This unique book offers a vendor-neutral approach for designing large
local area networks according to business or organizational needs,
rather than from a product perspective. Author and independent network
design consultant Kevin Dooley outlines "top-down network design" for
building a technological infrastructure to fit your organization's
requirements, a process far more effective and cost-efficient than
fitting the organization to the parameters of a shrink-wrapped
proprietary solution.Dooley argues that the design of a network is
largely independent of the products used. Whether you use a Cisco or
Juniper router, the same security issues and protocols apply. The
questions he addresses in this book are need-specific: Do I use a router
or a switch? Should I route between switched areas or switch between
routed areas?Designing Large-Scale LANs covers everything from
security, bandwidth and scalability to network reliability, which
includes backup, redundancy, and points of failure. Specific
technologies are analyzed in detail: network topologies, routing and
switching strategies, wireless, virtual LANs, firewalls and gateways,
security, Internet protocols, bandwidth, and multicast services. The
book also discusses proprietary technologies that are ubiquitous, such
as Cisco's IOS and Novell's IPX.This complete guide to top-down network
design will help you choose the right network solutions. If you're
designing large scale networks and need expert advice and guidance, look
no further than Designing Large-Scale LANs.
