Planning, designing, installing, upgrading, and maintaining network projects

The purpose of a network architect’s role in planning, designing, installing, and upgrading network projects is to ensure that the organization’s network infrastructure is reliable, efficient, and secure and that it supports the organization’s business needs.

Some projects may be completed within a few weeks, while others may take well over two years just to witness and reap the benefits of cost savings identified from the start. It’s not an easy endeavor to undertake, as a tremendous amount of effort goes into these events. A network architect must be involved from beginning to end and materially participate, to some extent, at all levels.

Let’s break down each event:

• Planning: The network architect plans the project by gathering requirements, identifying objectives, and defining the project scope. This helps to ensure that the project is aligned with the organization’s business needs and that all stakeholders are aligned on the project goals.
• Designing: The network architect designs the new network infrastructure, creating detailed logical and physical diagrams, and specifying the hardware and software that will be used. This helps to ensure that the new network will be efficient, reliable, agile, and secure, to support the organization’s business needs and current requirements.
• Installing: The network architect oversees the installation of the new network, including the installation and configuration of hardware and software. This helps to ensure that the new network is installed correctly and that it is ready to be used by the organization.
• Upgrading: The network architect is also responsible for upgrading the network infrastructure as needed, which is essential to keep the network up to date with the latest technologies and security standards and to meet the growth needs of the organization.
• Maintaining: The network architect maintains the network infrastructure and ensures that it’s running smoothly and efficiently and that it’s able to support the organization’s business needs. This may involve troubleshooting, resolving network issues, compliance checks, auditing, and making changes to the network as needed.

Regardless of which of these events are being performed, questions a network architect should ask are “What is the organization trying to accomplish with this project?” and “What is the intended goal/outcome of this project?”

Let’s take a closer look at these steps.

Planning

A network architect begins the planning process by following these steps:

1. Defining the project scope: The first step is to define the scope of the project, including the objectives, requirements, and constraints of the project. This involves working with stakeholders to understand their needs and requirements and gathering information about the current network infrastructure. Additional information may come from industry reports, such as Gartner, to provide insight into what other organizations are looking to do.

   Example: A high-frequency trading platform has a requirement for low latency to serve its customers with the most accurate financial data possible.

2. Conducting a network assessment: A network assessment is vital in an IT project because it provides a comprehensive understanding of the current state of the network. It establishes a baseline for activities moving forward from that point in time. The network architect will conduct an assessment of the current network infrastructure, determining network readiness and compliance with industry standards, identifying any issues or bottlenecks that need to be addressed, as well as opportunities for improvement.

   Example: Because of the high-frequency trading (HFT) platform’s requirement for low latency, an assessment was done illustrating that the current switching fabric is past its usefulness and cannot support the requirement. A new switching fabric will be needed to support the platform.

3. Developing a project plan: Based on the information gathered during the project scope definition and network assessment, the network architect will develop a detailed project plan. It provides a roadmap for the project and helps to ensure that the project is completed on time, within budget, and to the desired quality level. A project plan outlines the objectives, scope, deliverables, timeline, budget, and resources required for a project.

   This plan will outline milestones, timelines, resource requirements, and any other relevant information to complete the project successfully. The project plan will be used to determine how much funding will be allocated for the project. A well-defined project plan can increase the chances of project success and minimize the impact of unexpected events on the project.

   Example: Based on the information gathered about the HFT platform, the project will take about 4 months:

   • Month 1 – procure new switches
   • Month 2 – install, configure, and test new switches
   • Month 3 – place new switches into production, cutover, and test
   • Month 4 – decommission old switching fabric
4. Identifying risks and constraints: In addition and inclusive in the project plan are identifying the potential risks and constraints that can impede progress, impact current operations, or cause potential outages for an extended period of time. It helps to ensure that the project is completed on time, within budget, and to the desired quality level.

   By identifying potential risks and constraints, contingency plans can be developed to minimize the impact of these risks and constraints on the project. The network architect will identify and evaluate any potential risks or constraints that may impact the project and create a mitigation plan.

