|  |  | Overview

When designing and implementing a network there are many things to take into consideration in order to insure a reliable and scalable network that will continue to function for many years. Some of these considerations include: Understanding the advantages of LAN switching and VLANS along with how they should be implemented. Gathering the users requirements and designing the physical topology to accommodate the requirements. Selecting a routing protocol to be used in the network. Implementing a method for controlling data packet flow across the network for security reasons based on access control lists (ACLs) on the routers. Understanding the requirements for multiple protocols such as IPX and IP and allowing these protocols to efficiently flow across the network.