Network design has become a challenge in the last few years because modern networks are complex and they are critical to business operations. Today’s design engineers are tasked with responding to the internetworking industry’s constant and rapid changes by designing robust, reliable, and scalable networks. To achieve Cisco Certified Design Associate (CCDA) certification, the Cisco Designing for Cisco Internetwork Solutions (DESGN) exam is required. This manual provides the knowledge and skills needed to attain associate-level competency in network design. Objectives for the DESGN exam include the following:
Methodology used to design a network:
- Developing business trends
- Network requirements to support the organization
- The tools/processes that characterize an existing network
- The top-down approach to network design
- Network management protocols and features
Network structure and modularity:
- The network hierarchy
- The modular approach in network design
- Network architecture for the enterprise
Basic enterprise campus networks:
- Campus design considerations
- The enterprise campus network
- The enterprise data center
- Enterprise network virtualization tools
Enterprise edge and remote network modules:
- Enterprise edge, branch, and teleworker design characteristics
- Physical and logical WAN connectivity
- Branch office WAN solutions
- Access Layer network solutions for a remote worker
- WAN support in selected redundancy methodologies
- Design considerations for a remote data center
IP addressing and routing protocols:
- IPv4 addressing
- IPv6 addressing
- Routing protocol considerations in an enterprise network
- Routing protocol deployment
Network services:
- The security lifecycle
- Cisco technologies that mitigate security vulnerabilities
- Appropriate Cisco security solutions and deployment placement
- High-level voice and video architectures
- Design considerations for voice/video services
- Cisco Unified Wireless Network architecture and features
- Wireless networking using controllers
The primary objectives of this manual are internetworking requirements, identifying solutions, and designing network infrastructure and services to ensure basic functionality of the proposed solutions. Designing enterprise networks involves network design in the context of Cisco Service Oriented Network Architecture (SONA) architectural framework and Enterprise Architecture. Specific topics include campus and data center infrastructure, remote connectivity, IP addressing design, routing protocol selection, voice network design, wireless network design, and evaluating security solutions in the network design.