Top-Down Network Design, Third Edition

Chapter 3. Characterizing the Existing Internetwork

According to Abraham Lincoln:

“If we could first know where we are and whither we are tending, we could better judge what to do and how to do it.”

An important step in top-down network design is to examine a customer’s existing network to better judge how to meet expectations for network scalability, performance, and availability. Examining the existing network includes learning about the topology and physical structure and assessing the network’s performance.

By developing an understanding of the existing network’s structure, uses, and behavior, you can determine whether a customer’s design goals are realistic. You can document any bottlenecks or network performance problems, and identify ...