This section provides advice on how to respond to a request for proposal
(RFP) from a customer, and includes information on how a design document should
be written when no RFP exists.
At this point in the network design
process a comprehensive design should exist, which is based on an analysis of
the business and technical goals of the customer, and includes both logical and
physical components that have been tested and optimized. The next step in the
process is to write a design document.
A design document describes the
requirements of a customer and explains how the new design meets those
requirements. It also documents the existing network, the logical and physical
design, and the budget and expenses associated with the project.
It is
also important for a design document to include plans for implementing the
network design, measuring the success of the implementation, and evolving the
design as new application requirements arise. The job of the network designer
is never complete. The process of analyzing requirements and developing design
solutions continues even after a design is implemented. Figure
illustrates the
cyclical nature of the network design process.
In addition to being
cyclical, network design is also iterative. Specific steps take place during
multiple phases of a design. Testing occurs during the design-validation phase
and also during implementation. Optimization occurs while finalizing the design
and also during the network-monitoring phase after implementation.
Documentation is an ongoing effort. Documentation can facilitate the approval
process for a design.