chapter sixteen managing network design and implementation

Chapter SixteenChapter SixteenManaging Network Managing Network

Design and Design and ImplementationImplementation

ObjectivesObjectives

Describe the elements and benefits of Describe the elements and benefits of project managementproject management

Analyze the current status of a networkAnalyze the current status of a network

Perform a needs assessment and Perform a needs assessment and recommend changes based on your recommend changes based on your findingsfindings

Manage a network implementation projectManage a network implementation project

Design and test a pilot networkDesign and test a pilot network

Introduction to Project ManagementIntroduction to Project Management

Project managementProject management Practice of managing resources, staff, budget, Practice of managing resources, staff, budget,

timelines and other variables so as to achieve timelines and other variables so as to achieve a specific goal within given boundsa specific goal within given bounds

A A project planproject plan is the way in which details of a managed is the way in which details of a managed project are organizedproject are organized

Project ManagementProject Management

Figure 16-1: View of a project in Microsoft Project

Common Elements of a Common Elements of a Project PlanProject Plan

Task breakdownTask breakdown

DependenciesDependencies Tasks that must be completed before other Tasks that must be completed before other

tasks can begin are called tasks can begin are called predecessorspredecessors

TimelineTimeline A A Gantt chartGantt chart is a method for depicting when is a method for depicting when

projects begin and end along a horizontal projects begin and end along a horizontal timelinetimeline


FIGURE 16-2 Simple Gantt chart


ResourcesResources Staffing, materials, and money that a project Staffing, materials, and money that a project

requiresrequires The The ownerowner of a task it the person/group of of a task it the person/group of

people responsible for completing that taskpeople responsible for completing that task

MilestonesMilestones Reference point that marks the completion of a Reference point that marks the completion of a

major task or group of tasks in the project and major task or group of tasks in the project and contributes to measuring the project’s progresscontributes to measuring the project’s progress

Project ParticipantsProject Participants

Project participantsProject participants A A sponsorsponsor is a person in a position of is a person in a position of

authority who supports a projectauthority who supports a project A A stakeholderstakeholder is any person who may be is any person who may be

affected by the projectaffected by the project

FundingFunding Every project—whether it entails a simple Every project—whether it entails a simple

hardware upgrade or an entire network hardware upgrade or an entire network redesign—requires fundingredesign—requires funding

CommunicationsCommunications

Critical purposes for communications:Critical purposes for communications: To ensure a project’s goals are understood by To ensure a project’s goals are understood by

participants, stakeholders, and sponsorsparticipants, stakeholders, and sponsors To keep a project’s timeline and budget on To keep a project’s timeline and budget on

tracktrack To encourage teamwork among participantsTo encourage teamwork among participants To allow you to learn from previous mistakesTo allow you to learn from previous mistakes

CommunicationsCommunications

Critical purposes for communications Critical purposes for communications (cont.):(cont.): To prevent finger pointing if a task is not To prevent finger pointing if a task is not

completed correctly or on timecompleted correctly or on time To avoid duplication of effortsTo avoid duplication of efforts To prepare stakeholders for the effects of To prepare stakeholders for the effects of

changechange

Process Management and Process Management and Contingency PlanningContingency Planning

Process managementProcess management Planning for handling the steps needed to Planning for handling the steps needed to

accomplish a goal in a systematic wayaccomplish a goal in a systematic way

Contingency planningContingency planning Process of identifying steps that will minimize Process of identifying steps that will minimize

the risk of unforeseen events that endanger the risk of unforeseen events that endanger the quality or timeliness of the project’s goalsthe quality or timeliness of the project’s goals

Contingency PlanningContingency Planning

Measures to help a network project’s Measures to help a network project’s implementation:implementation: Order more hardware components than you think Order more hardware components than you think

you needyou need Ensure that your hardware and software vendors Ensure that your hardware and software vendors

have extra components on handhave extra components on hand Document each piece of hardware and software Document each piece of hardware and software

that you order for a projectthat you order for a project

Contingency PlanningContingency Planning

Measures to help a network project’s Measures to help a network project’s implementation (cont.):implementation (cont.): Rely on a pilot network to test your project’s Rely on a pilot network to test your project’s

goalsgoals If the technology required to implement the If the technology required to implement the

project’s is new to project participants, ask a project’s is new to project participants, ask a consulting company to be available for consulting company to be available for assistance or questions if neededassistance or questions if needed

Testing and EvaluationTesting and Evaluation

A test plan should address the following A test plan should address the following questions:questions: Was the change nominally successful?Was the change nominally successful? Did the change fully accomplish its purpose?Did the change fully accomplish its purpose? If the change did not fully accomplish its If the change did not fully accomplish its

purpose, did it partially accomplish its goal?purpose, did it partially accomplish its goal? Did the change result in unexpected Did the change result in unexpected

consequences?consequences? Did the change point to a need for additional Did the change point to a need for additional

changes?changes?