   Example: Two potential risks have been identified of not moving to an HFT switching platform to support trading:

   • Higher than normal latency due to network congestion
   • Revenue lost from trades not occurring within a specific time frame because of latency
5. Allocating resources: Resources are another essential component. It’s important to allocate resources effectively to ensure that the project is completed on time, within budget, and to the desired quality level.

   Resources include human, financial (budget), technical (hardware and software), and in some cases, office space, too. The network architect must consider the availability, cost, and suitability of each type of resource when making decisions about resource allocation, such as using internal teams versus outsourcing, which manufacturer to use, and the necessary lead times.

   They must also consider the dependencies between different types of resources and ensure that the right resources are available at the right time to ensure the success of the project.

   Example: Based on the project plan timelines, the project needs a technical lead, one architect, four engineers, and two technicians. The cost will be about $550K plus hardware, licensing, and support.

6. Reviewing and approving: The project plan will be reviewed and approved by the relevant stakeholders and IT management before implementation. This ensures that all stakeholders agree on the project scope, timeline, allocation of resources, and budget. Any vagueness or ambiguity in the project plan is identified and reviewed for clarity and completeness. Any concerns are addressed before moving forward.

   Reviewing and approving the project plan helps to ensure that all stakeholders understand and agree on what is expected of the project.

   Example: The project plan for the new HFT switching platform was reviewed and acknowledged by all teams on the leadership call. Signatures will be ascertained a week from today.

7. Communicating the plan: Effective communication is crucial and can impact the success of the project. The network architect will communicate the project plan to all relevant stakeholders, including IT staff, management, and external vendors. It helps ensure all stakeholders understand the project goals, objectives, timeline, budget, and expectations.

   Communicating the project plan increases buy-in and support for the project, as stakeholders are more likely to support a project that they understand and feel involved in.

   Example: After the project plan was reviewed and approved, the leadership, along with the network architect and team, held a town hall meeting to communicate and present the plan for a new HFT platform to support next-generation trading applications and a focus on global reach. Once the project commences, leadership will hold monthly town hall meetings to give an update on the project.

8. Monitoring and controlling: It’s important to monitor and control a project’s progress. The metrics were defined as part of the initial scope and more so in the project plan. The network architect will monitor and control the project metrics (i.e., budget and timelines) and report regularly on progress (weekly or bi-weekly), milestones achieved, tasks completed, and any concerns or issues that come about.

   Risk management helps ensure that any impact on a project is mitigated appropriately. This might involve conducting risk assessments, developing contingency plans, and monitoring risk levels throughout the project.

   By defining project metrics, conducting regular progress reporting, tracking performance, managing issues and changes, and managing risks, the network architect can help to ensure that the project is completed on time, within budget, and to a high quality standard.

   Example: Because of a delay with procurement, the timeline will be pushed out by 3 weeks. From a budget perspective, we’re still within our target of 28%. There is minimal risk to the project. The forecast is within the target timeframe to date.

Design

Once the project scope and plan have been defined, a network architect begins the design process for a network project by following these steps:

1. Identifying the requirements: A review of the requirements gathered during the project scope definition phase aids in aligning with business needs, defining performance criteria, creating a technical roadmap, avoiding rework, and minimizing risks. This help to ensure that the project scope is still accurate and relevant.

   More importantly, from an IT infrastructure perspective, the requirements must support the infrastructure’s scalability, reliability, and performance, interoperate with current infrastructure, meet compliance regulations (if any), and be secure, flexible, and cost-effective.

   The network architect must work with stakeholders and other members of the IT team to identify and prioritize the requirements for the IT infrastructure and to ensure that the infrastructure is designed to meet these requirements.

2. Creating logical and physical diagrams: Creating logical and physical diagrams is an essential step in the design of an IT infrastructure, as it helps the network architect (and network engineers) to visualize and understand the relationships between different components of the network, as well as the connections between the network and its end users. In addition, these diagrams help clarify the scope and objectives of a project and provide a clear understanding of the overall architecture of the network.

   Logical diagrams provide a high-level overview of the network infrastructure, showing how the different components interact and how data flows between them. This can include diagrams showing the network topology, IP scheme, routing and switching infrastructure, and the security and access controls in place.

