Network Design May 2026
Moving away from "trusting everyone inside the building" to a model where every user and device must be continuously verified.
The "driveways." This is where end-user devices (PCs, printers, Wi-Fi APs) connect. It focuses on port security and providing power (PoE) to devices. 2. Core Principles: Performance and Reliability network design
We are moving away from purely hardware-centric designs toward . SD-WAN allows companies to manage their network via software, automatically routing traffic over the most efficient path (e.g., using a cheap internet connection for basic apps and a private line for critical data). Additionally, "Hybrid" designs now integrate local office hardware seamlessly with cloud providers like AWS or Azure, treating the cloud as an extension of the local data centre. Conclusion Moving away from "trusting everyone inside the building"
Implementing Next-Generation Firewalls (NGFW) and Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS) at the boundary between the internal network and the internet. 4. Modern Evolution: SD-WAN and Cloud network design
A "solid" design anticipates growth. This involves using modular hardware and a structured IP addressing scheme (IPv6 or CIDR) that allows for easy expansion without reconfiguring the entire system.