Network Communications News (NCN) November 2016 | Page 32

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QED

What are the pros and cons of
multi-manufacturer integrated solutions?
Quality Essential Distribution’s Steve Constantine explores the thorny issue of tailored
networks and discovers that, from devices to integration, success lies in the initial design.

I

n an industry full of acronyms
and ever changing standards,
designing networks to suit
specific customer requirements
can quickly lead to confusion and
frustration. To ensure all bases
are covered and that all network
devices will integrate effectively,
the first and most important step in
creating a successful network is the
application design.
When networks are designed with
thought and consideration, the high
performance that is delivered is the seal
that the customer has spent wisely.
Some of the most common errors
in network design and deployment is
the lack of understanding of what the

network needs to be capable of and,
more importantly, how the system will
actually be used. This can depend on
what is being transmitted, i.e. data, VoIP,
surveillance or a mixture. But it can also
depend on the following considerations:

Beating bottlenecks
It’s easy to assume that your network
will cater for all types of traffic,
but failing to consider bottlenecks
in throughput can cause serious
performance issues. These bottlenecks
can be caused by hardware limitations
or by using a variety of infrastructure
transmission types such as fibre, copper,
wireless or satellite communications.

One of the most common causes
of bottlenecks is misunderstanding
aggregate throughputs – a simple
mistake to make without reading the
technical specifications of every product.
That’s because manufacturers often
mix up their aggregate and directiona l
throughputs stating, for example, that a
product is a gigabit port, by which they
mean it has the ability to allow a gigabit
of data to pass through it. Although
technically correct, it’s also confusing
because it translates to a maximum
of 1 gigabit in total, giving potentially
500mb in each direction. An alternative
manufacturer might offer double the
data throughput and still market it as a
gigabit port.

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01/11/2016 14:43