   Physical diagrams, on the other hand, provide a more detailed view of the physical components of the network, including the servers, storage devices, switches, routers, and other equipment (i.e., electric layout). These diagrams help to ensure that the network infrastructure is properly installed and configured and that the components are correctly cabled and connected.

   By creating both logical and physical diagrams, the network architect can ensure that the network is designed correctly, installed accordingly, and configured to meet the needs of the organization and identify potential issues, if any.

Note

There are many IT architect tools on the market such as Visio or Lucidchart. It’s best to standardize a tool or tools across all teams to minimize any disruption when viewing diagrams.

3. Specifying hardware and software: This is an important step in the design process, as it helps the network architect to ensure that the network is configured correctly and optimized for performance, security, and reliability. This may include routers, switches, firewalls, load balancers, other network devices, and network management software.

   When specifying hardware, the network architect must consider factors such as the capacity and performance requirements of the network, the availability of spare components for redundancy and failover, and the power and cooling requirements of the equipment. The network architect must also consider the compatibility of the hardware components with other devices and systems currently in use on the network (fabric) and choose components capable of supporting the desired features and functionalities of the network.

   Similarly, when specifying software, the network architect must consider factors such as the compatibility of the software with the hardware components, the support and maintenance needs of the software, and the security and performance requirements of the network. The network architect must also choose software that is capable of supporting the desired features and functionalities of the network and must ensure that the software is configured correctly and optimized for performance and reliability to support the network.

   Specifying the hardware and software components of the network infrastructure supports the network design to meet the organization’s needs, and ensures that the components are correctly configured and optimized for performance, security, and reliability. It ensures that the network infrastructure is efficient, effective, and capable of supporting the desired applications and services, and helps to ensure the success of the IT project.

4. Designing for security: The network infrastructure must be protected from threats and vulnerabilities, such as unauthorized access, malware, and data breaches.

   Inclusive of the design are security best practices, such as implementing firewalls, intrusion detection and prevention systems, and encryption to protect the network infrastructure. In addition, regular security assessments must be conducted to ensure that the security measures in place are effective and to identify any new threats or vulnerabilities that may have emerged throughout the life cycle of the infrastructure.

   Access controls must be implemented to ensure that only authorized users can access the network infrastructure and its resources. This helps to prevent unauthorized access and potential security breaches. If a security incident does occur, the network should be designed with redundancy and failover, so the network continues to operate even in the event of a failure or security breach.

   Monitoring and logging capabilities are needed to keep track of network activity, detect potential security threats and vulnerabilities, and respond to security incidents in a timely manner.

   As a network architect designing for security, you’re able to safeguard the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the network and its resources, and it helps to ensure not only the success of the project but also the organization’s sustainability and future growth.

Note

At the time of writing, many principles exist related to security and securing network infrastructure. The concept of shift-left security is one that has been adopted as of late.

5. Designing for scalability, agility, and availability: Scalability refers to the ability of the network infrastructure to grow and accommodate increased demand. Agility refers to the network fabric’s flexibility and adaptability to changing requirements and ability to accommodate new services and applications quickly and efficiently, while availability refers to the ability of the network to continue to operate and provide services even in the event of failures or disruptions. All of this requires a combination of thoughtful planning and implementation of various technologies and best practices.

   The network topology plays a vital role in a network fabric’s scalability, agility, and availability. This may involve using redundant links and paths and designing the network to minimize the impact of failures (i.e., considering load balancing to distribute network traffic across multiple devices, such as routers, switches, or servers, to ensure that no single device becomes a bottleneck).

   Also, consider the size and complexity of the network, the types of services and applications being offered/utilized, the security requirements, and the budget when designing a network infrastructure for these aspects.

6. Review and validation: This is an important step in the design process. It helps to ensure that the design meets the requirements and expectations of the stakeholders and that it will be effective in meeting the goals of the project and its scope.

   The network design will be reviewed and validated by relevant stakeholders, IT management, and technical experts to ensure that it meets the organization’s needs and standards. Any potential problems or limitations with the design can be identified during this process and changes made as necessary.

   Feedback from stakeholders and other members of the team is crucial to improve the design or catch errors/omissions early in the design process, which can save time and resources in the long run.

