Cabletron Systems switches, bridges manual Role of the Workgroup, Network Design

Network Design

As this Networking Guide is concerned with the decisions made regarding networking hardware and not with the administration of networks or the specific uses to which they are put, several aspects of the overall process of network design are not treated in this document, such as the selection of a Network Operating System (NOS), the choice of applications or of workstation types, or other specific decisions generally out of the purview of Cabletron Systems as a provider of networking hardware. These aspects of network design will, however have an impact on the performance of networks, and should be fully investigated before designs are attempted.

NOTE

This chapter does not discuss the relative merits of one networking technology over another. For information on the different strengths of the available technologies, refer to the Cabletron Systems Networking Guide - MMAC-FNB Solutions.

The Role of the Workgroup

A workgroup is a group of network end stations that are related in some way. The conditions of this relationship are determined by the Network Manager, and can be based on anything from device type to user occupation or even device color. As the workgroup is the operating portion of the network, where information is created and given direction, the workgroup is the portion of the network that creates traffic and network congestion. As such, it is the most complicated portion of the network to design.

Very few networks are made up of one workgroup. It is a mistake, however, to underestimate the importance of a properly designed and well-planned workgroup, as the vast majority of enterprise networks are collections of workgroups that are connected to one another. The various workgroups all have different needs and implementations, and are tied together to form a cohesive and capable enterprise network. A logical, well-thought-out workgroup plan and a skillful execution of the creation of workgroups according to a firm set of criteria goes a long way toward ensuring that the network which results will be functional, flexible, reliable, and sufficiently robust to handle the demands placed on it by users.

The idea of the workgroup in the network roughly translates to the use of segmentation. Ideally, segmentation should be planned between separate workgroups or between collections of related workgroups, not within workgroups. The workgroup concept divides the network according to a cohesive plan in the interests of reliability, efficiency, or ease of recovery. While all of these are important factors in the operation of the network, certain choices made in the design of networks, from technology and topology to the organization of stations and the segmentations method used if any, will improve some aspects of the network at a cost to others. Striking the proper balance of these factors is the responsibility of Network Managers, who must investigate and determine the needs and preferences of the proposed network’s users.

5-2 The Role of the Workgroup