Designing a cost-effective IT network is a challenging but rewarding task for system administrators. It requires balancing the performance, security, scalability, and reliability of the network with the budget, resources, and goals of the organization. In this article, you will learn some basic principles and best practices for creating an efficient and affordable IT network.
The first step in designing a cost-effective IT network is to assess your current and future needs. You need to consider the size, location, and function of your network, as well as the expected traffic, data, and applications. You also need to identify the constraints and requirements of your network, such as the available bandwidth, hardware, software, and security policies. By analyzing your needs, you can define the scope and objectives of your network design project.
Affordable? Designing Networks to meet business needs will have different price tags. In my current position I had to replace EOL rtr/sw/fw and meet stringent security requirements. I had new requirements for new eSXI VMware stack, future cloud, and future orchestrators. I ended up with EVPN/VXLaN backbone non-blocking fabric. I used a firewall & virtual firewall to segment E2W and N2S traffic to meet security requirements. This architecture had flexibility of growth i.e. adding top of rack switches. The two vendors that priced this out was Juniper and Cisco. Juniper came in significantly under Cisco. Due to the budget and next generation network needs, Juniper was selected.
Size: How many users and devices will be connected to your network? Location: Where are your users and devices located? Function: What types of applications and services will your network support? Traffic: How much traffic do you expect your network to carry? Data: What types of data will be transmitted on your network? Applications: What applications will your users need to access? Bandwidth: How much bandwidth do you need to support your expected traffic and applications? Hardware: What hardware do you already have? What additional hardware will you need? Software: What software do you need to support your applications and security policies? Security: What security policies do you need to implement?
The topology of your network is the physical and logical layout of the devices and connections that make up your network. It affects the speed, reliability, and cost of your network. There are different types of network topologies, such as star, bus, ring, mesh, and hybrid. Each topology has its advantages and disadvantages, depending on the size and complexity of your network. You should choose the topology that best suits your needs and minimizes the number of devices, cables, and switches.
The performance of your network is determined by the speed, latency, and throughput of the data transmission. To optimize the performance of your network, you should use the appropriate protocols, standards, and technologies. For example, you should use TCP/IP as the main protocol for your network, as it ensures reliable and secure data delivery. You should also use Ethernet as the standard for wired connections, as it offers high speed and low cost. Additionally, you should use wireless technologies, such as Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, for mobile or remote devices, as they offer flexibility and convenience.
The security of your network is essential for protecting your data, devices, and users from unauthorized access, attacks, or damage. To enhance the security of your network, you should implement various measures, such as encryption, authentication, firewall, antivirus, and backup. Encryption is the process of converting data into a secret code that can only be decoded by authorized parties. Authentication is the process of verifying the identity and credentials of users or devices. Firewall is a software or hardware device that filters and blocks unwanted or malicious traffic. Antivirus is a software program that detects and removes viruses or malware. Backup is the process of copying and storing data in a safe location for recovery or restoration.
The scalability of your network is the ability to adapt and grow with the changing needs and demands of your organization. To scale your network, you should design it with modularity, flexibility, and redundancy. Modularity is the concept of dividing your network into smaller and independent units that can be easily added, removed, or replaced. Flexibility is the concept of allowing your network to accommodate different devices, applications, and protocols. Redundancy is the concept of providing alternative or backup paths or devices for your network in case of failure or outage.
The monitoring of your network is the process of collecting and analyzing data and information about the status and performance of your network. It helps you identify and troubleshoot problems, optimize resources, and improve efficiency. To monitor your network, you should use various tools, such as ping, traceroute, SNMP, or NetFlow. Ping is a tool that tests the connectivity and response time of a device or a host. Traceroute is a tool that traces the route and hops of a packet from a source to a destination. SNMP is a protocol that collects and manages data from network devices. NetFlow is a protocol that captures and analyzes the flow of traffic in a network.
Prepare a policy or task to auto discover new connections to avoid network intrusion at local level that can be used to further exploit vulnerabilities