   By validating the design, the network architect can ensure that the design is aligned with industry best practices and standards, meets organizational objectives, and that it complies with any relevant regulations or security requirements. This can help to increase the overall security and reliability of the network infrastructure and reduce the risk of unexpected problems or issues in the future.

7. Documenting the design: A well-documented design can help communicate the intended architecture to stakeholders, such as management, other IT personnel, and customers. It provides clear, concise, and accurate information about the design, its components, and how they interact with each other. This ensures that everyone involved in the project has a shared understanding of the network architecture.

   The network architect will document the design, including the logical and physical diagrams that show the overall architecture of the network (and the relationships between different components), hardware and software specifications (and their detailed configurations for installation), and any other relevant information.

   This documentation will be used as a reference during the implementation and maintenance of the network. So, it is important to keep the documentation up to date as the network infrastructure evolves over time to ensure that it remains accurate and relevant.

8. Communicating the design: The purpose of communicating the network design of the network infrastructure is to ensure that all stakeholders have a clear understanding of the design and the expected outcome of the project. This includes the technical details of the network infrastructure (documenting the design), how it will meet the organization’s needs, and how it will support the goals and objectives of the organization.

   Communicating the design is not only relevant to the stakeholders but also to the IT staff, management, external vendors, project managers, and developers – all of which have a stake in the outcome of the project.

Effectively communicating the design is critical for the success of the project, and it helps to ensure that the network infrastructure meets the organization’s needs and provides value to the organization. This will ensure that everyone understands the design of the network and what is expected of them in the implementation phase.

Installing

After designing the network architecture, a network architect goes about installing the network in the following steps:

1. Preparing for installation: As part of preparing for installation, a network architect must ensure that all necessary hardware and software components are available and ready to be installed as part of the project plan. This includes ordering the necessary hardware and software, having the team available to perform the installation, and scheduling the installation with relevant stakeholders and IT staff.

   The network architect must also create detailed installation and configuration procedures, which should be reviewed and tested before being used in a live environment.

Note

A proof of concept (PoC) is required to make sure that the configurations, setup, design, and failover can support the hardware/software/application/service/technology being instantiated.

When scheduling the installation, the network architect will need to coordinate with other IT teams and stakeholders to ensure that the installation and configuration of the network infrastructure are done in a manner that minimizes downtime and disruption.

This includes an initial sign-off and approvals from various departments or stakeholders, including security teams, to ensure that the installation complies with any relevant policies and regulations and to commence with the installation. This is done through a change control program management meeting.

2. Connecting devices: Connecting devices as part of a network infrastructure IT project is important because it establishes the physical connectivity between different network components, such as servers, switches, routers, firewalls, IDS/IPS systems, and end user devices. The network team will connect the devices according to the physical diagram and test them to ensure they are properly connected.

   These connected devices help to ensure that all components of the network infrastructure can communicate with each other, facilitate the transfer of data between different parts of the network, support the day-to-day operations of a business, and minimize the potential for network outages and downtime – all of which is essential for the network to function effectively.

3. Configuring the hardware: The process of configuring the hardware involves setting up the physical components of the network infrastructure, cabling them in accordance with the physical diagram, and testing the connectivity, such as routers, switches, and firewalls, to meet the specific requirements of the project. This includes specifying the required ports, routing switching configurations, interfaces and IP addressing/subnets, ACLs, services, and other protocols that the hardware must support, as well as setting up any necessary security measures.

   The network architect will work with engineers and stakeholders to verify that the configuration of the hardware is in line with the project scope, project plan, detailed network design document, and the solution(s) being articulated by the organization.

   Proper configuration of the hardware is critical to ensuring the stability, security, and performance of the network infrastructure. If the hardware is not configured correctly, it can cause network outages, security vulnerabilities, and performance issues, which can have a negative impact on the success of the IT project.

4. Installing software: This involves setting up or modifying the software components of the network, such as the operating system, network management software, security software, monitoring and visibility software, and application software, to meet the requirements and specifications of the network design and for the network to function correctly.

