ABSTRACT
The purpose of this chapter is to provide an overview of managing the task of designing and provisioning an enterprise network infrastructure. This chapter examines all the major aspects of architecting a network, including analyzing customer needs, determining a budget, managing vendor relationships, writing and awarding an RFP, and finally implementing the newly designed network. The chapter does not analyze this process at a highly technical level, but rather from the perspective of a manager who has been tasked with leading a network design project for an enterprise. At the end of this chapter, there is a reading list of selected titles readers can use for more detailed study.
