Network Hardware Essay

Choice of good network hardware will depend on a number of factors. First it has to be planned properly to allow growth without adversely affecting future business. The design of the network should ensure sufficient performance, availability and security. All this aims at providing enough information and processing of transactions for all its users. A list of users who will access the net has to be generated so as t determines the capacity the hardware will be able to support. A list of severs that need network connection should also be developed. Mid and high end servers should be selected. Server consolidation should be prioritized as a means of minimizing costs. The company will save much on power and floor space. It will also reduce administrative and maintenance costs. The various host machines that need to be supported by the network should also be determined and assigned specific names and IP addresses. The type of host will determine the design of the network. The network media has to be compatible with the available servers and host machines to be supported by the network. In this case I would recommend Ethernet cables because they are of its lower cost and easy manageability. There is also need to plan for bridges, hubs, routers, or switches. These devices come into use during connection of various subnets on a network. Routers for instance when connecting different domains within a network, offer better administrative control over network traffic. A good network topology should also be created so as to provide sufficient network resources for all applications. A hierarchical network is preferred with the trunk at the top and the hosts at the bottom.