   The purpose of configuring the software is to ensure that the network infrastructure is functioning properly and efficiently. The software configuration must be consistent with the network design so that the hardware components and the software components are working together seamlessly. The software configuration must also be secure, reliable, and scalable to meet the needs of the organization and its users over time.

   Configuring the software helps to ensure that the network infrastructure is scalable and flexible so that it can adapt to changing requirements as the project progresses and as the needs of the business change.

5. Testing the network: Testing the network ensures that the network functions as intended and meets the requirements of the IT project. The testing should be conducted through a test plan called the user acceptance test plan (UATP). This plan can include verifying that devices are communicating correctly, the network is secure, the performance is acceptable, the desired capabilities are functioning, and the network is available under load testing or duress. If any issues are identified during testing, the network architect can make any necessary adjustments before the network is put into production. It ensures that the system works as expected from a user’s perspective and that it is ready for deployment into production.

   By conducting thorough network testing, a network architect can gain confidence in the network design and implementation and make any necessary modifications to improve performance and reliability.

6. Deployment: Once testing of the network infrastructure is complete, the deployment into production will commence. This entails a detailed go-live plan outlining the steps to transition to the new network infrastructure. This plan should include details such as the timeline, roles and responsibilities, and any contingencies that need to be put in place in case of any issues.

   The network architect should plan the switchover (or cutover) carefully to minimize any disruptions to network services. This may involve a phased approach to cutting over to the new infrastructure.

   As the cutover is in progress, monitoring this activity becomes critical to the overall success of the project, making sure everything is running smoothly. This may involve monitoring network performance, availability, and security, as well as tracking any issues that arise and resolving them as quickly as possible.

   Overall, the goal of the deployment process is to ensure that the network infrastructure is operational and performing as expected while minimizing any disruptions to network services.

7. Validation and sign-off: The network architecture must be validated to ensure that it meets the project requirements, including performance, security, scalability, availability, and end user acceptance. The UATP is used to verify that what was tested is actually what was placed into production with the desired results achieved.

   All documentation related to the network infrastructure, at this point, must be completed and updated, including configuration, hardware and software specifications, and network diagrams. The network infrastructure must be reviewed and approved by relevant stakeholders, including IT management, business stakeholders, and any external partners.

   Once the network infrastructure verification and validation are completed and approved, the network infrastructure can be put into production and made available for use.

8. Monitoring and maintenance: After a network infrastructure has been deployed, monitoring and maintenance are conducted to ensure that the network continues to perform optimally and to detect and resolve any issues.

   Monitoring involves constantly monitoring the performance and availability of the network, as well as its components, such as routers, switches, firewalls, and servers. This helps to detect potential problems early and resolve them before they become serious. Various tools are used to monitor the network, such as network management software, performance monitoring tools, and syslog servers.

   Maintenance activities can include software and firmware upgrades, hardware replacements, and performance tuning. Regular maintenance helps to prevent equipment failures and to ensure that the network continues to meet the needs of the organization. Maintenance schedules are typically established and documented in the network design and planning process.

   It’s important for a network architect to be involved in the monitoring and maintenance activities, as they have the expertise to assess the impact of changes to the network and to make recommendations to ensure that the network continues to meet the needs of the organization for business continuity.

Overall, the network architect will play a vital role in the installation process, overseeing all aspects of it. The network architect will work closely with the project team, workstream leads, and other stakeholders to ensure that the project is delivered on time, within budget, and to the desired quality standards, and ensure that it is done correctly and that the network infrastructure is ready to support the organization’s business needs.

Upgrading

A network architect will determine when a network design needs to be upgraded based on a variety of factors, such as the following:

• Business growth and expansion: As an organization grows and expands, its network requirements will change, and the network infrastructure may need to be upgraded to support the increased traffic and new applications.

  The network architect considers the current and future business requirements, assesses the current network capabilities, and identifies any bottlenecks or limitations that might affect the network’s ability to accommodate business growth and expansion.

• Changes in technology: With advancements in technology, there may be new or improved products and services available that can enhance the functionality, performance, and security of a network infrastructure.

  As technologies become available, the network architect will evaluate whether they can be used to improve the network’s performance, security, or scalability, as well as considering how they may impact the current network infrastructure.

