Designing Wide Area Networks and Internetworks: A Practical Guide

15. Network Management

In designing a network, it is important to keep the operational aspects of the network in mind. The network should be as manageable as possible. Although some people view manageability as something distinct from design, it is more fruitful to think of the manageability aspects of the network as an integral part of the design. A complex and convoluted network architecture will tend to lead to a network that is difficult to manage; conversely, a simple and easily grasped network architecture will tend to lead to a more manageable network. Moreover, specific manageability requirements may preclude some candidate network designs and favor others. For all of these reasons, it is prudent to treat network management as an integral ...