The Network Development Life Cycle

OBJECTIVES Upon successful completion of this chapter, you should: 1. Understand how the network development life cycle (NDLC) relates to other systems development architectures and life cycles and, consequently, how the network analyst/designer must interact with analyst/designers involved in these related processes. 2. Understand the network development life cycle including: overall issues, process structure, detailed activities for each step of the process, coping with the reality of today's multiprotocol, multivendor environments. 3. Understand how one remains focused with a business perspective throughout the network development life cycle. 4. Understand what automated tools are available to assist in the NDLC process as well as the cost justification necessary for the acquisition of such tools. 5. Understand the current shortcomings of these automated tools as well as possible proposals for solutions to these shortcomings. 6. Understand the role of vendors at various stages of the NDLC and how to maximize the effectiveness of these vendors. Network development life cycle Comprehensive systems and networking budget model Integrated computer assisted network engineering Network analysis and design methodology Physical network design Logical network design Total cost of ownership Return on investment IT project portfolio management Top-down model Business process reengineering Cost/benefit analysis