What Does Network Design Entail?

On the face of it, computer networking seems like such a simple thing to do. To the uninitiated, this involves simply connecting a number of computers and other devices using physical wires or a wireless network, something that does not take long especially if you are dealing with only a small number of computers.

However, the truth is that network design is a bit more complex than this, especially when you are doing it in a business setting. This is why a lot of people who take a casual approach in dealing with it end up having a lot of problems with it in future. This is normally avoided by simply making sure that you use the right level of skill in such design. Some of the issues that will need to be sorted out in order to make it work include:

An evaluation of needs

The first step in network design is an evaluation of needs. This is necessary due to the fact that the needs of various companies differ wildly. For instance, if you are going to use the network for basic communications such as email, you would need a totally different infrastructure compared to one which needs to use more elaborate means of communication such as video conferencing and telecommuting. Doing a thorough investigation about what you need is essential in ensuring that the network that results is not only adequate for your needs, but is also not overly expensive due to the presence of unneeded elements.

A projection of future needs

When designing such a network, the future also has to be kept in mind. Ideally, you should end up with a network that is scalable, which means that you should be able to easily modify it in response to increased or reduced need for capacity. In addition to that, it should also be easy for you to have the system modified to accommodate any new technologies you might be interested in in future. This is only possible if you work with a company that has enough skill to figure this out in advance.

Customization of features

As has been noted, the needs of various companies differ greatly in terms of the requirements from such a network. This means that when you are getting one for your company, it should not simply be copied from another company. The ideal network is one which is made bespoke for the company in question. For instance, if you happen to deal with lots of sensitive information, you might have to put in place some means of encryption to avoid any unauthorized data access.

As you can see, the process of network design is not as straightforward as it might sound initially. There is a lot of thought that has to go into the process in order for it to work. By outsourcing this type of service from USWired, you can be assured that this will be done to perfection. In the end, you will end up with a network that not only works well, but is also affordable as well.