Managing Network ImplementationManaging Network Implementation

Significant steps in implementation process:Significant steps in implementation process: Determine whether the proposed change is feasibleDetermine whether the proposed change is feasible If deemed feasible, identify the specific goals for a If deemed feasible, identify the specific goals for a

projectproject Assess the current state of the networkAssess the current state of the network Assess the requirements as expressed by Assess the requirements as expressed by

stakeholdersstakeholders Create a project plan that includes tasks and Create a project plan that includes tasks and

subtasks, dependencies, resource allocations, subtasks, dependencies, resource allocations, timeliness, and milestonestimeliness, and milestones

Managing Network ImplementationManaging Network Implementation

Significant steps in implementation process Significant steps in implementation process (cont.):(cont.): If possible, build a pilot network based on your If possible, build a pilot network based on your

recommendationsrecommendations If the pilot network shows promise, begin to If the pilot network shows promise, begin to

implement changes on a larger scaleimplement changes on a larger scale If possible, release changes to a hand-picked group If possible, release changes to a hand-picked group

of users to evaluate the success of your network of users to evaluate the success of your network changeschanges

If the evaluation indicates the changes were If the evaluation indicates the changes were successful, release the changes to all userssuccessful, release the changes to all users

Update network baseline documentationUpdate network baseline documentation

Determining Project Feasibility and Determining Project Feasibility and Setting Project GoalsSetting Project Goals

Feasibility studyFeasibility study Outlines the cost and benefits of the project Outlines the cost and benefits of the project

and attempts to predict whether it will result in and attempts to predict whether it will result in a favorable outcomea favorable outcome

Setting project goalsSetting project goals Once deemed feasible, a project team should Once deemed feasible, a project team should

define a project’s goalsdefine a project’s goals

BaseliningBaselining

Details to address as part of a baseline Details to address as part of a baseline assessment:assessment: Physical issuesPhysical issues Logical topologyLogical topology ProtocolsProtocols

BaseliningBaselining

Details to address as part of a baseline Details to address as part of a baseline assessment (cont.):assessment (cont.): DevicesDevices Operating systemsOperating systems ApplicationsApplications

Assessing Needs and Assessing Needs and RequirementsRequirements

A A needs assessmentneeds assessment is the process of is the process of clarifying the reasons and objectives underlying clarifying the reasons and objectives underlying a proposed changea proposed change

Possible questions to ask in a needs Possible questions to ask in a needs assessment:assessment: Is the expressed need valid, or does it mask a Is the expressed need valid, or does it mask a

different need?different need? Can the need be resolved?Can the need be resolved? Is the need important enough to allocate resources to Is the need important enough to allocate resources to

its resolution?its resolution?

Assessing Needs and Assessing Needs and RequirementsRequirements

Possible questions to ask in a needs Possible questions to ask in a needs assessment (cont.):assessment (cont.): If fulfilled, will the need result in additional needs?If fulfilled, will the need result in additional needs? Will fulfilling the needs satisfy other needs?Will fulfilling the needs satisfy other needs? Do users affected by the need agree that change Do users affected by the need agree that change

is a good measure?is a good measure? What kind of resolution will satisfy them?What kind of resolution will satisfy them?

User RequirementsUser Requirements

Questions to ask when addressing user Questions to ask when addressing user requirements:requirements: What do you need?What do you need? What makes you think this need should be What makes you think this need should be

addressed?addressed? How quickly do you think this need must be How quickly do you think this need must be

addressed?addressed?

User RequirementsUser Requirements

Questions to ask when addressing user Questions to ask when addressing user requirements (cont.):requirements (cont.): Can you suggest at least three ways we can Can you suggest at least three ways we can

meet this need?meet this need? What kind of priority would you place on this What kind of priority would you place on this

need?need? Are you willing to ignore other needs to have Are you willing to ignore other needs to have

this need met?this need met?

