System Administration Guide, Volume 3

Designing the Network

The first phase in the life cycle of a network involves creating its design, a task not usually performed by new network administrators. Designing a network involves making decisions about the type of network that best suits the needs of your organization. In larger sites this task is performed by a senior network architect: an experienced network administrator familiar with both network software and hardware.

Chapter 5, Planning Your TCP/IP Network describes the factors involved in network design.