1. Planning a Network Upgrade
Working at a Small-to-Medium Business or ISP – Chapter 3

2. Objectives Perform a customer site survey
Describe the importance of planning when beginning a network upgrade
Describe physical topology considerations when upgrading a network
Describe structured cabling
Describe network configuration and interaction of network devices
Describe other considerations when planning an upgrade

3. Perform a Customer Site Survey
Analyze and document the network configuration and interaction of network devices

4. Perform a Customer Site Survey
Describe the physical and logical topologies of a typical network with both wired and wireless users, as well as shared peripherals, file servers and Internet connectivity

5. Perform a Customer Site Survey
Create network requirements documentation

6. Planning the Network Upgrade
Requirements Gathering
Selection and Design
Implementation
Operation
Review and Evaluation

7. Planning the Network Upgrade
Describe issues that relate to the physical environment of the planned network upgrade

8. Planning the Network Upgrade
Describe the types of cabling required for the customer network upgrade

9. Planning the Network Upgrade
Explain the concept of structured cabling
Describe types of end-to-end cabling required to facilitate data flow

10. Planning the Network Upgrade
Using provided topology diagrams and site diagrams, or blueprints, create a wiring plan for the customer network including cable specifications, and cabling best practices to be observed.

11. Other Upgrade Planning Considerations
Describe issues that relate to purchasing and maintaining network equipment for an upgrade.

12. Other Upgrade Planning Considerations
Describe the purpose and function of a switch and router

13. Other Upgrade Planning Considerations
Describe factors related to the selection of LAN and Internetworking devices, such as expandability and manageability

14. IP Addressing Plan
Logical Addressing and Network Information.

15. Summary
A site survey including extensive documentation of both physical and logical network information must be performed before a network upgrade can be planned.
The five phases of a network upgrade include requirements gathering, selection and design, implementation, operation, and review and evaluation.
Structured cabling deals with the placement of cables, location of wiring closets, cable management, and electrical considerations.
Cost and expandability are important considerations when planning equipment upgrades.