Performance RequirementsPerformance Requirements

Questions to ask when addressing Questions to ask when addressing performance requirements:performance requirements: Where do current performance bottlenecks Where do current performance bottlenecks

exist?exist? Why do they exist there?Why do they exist there? What kind of performance is optimal?What kind of performance is optimal? Compared with other projects, what priority Compared with other projects, what priority

would you assign to improving network would you assign to improving network performance?performance?

Performance RequirementsPerformance Requirements

Questions to ask when addressing Questions to ask when addressing performance requirements (cont.):performance requirements (cont.): What measures can bring current performance What measures can bring current performance

levels to your recommended level?levels to your recommended level? How will performance improvements affect How will performance improvements affect

access, availability, customer needs, security, access, availability, customer needs, security, and scalability?and scalability?

How will you ensure that measures taken to How will you ensure that measures taken to improve performance are successful?improve performance are successful?

Availability RequirementsAvailability Requirements

Questions to ask technical staff when Questions to ask technical staff when clarifying their availability requirements:clarifying their availability requirements: Where do current availability flaws or Where do current availability flaws or

vulnerabilities exist?vulnerabilities exist? Where are the network’s single points of Where are the network’s single points of

failure?failure? What kind of availability is acceptable?What kind of availability is acceptable?


Questions to ask technical staff when Questions to ask technical staff when clarifying their availability requirements clarifying their availability requirements (cont.):(cont.): Compared with other projects, what priority Compared with other projects, what priority

would you assign to improving availability?would you assign to improving availability? What measures can boost current availability to What measures can boost current availability to

your recommended percentage?your recommended percentage? How will availability improvements affect How will availability improvements affect

access, performance, customer needs, access, performance, customer needs, security, and scalability?security, and scalability?


Questions to ask management staff when Questions to ask management staff when clarifying their availability requirements:clarifying their availability requirements: What is the cost of one hour of down time What is the cost of one hour of down time

during business hours?during business hours? What is the cost of down time during off-What is the cost of down time during off-

hours?hours? What is your ideal availability percentage?What is your ideal availability percentage?


Questions to ask management staff when Questions to ask management staff when clarifying their availability requirements clarifying their availability requirements (cont.):(cont.): What part of the application or access is most What part of the application or access is most

important to keep available?important to keep available? Compared with other projects, what priority would Compared with other projects, what priority would

you assign to improving availability?you assign to improving availability? How much are you willing to spend to ensure that How much are you willing to spend to ensure that

the network or system remains available for your the network or system remains available for your ideal percentage of time?ideal percentage of time?

Integration and Scalability Integration and Scalability RequirementsRequirements

Questions to ask the technical staff in Questions to ask the technical staff in addressing scalability and integration addressing scalability and integration needs:needs: How and where is the network’s growth How and where is the network’s growth

currently limited?currently limited? What needs to change to accommodate What needs to change to accommodate

growth or new hardware/software?growth or new hardware/software? In what ways do you expect the network to In what ways do you expect the network to

grow over the next two years?grow over the next two years?


Questions to ask the technical staff in Questions to ask the technical staff in addressing scalability and integration addressing scalability and integration needs (cont.):needs (cont.): How will improving scalability and integration How will improving scalability and integration

affect customers, performance, security, and affect customers, performance, security, and availability?availability?

How would you prioritize your suggested How would you prioritize your suggested measures for accommodating growth?measures for accommodating growth?


Questions to ask the management staff in Questions to ask the management staff in addressing scalability and integration needs:addressing scalability and integration needs: In what ways do you expect the network to grow In what ways do you expect the network to grow

over the next one to five years?over the next one to five years? Which of these growth directions is your top Which of these growth directions is your top

priority?priority? What type of hardware and software do you What type of hardware and software do you

expect to adopt in coming months and years?expect to adopt in coming months and years?


Questions to ask the management staff in Questions to ask the management staff in addressing scalability and integration needs addressing scalability and integration needs (cont.):(cont.): How much are you willing to spend to optimally How much are you willing to spend to optimally

position the network and systems for growth?position the network and systems for growth? Would you place a higher priority on positioning the Would you place a higher priority on positioning the

network and systems for growth or on improving network and systems for growth or on improving network security, availability, usability, or network security, availability, usability, or performance?performance?

Would you place a higher priority on facilitating Would you place a higher priority on facilitating better network and systems integration or on better network and systems integration or on improving network security, availability, usability, or improving network security, availability, usability, or performance?performance?

