- Objectives
- Key Terms
- Introduction (1.0.1.1)
- Hierarchical Network Design Overview (1.1)
- Cisco Enterprise Architecture (1.2)
- Cisco Enterprise Architecture Model (1.2.2)
- Evolving Network Architectures (1.3)
- Emerging Network Architectures (1.3.2)
- Summary (1.4)
- Practice
- Check Your Understanding Questions
This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
Evolving Network Architectures (1.3)
New technologies are constantly challenging network administrators. This section discusses new networking architecture trends.
IT Challenges (1.3.1.1)
As businesses have grown more dependent on networks for success, network architectures have evolved over the years. Traditionally, users, data, and applications were housed on premise. Users could only access network resources with company-owned computers. The network had distinct borders and access requirements. Maintaining security, productivity, and services was simpler. Today, the network border has shifted, creating new challenges for IT departments. Networks are transforming from a data-only transportation system of connected LAN devices to a system that enables the connections of people, devices, and information in a media-rich, converged network environment.
As new technologies and end-user devices come to market, businesses and consumers must continue to adjust to this ever-changing environment. There are several new networking trends that continue to effect organizations and consumers. Some of the top trends include
- Bring your own device (BYOD)
- Online collaboration
- Video communication
- Cloud computing
These trends, while allowing for more advanced services than ever before, also introduce new security risks that IT must address.
Emerging Enterprise Architectures (1.3.1.2)
The speed of change in market and business environments is requiring IT to be more strategic than ever before. Evolving business models are creating complex technology challenges that IT must address.
To address these emerging network trends, new business network architectures are necessary. These architectures must account for the network design principles established in the Cisco Enterprise Architecture, as well as the overlaying policies and technologies that allow organizations to support emerging trends in a safe and manageable way.
To meet this need, Cisco has introduced the following three network architectures:
- Cisco Borderless Network Architecture
- Collaboration Architecture
- Data Center/Virtualization Architecture