  For example, new hardware components or software solutions may significantly improve network performance or provide better security. There may also be new networking protocols or standards that can improve network scalability and interoperability.

  The landscape of technologies changes rapidly as products and solutions evolve. But with new entries into the market, a network architect must be able to navigate, formalize, and assess the impact on the current network infrastructure and determine whether upgrades are necessary to maintain the network’s functionality and meet the changing needs of the business.

• Security threats: As new technologies are introduced into the marketplace and new IT trends take shape, the threat landscape also evolves. New security threats are created that can affect a network infrastructure.

  For example, with the rise of cloud computing, virtualization, and the Internet of Things (IoT), attackers have more ways to access sensitive information and compromise networks. In addition, new types of malware and hacking techniques are continually being developed, and these can pose a threat to network infrastructure.

  To address these security threats, a network architect must continually assess the security posture of the network infrastructure and implement security upgrades as necessary. This can include implementing (or reconfiguring) firewalls, intrusion detection and prevention systems, encryption, and other security technologies, and staying up to date with the latest security best practices and guidelines.

  Additionally, the network architect must collaborate with other stakeholders, such as security teams and compliance officers, to ensure that security is integrated into the design and implementation of the network infrastructure, if possible, to better protect against new threats.

• Compliance requirements: As hardware and software are upgraded, along with addressing security threats, meeting compliance regulations/requirements is equally important when upgrading the network infrastructure. Meeting these requirements starts with a thorough understanding of the regulations and standards that apply to the organization. This might include data privacy and security regulations such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA), Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), and others.

  When upgrading the network infrastructure, the network architect must ensure that the new infrastructure meets all relevant compliance regulations. This may involve reviewing the regulations, conducting a risk assessment, implementing security controls, and testing the new infrastructure to verify that it complies with the regulations. The network architect should also keep up to date with changes to the regulations and ensure that the infrastructure continues to meet the regulations over time. Finally, as the industry regulations change, the network architect will evaluate whether the network needs to be upgraded to meet the new requirements.

  It may also be necessary to engage with external auditors or security consultants to perform independent assessments and verify that the upgrade plan meets all necessary compliance requirements. This can help to provide additional assurance, certify, and validate with confidence in the security of the network infrastructure and minimize the risk of non-compliance or data breaches.

• Performance issues: As an organization grows and expands, the amount of data being transmitted across the network can increase dramatically, and the network infrastructure must be able to keep up with this increased demand. If the network is experiencing performance issues, such as slow speeds, high latency, and frequent downtime, an upgrade is needed to address these issues.

  To address performance issues, a network architect must carefully evaluate the current infrastructure, identify bottlenecks and areas for improvement, and plan and execute the upgrade in a way that addresses the underlying performance issues. This may involve upgrading hardware components, fine-tuning software configurations, or implementing new technologies and solutions that are designed to improve network performance.

  By upgrading the network infrastructure, organizations can improve the reliability and stability of their network to meet the evolving needs of the business while providing a fast, reliable, and secure experience to meet the demands of their users and customers.

• Age of equipment: The age of the network equipment can play a factor in the upgrade process of the network infrastructure. As network equipment ages, it may become obsolete and no longer capable of supporting the needs of the network, such as reliability, the latest technologies (hardware and software), and performance, which can limit the ability to take advantage of new features and capabilities. In addition, regulatory compliance requirements may dictate that certain equipment be updated or replaced.

  Additionally, older equipment may no longer receive security updates, which can make it vulnerable to attacks, leaving the organization exposed to additional threats and possible loss of reputation. It may also become more expensive to repair and maintain, leading to higher operational costs over time.

  Upgrading the network infrastructure to more recent and advanced equipment can help ensure that the network can meet the needs of the organization and provide adequate performance, security, and compliance.

• Network usage: As network usage increases, the existing network infrastructure may become overwhelmed, leading to bottlenecks, slowdowns, and other performance issues. If a network infrastructure is not designed to handle current and future network usage, it may need to be upgraded to meet the demands of the users and the business.

