Client specification – what do we need to know?
The network designer needs to understand what the client intends their network to achieve, i.e. what role does it have to perform?
In doing this the designer needs to clarify how large the network is in terms of users, servers, equipment and also in terms of its physical size.
By understanding the function of the network then one can determine issues relating to the performance that must be provided in terms of data carrying capacity, speed, security and reliability. This implies that the designer needs to fully understand the main data flows within the network to ensure that the design does not create bottlenecks which limit performance.
It is also important to understand the criticality of the network. In other words, if the network was to fail then what impact would this have on the client? The greater the impact the greater the need to provide system redundancy and backup.
All networks are ultimately limited by the available budget. BUT building the most expensive network is not guaranteed to give you the best network for the client.
Finally, it is important for the designer to think about the future. Most clients would normally expect their networks to do more and more for them. Producing a design which cannot be expanded in the future severely limits its scalability and ability to respond to changing needs.