Why Network Design Matters
A well-designed network is the backbone of every stable and scalable infrastructure. Network design defines how devices, layers, and connections interact to deliver performance, resilience, and ease of management. By understanding design principles, you’ll be able to plan networks that meet business needs while remaining flexible for future growth.
Key Network Design Models
In this topic, you’ll explore key design models such as Cisco’s Three-Tier Architecture, which organizes networks into access, distribution, and core layers for better scalability and fault isolation. You’ll also study the Collapsed Core model, often used in smaller networks, and the Spine-and-Leaf architecture, the foundation of modern data centers that ensures consistent latency and efficient traffic flow.
Designing for Scalability and Strategy
By mastering these network design approaches, you’ll gain the ability to choose the right structure for different environments, from enterprise LANs to large-scale cloud networks. This topic ties together concepts from switching, routing, and redundancy, helping you transition from configuration-focused learning to strategic infrastructure planning.