  Upgrading the network infrastructure can involve adding more bandwidth, upgrading switches and routers, and adding new hardware and software to meet the needs of the network. If the network usage has increased dramatically, the network architect will assess whether the existing infrastructure can support the increased traffic or whether an upgrade is necessary.

It’s worth noting that a network upgrade is not always necessary, but regular assessments and evaluations are important to ensure that the network infrastructure is meeting the organization’s current and future needs. The network architect will need to balance the cost of any upgrade, any impact on the existing network, and any potential risks and constraints with the potential benefits and make a decision accordingly.

It’s important for the network architect to communicate the upgrade plan to all stakeholders, including the IT team and business users, to ensure that everyone understands the changes and is prepared for any disruptions that might occur during the upgrade process.

In addition, communicating the upgrade plan helps to build trust and confidence in the network architect and the upgrade process. This can be particularly important in cases where the upgrade involves significant changes to the network infrastructure and may require the organization to change how it operates.

Maintenance

A network architect is responsible for maintaining and performing maintenance on a network infrastructure to ensure that it continues to function properly and meet the organization’s needs. Here are a few ways a network architect can do that:

• Developing a maintenance plan: A maintenance plan is important because it provides a structured approach for ensuring (taking into account the organization’s critical systems and data) the stability, reliability, and availability of the network. The maintenance plan should outline the tasks that need to be performed regularly, such as software updates, hardware replacement, and performance monitoring. The plan should also include guidelines for dealing with potential issues, such as security threats or system failures.

  By having a comprehensive maintenance plan in place, network architects (and teams) can proactively address issues and prevent problems from becoming major disruptions to network operations.

  Optimizing network performance, improving system efficiency, and extending the lifespan of network equipment should all be a part of the maintenance plan. It also provides a clear understanding of the resources required for maintenance and helps ensure that maintenance tasks are completed in a timely and cost-effective manner.

  It can aid business intelligence (BI) tools to predict when a major maintenance activity is likely to occur, what the expected budget should be, and how much of an impact it may have on the organization.

  A well-designed maintenance plan should consider any regulatory or compliance requirements that need to be met. Regular monitoring and updates to the maintenance plan can help organizations stay ahead of potential issues and minimize disruptions to their IT systems and services.

• Monitoring the network: Regular monitoring of the network architecture allows the IT team to keep track of the performance and availability of the network, its usage (e.g., peak versus off-peak), traffic density, and resource utilization, and to proactively address any potential issues before they become major problems. Monitoring the network is defined as part of an organization’s maintenance plan.

  By monitoring the network architecture, the IT team can identify trends and patterns in network usage and performance and can use this information to make informed decisions about network upgrades, capacity planning, and security measures. Regular monitoring of the network architecture also helps to ensure that the network infrastructure is operating optimally and is able to meet the needs of the organization.

  Additionally, the network architect will use this opportunity to evaluate the current networking monitoring tools used and make recommendations, if any, for the support of additional tools (or deprecation of others) based on trends identified by the IT teams monitoring the network.

• Performing regular maintenance: Regular maintenance helps to ensure that the network infrastructure remains stable and performs at optimal levels, reducing the likelihood of downtime and data loss. It allows the IT team to detect and fix problems before they become critical. This can prevent significant network outages and minimize the impact of network downtime.

  Another benefit includes security threat management. Maintenance ensures security software and devices are up to date and functioning properly. This helps protect against the latest security threats and vulnerabilities, which is essential for maintaining the security and confidentiality of sensitive information.

  As technology evolves, regular maintenance ensures that the network infrastructure remains up to date and compatible with the latest devices and technologies. This ensures that the organization is using the most current and practical solutions, which can help improve overall efficiency and effectiveness.

  Depending on the industry, regular maintenance may be required by industry regulations or standards, such as the PCI DSS for organizations that process credit card transactions or the HIPPA for organizations maintaining patient health records, or even the GDPR for data collection and privacy in the EU.

  Regular maintenance can help reduce the cost of repairs and/or replacements by identifying and resolving issues before they become significant problems. Additionally, by optimizing the performance of the network, regular maintenance can help reduce energy costs and improve resource utilization.

