1. Documenting Network Design

2. A design document describes your customer’s requirements and explains how your design meets those requirements.
Documents the existing network, the logical & physical design and the budget & expenses associated with the projects.
Plans for implementing the network, measuring the success of the implementation and evolving a new application requirements.

3. Network design & Implementation Cycle
Analyze requirements
Develop logical design
Develop physical design
Test, Optimize and document design
Implement and test network
Monitor and optimize network performance

4. Request for Proposal (RFP)
An RFP lists a customer’s design requirements and the types of solutions a network design must include.
Typically an RFP includes some or all of the following topics:
Business goals for the project
Scope of the project
Information on the existing network and applications
Information on new applications
Technical requirements
Environmental or architectural constraints
Preliminary schedule
Legal contractual terms and conditions

5. Response should include the following topics:
A network topology
Information on the protocols, technologies and products
An implementation plan
Training plan
Support and service information
Prices and payment options
Recommendations from other customers

6. Contents of a network design document
Executive Summary
Project Goal
Project Scope
Design Requirements:
Business Goals
Technical Goals
User communities and data stores
Network applications

7. Current State of the Network
Logical Design
Physical Design
Results of Network Design Testing
Implementation Plan
Project Schedule
Project Budget
Appendix

8. Executive Summary Beginning of the document States the major point
Should be no more than one page
Targeted at the managers and key project participants.

9. Project Goal
Should be business-oriented and related to an overall objective of the organization
Should be no more than one paragraph
Or can be written as a single sentence
Example:
The goal of this project is to develop a wide-area network (WAN) that will support new high-bandwidth and low delay multimedia applications.

10. Project Scope Provides information on the extent of the project
Specifies whether the project is for a new network or modifications to an existing network.
Indicates whether the design is for a single network segment, a set of LANs, a building or a campus, or remote access networks.
Example:
The scope of this project is to update the existing WAN that connects all major sales offices in the United States to corporate headquarters.
The new WAN will be accessed by sales, marketing and training employees.
It is outside the scope of this project to update any LANs that these employees use, or network in satellite or telecommuter offices.

11. Design Requirements: Business & Technical Goals
Explain the role the network design will play in helping an organization provide better products and services to its customers.
Technical goals section contains:
Scalability
Availability
Performance
Security
Manageability
Usability
Adaptability
Affordability

12. Logical Design
The network topology including one or more drawings that illustrate the logical architecture of the new network
A model for addressing network segments and devices
A model for naming network devices
A list of the routing, bridging and switching protocols
Recommended security mechanisms and products including a summary of security policies and procedures.
Recommended network management architecture, processes and products
Design rationale.

13. Physical Design
Describes the features and recommended uses for the technologies and devices you selected to implement the design.
Include information on the pricing for network devices and services.

14. Results of Network Design Testing
Test objectives
Test acceptance criteria
Testing tools
Test scripts
Results and observations

15. Implementation Plan A project schedule
Plans with vendors or service providers for the installation of links, equipment or services.
Plans or recommendations for outsourcing the implementations or management of the network
A plan for communicating the design to end users, network administrators and management.
A training plan for network administrators and end users
A list of known risks that could delay the project