A network design document is a blueprint that shows how your network architecture meets your business and technical requirements. It helps you plan, implement, and maintain your network efficiently and securely. In this article, you will learn how to create a network design document in six steps.
The first step is to gather information about your network goals, scope, constraints, and assumptions. You need to understand what your network needs to achieve, such as performance, availability, security, scalability, and functionality. You also need to define the boundaries of your network, such as the number and location of sites, devices, users, and applications. Additionally, you need to identify any limitations or risks that may affect your network design, such as budget, time, resources, regulations, or dependencies. Finally, you need to state any assumptions that you make based on your information, such as expected growth, traffic patterns, or standards.
The second step is to analyze your requirements and prioritize them based on their importance and feasibility. You need to evaluate how well your current network meets your requirements and identify any gaps or issues that need to be resolved. You also need to consider how your requirements may change over time and how your network can adapt to them. You can use tools such as surveys, interviews, audits, or benchmarks to collect and analyze data about your network performance, capacity, reliability, security, and usability.
The third step is to design the logical and physical topology of your network. The logical topology shows how your network devices and segments are connected and configured, such as the routing protocols, addressing schemes, VLANs, subnets, or firewalls. The physical topology shows the actual layout and placement of your network devices and cables, such as the switches, routers, servers, or access points. You need to design your topology based on your requirements and best practices, such as redundancy, modularity, hierarchy, or simplicity.
The fourth step is to select the appropriate devices and components for your network. You need to choose the devices that can support your network functions and features, such as the bandwidth, throughput, processing power, memory, ports, or protocols. You also need to consider the compatibility, interoperability, availability, and manageability of your devices. You can use tools such as datasheets, specifications, or reviews to compare and select the devices that suit your network design.
The fifth step is to test and validate your network design before implementing it. You need to verify that your network design meets your requirements and works as expected. You can use tools such as simulations, prototypes, or pilot projects to test and validate your network design in a controlled environment. You also need to document the results and feedback of your testing and validation process and make any necessary adjustments or improvements to your network design.
The final step is to document and present your network design document to your stakeholders. You need to document your network design in a clear and concise way that covers all the relevant information, such as the objectives, scope, assumptions, requirements, topology, devices, testing, and validation. You also need to present your network design document to your stakeholders, such as the management, users, or clients, and explain the benefits, costs, risks, and recommendations of your network design. You need to communicate your network design document effectively and persuasively and address any questions or concerns that your stakeholders may have.