Saluting all Community members!
Today we are continuing the pledge to provide you with more content of your interest based on last year's most searched for queries in the Forum.
After the previous blog post about tips for efficiently troubleshooting error codes, we will now touch base on the 5 tips to optimize the network planning process. Bear with me for the next few minutes and I promise you won't forget it ;)
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
For those of you who aren't aware about network planning is about, a little bit of background information will come in handy.
According to N-Able.com, network planning 'is the planning phase a company’s IT infrastructure must go through before it is implemented. It involves evaluating and understanding how all the elements of the network link together (from routers, switches, and servers to desktops, laptops, and printers) and how they can be made to run as efficiently as possible.'
By considering and (obviously!) involving indispensible network planning elements such as a network map, cabling layout, the features of all of the devices making up the potential network, as well as the structure of the IP addressing and architecture of its security, you should definitely be off to a good start in your network planning process. Let us find out more about these in the following paragraphs.
TIP #1 - BIG PICTURE COMES FIRST
'What exactly is the BIG picture when talking about network planning?', you may wonder. Well, the answer is quite simple - you need to have an overview of the whole network in order for you to choose the best components that will go within it. This isn't usually a lengthy, complicated procedure when planning relatively small networks; but what if there's an extra-large network you're planning?
Don't get fooled by thinking 'this shouldn't be so hard - I got this'. As one very inspiring saying goes 'work smart, not hard', start using tools like structural diagrams or physical plans as early in the network planning process as you can in order to ensurei its steady development from scratch.
TIP #2 - THINK SCALABLY
Although it sounds like common sense, this part is one of the trickiest there is, because it implies that the network planner should be some sort of Nostradamus and predict the future needs of the network. This is where the planner's mastery comes out, as they need to be prepared for any scenario the network might go through.
'Hope for the best, prepare for the worst' I believe is a good expression in this case. Anticipating the needs of the network (whether it will grow or shrink) and then systematically adapting to the change in terms of hardware and software is definitely some to bear in mind when in the network planning phase.
TIP #3 - 'CYBER-SEC' IS THE HOTWORD
Security, security, security. I repeated this word three time because that is how important it is in the overall optimization of the network planning process. Therefore, make sure you plan your network with a security-oriented mindset. You can find more on network security in any of our previous blogs:
TIP #4 - DON'T FORGET ABOUT TRACKING
So you've figured out what the network will look like, you've got a provisional forecast on the potential network growth and you know exactly which security solution will be integrated within the network. What now? Well, make sure you won't lose all this work due to poor network monitoring.
Think carefully which fault management system you will choose, because it goes without saying - performance tracking and network monitoring are not things of the past. Nowadays, fully optimized networking planning is nothing without them.
TIP #5 - CHOOSE FLEXIBILITY
One of the most famous quotes in the world is Bruce Lee's 'Be like water my friend'. This perfectly applies to our context here, as in the fast-paced Telecom industry things can change in the blink of an eye. Even though you may think your networking planning is perfect and flawless, always look for ways to improve it. Never stop learning - only then will you be able to add value to your network planning process.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Two of the main pillars this Community is built on is knowledge sharing and peer interaction, which can easily encourage learning in fields such as network planning optimization. Thanks for choosing to be a part of it and
subscribe to the Community blog for more fresh content!
