You're reading from Network Architect's Handbook An expert-led journey to building a successful career as a network architect

Product type Paperback

Published in Jan 2024

Publisher Packt

ISBN-13 9781837637836

Length 418 pages

Edition 1st Edition

Concepts

Information Security

Author (1):

Alim H.

View More author details

Table of Contents (19) Chapters

Preface

1. Part 1 – Navigating the Architectural Blueprint of Networking

2. Chapter 1: Understanding the Network Architect’s Role FREE CHAPTER

3. Chapter 2: Network Architect in an Organization

4. Chapter 3: Roadmap to Becoming a Network Architect

5. Part 2 – Crafting the Architectural Mind: Attributes and Mindset of a Network Architect

6. Chapter 4: Attributes of a Network Architect

7. Chapter 5: The Mindset of the Network Architect – the Principles of Design

8. Part 3 – Constructing the Core: Building Blocks of a Network Architect

9. Chapter 6: Foundations of Network Architecture – Part 1: Route/Switch

10. Chapter 7: The Foundation of Network Architecture, Part Two – Network Services

11. Chapter 8: Foundations of Network Automation

12. Chapter 9: Paradigm Shift to Cloud Computing

13. Part 4 – Mastering the Craft: Advancing Your Journey as a Network Architect

14. Chapter 10: Preparing for Certifications and Cracking the Job Interview

15. Chapter 11: The Skills to Become a Better Network Architect and Overcome Daily Challenges

16. Chapter 12: Additional Information and Recommended Books

17. Index

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18. Other Books You May Enjoy

Paradigm Shift to Cloud Computing

In the ever-evolving landscape of technology, only a few innovations have had such a transformative impact as cloud computing. The shift towards cloud-based services has brought about a new era of efficiency, scalability, and accessibility, revolutionizing the way individuals and organizations operate in the digital age, where the static constraints of physical machines yield to the dynamic elasticity of virtual resources.

In an era defined by the relentless pursuit of efficiency, scalability, opportunity, and interconnectedness, organizations and IT professionals are re-evaluating whether maintaining data centers (whether large or small, distributed or not) is a prudent investment. As applications are more SaaS-based, data center hardware is under-utilized for the cost paid, and their workforces are mobile and not necessarily tied to a specific geographical region.

Here's an example:

An organization has a data center (one of many) with over 100 data switches, at capacity, 250 servers, SAN networking, security devices/appliances with various capabilities, and other networking and application services. They have over 100 applications in production, which fluctuates throughout the year. The servers are averaging 50% utilization yearly. The TCO per year is $5.5M, not including staff and maintenance.

From a network architect’s perspective, consider how you might answer the following questions:

Does it make sense to keep such a large footprint where scalability and agility are limited?
Should we be paying double for server usage? Are we actually getting the best value for what we purchased? Does it make sense to have staff focus on maintenance?
In the next fiscal year, TCO is increasing by 15%, data center maintenance will increase by 15%, and hardware/software SLAs are up for renewal simultaneously; a refresh is on the horizon. How do we handle this?

This chapter should help you answer the preceding questions, and we will also explore the significance of cloud computing in a network architect role.

In this chapter, we’ll explore the following topics: