Network Design
Network Design
Rodger Pond
NTC410
Randy Hughes
Logical design is, "The part of the design phase of the SDLC in which all functional features of the system chosen for development in analysis are described independently of any computer platform." [1]. A logical design lacks specific details such as technologies and standards and focuses on the needs at a general level. A logical network design can be a view of any part of a network. An entire enterprise educational network can be a composition of many logical designs. The lower level designs can be a network that connects each building to the Internet, or it could be a view of the standard office telecommunications setup. The important quality of a logical design is that is communicates all needs in general terms.
Logical designs communicate with abstract concepts, such as a network, router or workstation, without specifying concrete details.. An example of a network abstraction is a WAN. A wide-area-network carries data between remote locations. To understand a WAN, you do not need to understand the physics behind fiber optic data communication, although WAN traffic may be carried over optical fiber, satellite, or copper wire. Someone specifying the need for a WAN connection on a logical network diagram can understand the concept of a WAN connection without understanding the detailed technical specifics behind it.
Logical designs are often described using terms from the customer's business vocabulary. Locations, processes, roles from the business domain can show up in the logical design. An important aspect of a logical network design is that it is part of the requirements set for a solution to a customer problem.
The basic idea of physical design is that it communicates "decisions about the hardware used to deliver a system." [2] A physical network design is created from a logical network design. A physical design will often expand elements found in a...
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