a flat network, response
times degrade until the network becomes unusable.

Fig 1.3:- Flat Network

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Fig 1.4:- Hierarchical Network

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