METHODOLOGY
This chapter discusses the network design methodology, scope and delimitation, data gathering techniques, and sources of data used in the study.
Network Development Methodology
The researchers used the Top-down Methodology for this study. Before, a data communications project even gets to the formal feasibility studies which are part of the development methodology that is proposed, it is useful to make a top-down, qualitative evaluation of a proposed data communications system. The Top-Down Methodology is a solution-oriented approach that focuses on particular business and technical objectives of an organization. The top-down network design process includes exploring divisional and group structures to find the people for whom the network will provide services and from whom you should get valuable information to make the design succeed. During the design project, several techniques and models can be used to characterize the existing system, new user requirements, and a structure for the future system. It is analogous to the methods utilized for the structured network design.
Figure 1 shows the network design methodology phases which include analyze requirements, develop logical design, develop physical layer, test, optimize and document, implement and test network, and monitor and optimize network performance.
Figure 1:
The researcher chose the Top-Down methodology as the methodology to be used for the Network Infrastructure Design for Philippine Women’s University (PWU) due to its highlights on meeting both technical of the organization. The Top-Down methodology is composed of four major phases: Phase 1: Analyze requirements. The task of characterizing the existing network, including the logical and physical topology and network performance, follows. The last step in this phase is to analyze current and future network traffic, including traffic flow and load, protocol behavior, and