Ethernet
Ethernet Workgroup Design
When designing a new workgroup, one of the first tasks to be confronted is the selection of a technology and an approach to the network. These selections are based on the organization of the workgroups, as discussed in Chapter 5, Network Design, the scale (or population) of the workgroups, and the anticipated bandwidth requirements of each workgroup or each station in the workgroup.
In the examples which follow, the decision of a networking technology and approach to the workgroup has already been determined by the Network Designer. In the real world, these decisions will have to be approached in a sensible and thoughtful manner, because the selection of these aspects will determine the operational and design characteristics of the network for the long and short runs.
The Home Office
A home office is any location with a small number of stations, low data transfer needs, and limited expected expansion requirements. While most networks of this sort are located in homes or small family businesses, the “home office” description can also apply to small,
Typically, home offices have no need of the advanced capabilities that are available in the more expensive,
As home offices have such limited requirements, they quite frequently need nothing more complex than a single standalone device. This can mean a significant cost savings over other network implementations, such as modular chassis or even stackable hubs.
The section which follows explains some of the decisions that must be made when approaching a design for a home office or similar small workgroup. This is followed by an example scenario which goes through these steps and displays one way of meeting the networking needs that are defined for that network.
Ethernet Workgroup Design |