• Managing capacity: As an organization expands or curtails, shifts its strategy, and invokes newer technologies while deprecating others, network capacity must be managed in a way that ensures that the network can support the growing demands of the organization and its applications and services. As organization grows and its use of technology increases, the network infrastructure may become congested, leading to performance issues, slowdowns, and even outages.

  By monitoring network capacity and proactively managing it, a network architect can help prevent these issues and ensure that the network infrastructure is able to support the organization’s needs. This can include tasks such as adding additional bandwidth, upgrading hardware, and reconfiguring network traffic to ensure that critical applications and services have the resources they need to perform optimally.

  For example, if network bandwidth saturation is above 80% for an extended period of time, then it’s an indication to add additional fiber to handle the load. If the switching fabric has many dropped packets or queuing buffers are constantly high, this may be an indication that the switching needs more backplane throughput and an upgrade is required.

  Ensuring that the network infrastructure has enough capacity to handle the current and future needs of the organization is critical for maintaining good performance and preventing issues such as bottlenecks or slowdowns.

• Managing security: As the network infrastructure evolves, so do the risks. Network security threats are constantly evolving, so it’s important to stay up to date on the latest vulnerabilities and potential threats. This helps to prevent unauthorized access, data breaches, and other security incidents that could compromise the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the network and its data (assets).

  In addition, regulatory requirements may mandate that certain security measures be in place and that regular security audits are conducted. Keeping the network secure and compliant with these regulations helps to avoid penalties and other legal consequences. If security is not well maintained, security breaches can have serious consequences for an organization, including financial losses, loss of reputation, and even legal liabilities. Also important is the trust of users and customers, who expect that their personal and confidential information will be protected when they use the network.

  Regularly managing security as part of the network architecture infrastructure maintenance helps to ensure these expectations are met.

• Disaster recovery and business continuity: Disaster recovery ensures that the network infrastructure is resistant to catastrophic events because it helps ensure the availability of critical network resources in the event of a disaster, such as a natural disaster, cyber-attack, power outage, or hardware failure. The goal of disaster recovery is to minimize the impact of a disaster on the network and its users and to restore network operations as quickly as possible.

  To achieve this goal, it is important to have a well-designed and tested disaster recovery plan in place. This plan should include procedures for backing up critical data, restoring network operations, and ensuring that all network components are functioning properly, along with developing and documenting procedures for quickly restoring the network infrastructure and services to full functionality in the event of a disruption. Regular maintenance of the network infrastructure should also include monitoring of disaster recovery procedures and regular testing of the disaster recovery plan to ensure that it remains effective and relevant.

  By planning and testing for disaster recovery, a network architect can help ensure that their organizations are prepared to quickly resume normal operations in the event of an interruption to the network. This helps to minimize downtime, reduce the risk of data loss, and minimize the impact on the organization’s reputation and bottom line. Additionally, having a solid disaster recovery plan can help organizations comply with various regulations, such as those related to data privacy and security.

• Communication: Communicating the regular maintenance of a network architecture infrastructure is typically accomplished through a combination of written and verbal communication. Written communication can include things such as maintenance schedules, status reports, and progress updates that are shared with stakeholders and other relevant parties. Verbal communication can include meetings, conference calls, and different types of interactions that allow for real-time updates and discussions about the status of the maintenance work.

  Regular communication about the maintenance activities provides transparency to stakeholders. It ensures that everyone is informed about what is being done to maintain the network infrastructure and helps avoid any confusion or misunderstandings.

  It is important to communicate the regular maintenance of a network architecture infrastructure to ensure that stakeholders and other relevant parties are aware of any disruptions that may occur during the maintenance process, as well as to provide them with information about when the maintenance work is expected to be completed and what impact it may have on the network’s performance and availability.

  This type of communication helps build trust and confidence in the network architecture, and can also help identify and resolve any issues that may arise during the maintenance process.

Overall, a network architect will play a key role in maintaining and performing maintenance on a network infrastructure, overseeing all aspects of it, from the development of a maintenance plan to effectively communicating maintenance activities and ensuring that the network continues to function correctly and meet the organization’s needs.

Next, we’ll dive into making recommendations in order to move the network to an advanced level and reduce operating costs.