There are several important factors to consider when determining the network requirements for a business. First and foremost is understanding the current and future needs of the business in terms of bandwidth, connections, storage, security and reliability. Meeting with key stakeholders from each department will help uncover these needs so that the network can be designed to effectively support all operational and growth goals.

Some key questions to ask department heads and employees include:

• What applications and systems do you currently use on a daily basis and how bandwidth intensive are they (file shares, databases, cloud services, video conferencing, etc.)?
• Do you anticipate needing any new applications or systems in the next 3-5 years that will require more bandwidth or functionality than your current setup?
• How many employees need network access and connectivity both in the office and remotely? What types of devices do employees use (PCs, laptops, phones, tablets)?
• Do you handle sensitive customer or employee data that has security/compliance needs to consider?
• What are your uptime and reliability requirements? Is the network mission critical or can occasional outages be tolerated?
• What are your data storage and backup needs both currently and in the future?

Gathering this information from each department will provide insight into the base level of bandwidth, infrastructure, security and storage needs to start designing a network solution. It’s also important to account for expected growth over the next few years to avoid having to upgrade again too soon. Typically aiming for a 3-5 year planning window is sufficient.

Once the base needs are understood, the next step is to assess the current network infrastructure and components. This includes:

• Conducting a wiring audit to understand what kind of cabling is already in place and if it is Cat5e or higher standard for future-proofing capabilities.
• Taking an inventory of all network switches, routers, firewalls, access points and other infrastructure with make/model/specs. Understanding age and upgrade eligibility windows.
• Documenting server configurations, storage space and backup procedures currently in place.
• Mapping the layout of switches, wiring closets and pathways to understand the logical topology and capacity for expansion.
• Testing bandwidth speeds between offices, remote locations and the Internet to understand performance bottlenecks.
• Reviewing security configurations and policies for compliance, vulnerabilities and improvements.

This assessment will reveal what components can be reused or replaced, where upgrades are needed, and any constraints or limitations from the current setup that need alternative solutions. For new construction projects, a full redesign may be most suitable. But for existing locations, optimizing the existing infrastructure may make the most financial sense.

With the business needs validated and the infrastructure understood, a proposed logical and physical network design can be drafted. Key factors to consider when designing include:

• Bandwidth requirements and estimated growth projections over time. Selecting internet connections, WAN links and local networking hardware with appropriate capacities.
• Locations that need connecting and the best methods (private WAN, broadband internet, MPLS, etc). Factor in performance, reliability and security needs.
• Redundancy and failover plans for internet links, routers/switches, servers and other single points of failure.
• Segmentation of network traffic for security, resource control and troubleshooting (VLANs, subnets, firewall rules).
• Wireless access requirements and selecting appropriate cabling, access points and configurations.
• Server and storage hardware appropriate for virtualization, performance and capacity needs.
• Security controls like firewalls, intrusion prevention, VPN, desktop protections and reliable backup solutions.
• Scalability to cost-effectively grow when needs change or new sites are added over time.
• Routing and switching best practices for high availability, traffic shaping and quality of experience.

The designed logical and physical topology can then be costed out with accurate BOMs from major brand vendors. Seeing the solution on paper makes it easy to estimate installation labor costs from qualified partners as well. Presenting these costs along with anticipated performance improvements and ROI analysis allows for an informed procurement decision.

Post implementation, ongoing network management practices are important to ensure smooth operations and that the infrastructure continues meeting the needs of a modern business. These includes change management processes, documentation, monitoring tools, maintenance windows, security patching, backup verification and more. With proactive management, the network should provide years of reliable performance to power the business.

Periodic assessments, perhaps annually, help keep the network design current with the evolving needs of employees and applications. New technologies also warrant re-evaluation to optimize costs and take advantage of performance/feature improvements. With each cycle, the network strengthens its role as the vital foundation that facilitates business success.

Following this methodology allows for a thorough understanding of all the factors that influence network requirements. By gathering input, auditing the current state, thoughtfully designing the solution, and maintaining proactive practices – the business can have complete confidence in a network infrastructure tailored to serve its needs both now and well into the future.