Local vs Physical Network Design
...s where we will determine whether we are starting a new network from scratch or if we will be upgrading an existing network. Additional factors to take into consideration are those of: • Who are the client(s) and what are their particular needs, • Particular services that will be provided, • Internet connection for yours users and potential issue involved, • Evaluate traffic patterns and bottlenecks, • Downtime tolerated, • Network protocol – upgrade the existing protocol of an existing network or a new network – Ethernet with TCP/IP protocol; • Budget Physical design describes the entities in detail, including information about how they are implemented within the facility. Physical layer provides a source of network device to connect and communicate, such as a desktop computer, laptops, portable devices, and network printers. When planning the physical design includes the following: • Information gathering – Total number of users, offices, floors, types of client servers, acceptable downtime, • LAN design – type of LAN, design wired and wireless network, • Internet connectivity design – identify internet connections, choose ISP, select network hardware, • Office design – access to internet, secure connection i.e. VPN, • Bill of material – switches, routers, firewalls, and wiring Pocono Medical Center has roughly 800 hardwired PC’s 60 Cow’s (Computer on Wheels), 300 wireless phones, 100 fax machines, which are all connected to our physical network. When moving wired equipment around, we sometimes need to change IP’s. This is due because sometimes when we reconnect the device, even though it might be connected on the same physical switch, we sometimes connect to a different logical segment. I would like to introduce two drawings to further explain the different between these two concepts. I have chosen to put a basic drawing of our MDF at Pocono Medical Center as it relates to one of our hub rooms. The first drawing is a physical drawing. In this drawing one can notice the core switch, the firewall device, and the wireless switch in the MDF room. Once can also notice the lines connecting the core switch in our Jordan hub and the second line going from the core switch to the firewall, the wireless switch and then the wireless switch in the Jordan hub room. One can also notice the wireless access point connected to the wireless switch an...