Network Consultants Handbook

Introduction

During the course of a typical day—if there is such a thing as a “typical” day—network consultants are bombarded with questions coming from all directions. These questions come from customers, peers, sales and marketing teams, network administrators, and so on, and the list seems neverending at times. Network consultants, designers, engineers, managers, and so on have developed an instinct over time and sometimes cringe or develop other nervous habits when the phrase, “You got a second?” is uttered.

To the uninitiated, this question seems innocent enough, but after a while they, too, develop the same cringe or nervous habit.

The reason is this: Networks are like snowflakes; no two are alike. This is the challenge that network consultants, ...