Security RequirementsSecurity Requirements

Questions to ask technical staff when Questions to ask technical staff when identifying needs for improving network identifying needs for improving network security:security: What type of security must be improved?What type of security must be improved? Why does security need to be improved?Why does security need to be improved? Based on the reasons underlying the need for Based on the reasons underlying the need for

improved security, to what extent does security improved security, to what extent does security need to be improved?need to be improved?

Security RequirementsSecurity Requirements

Questions to ask technical staff when Questions to ask technical staff when identifying needs for improving network identifying needs for improving network security (cont.):security (cont.): Will the improvement require extra staff, Will the improvement require extra staff,

hardware, software, or consulting services?hardware, software, or consulting services? Compared to other needs, what is the priority of Compared to other needs, what is the priority of

security improvements?security improvements? How will security improvements affect network How will security improvements affect network

access, performance, or scalability?access, performance, or scalability?

Using a Pilot NetworkUsing a Pilot Network

Pilot networkPilot network Small-scale network that stands in for the larger Small-scale network that stands in for the larger

networknetwork

Tips for creating a more realistic and useful Tips for creating a more realistic and useful pilot network:pilot network: Include at least one of each type of device that Include at least one of each type of device that

might be affected by the changemight be affected by the change Use the same transmission methods and speeds Use the same transmission methods and speeds

as employed on your networkas employed on your network

Using a Pilot NetworkUsing a Pilot Network

Tips to creating a more realistic and useful Tips to creating a more realistic and useful pilot network (cont.):pilot network (cont.): Try to emulate the number of segments, Try to emulate the number of segments,

protocols, and addressing schemes in your protocols, and addressing schemes in your networknetwork

Always implement the same server and client Always implement the same server and client software and configurations on your pilot software and configurations on your pilot network as found in your current networknetwork as found in your current network

Once you have established the pilot network, Once you have established the pilot network, test it for at least two weeks to verify that its test it for at least two weeks to verify that its performance, security, availability, or other performance, security, availability, or other characteristics meet your criteriacharacteristics meet your criteria

Preparing UsersPreparing Users

Among the things to explain to users:Among the things to explain to users: How their access to the network will be How their access to the network will be

affectedaffected How their data will be protected during the How their data will be protected during the

changechange Whether you will provide any means for users Whether you will provide any means for users

to access the network during the changeto access the network during the change Whether the change will require users to learn Whether the change will require users to learn

new skillsnew skills

Chapter SummaryChapter Summary

Project management is the practice of managing resources, Project management is the practice of managing resources, staff, budget, timelines, and other variables so as to staff, budget, timelines, and other variables so as to complete a specific goal within given boundscomplete a specific goal within given boundsA project plan describes how the details of a managed A project plan describes how the details of a managed project are organizedproject are organizedProcess management involves planning for and handling Process management involves planning for and handling the steps required to accomplish a goal in a systematic waythe steps required to accomplish a goal in a systematic wayContingency planning involves identifying steps that will Contingency planning involves identifying steps that will minimize the risk of unforeseen circumstances endangering minimize the risk of unforeseen circumstances endangering the quality or timeliness of the project’s goalsthe quality or timeliness of the project’s goalsOnce a milestone is reached, verify that you are on the right Once a milestone is reached, verify that you are on the right pathpath


In addition to being specific, project goals should be In addition to being specific, project goals should be attainableattainable

Baselining includes keeping a history of a variety of Baselining includes keeping a history of a variety of network factorsnetwork factors

Needs assessment is the process of clarifying the Needs assessment is the process of clarifying the reasons and objectives for proposed changereasons and objectives for proposed change

A good technique for beginning to clarify user A good technique for beginning to clarify user requirements involves user interviewsrequirements involves user interviews

Have technical staff answer a number of question to Have technical staff answer a number of question to clarify performance requirementsclarify performance requirements


To best determine availability requirements, To best determine availability requirements, interview both technical and management staffinterview both technical and management staff

Integration and scalability needs may drive network Integration and scalability needs may drive network changes, though they are less likely to be the changes, though they are less likely to be the primary reason for changes than are customer, primary reason for changes than are customer, performance, or security needsperformance, or security needs

Like user or performance needs, security needs Like user or performance needs, security needs must be clearly defined before a project commencesmust be clearly defined before a project commences

In almost every instance, it is advisable to notify In almost every instance, it is advisable to notify users of changesusers of changes

chapter sixteen managing network design and implementation

Documents