Cisco Network Design Solutions for Small-Medium Businesses

Product Description

Maximize the potential of your small-medium business network with effective design solutions that cover network security, IP telephony, unified communications, wireless networks, and CRM.

• Design and implement effective network solutions by mastering the design process that is used by successful networking professionals
• Understand the diversity of solutions for the SMB environment, avoiding the pitfalls of the one-size-fits-all approach
• Create effective and customizable security solutions across the spectrum of SMB types and sizes
• Exploit the trend of universal communications convergence by expanding into the VoIP market with the Cisco IP Telephony and unified communication solutions
• Break into the fast-growing CRM marketplace with the Cisco CRM integration solutions
• Implement wireless LAN solutions that facilitate productivity and workforce optimization

In today's business world, investing in technology solutions that improve productivity and save money is critical, but the road to a modern, technology-driven business is full of pitfalls. Cisco Network Design Solutions for Small-Medium Businesses zeros in on critical solutions for networking professionals who are deploying computer networks within a small-medium business (SMB). You'll learn about core networking issues and associated solutions, including security, IP telephony, unified communications, customer relations management (CRM), wireless LANs, and more within this complete design guide.

Cisco Network Design Solutions for Small-Medium Businesses is separated into two parts. Part I helps you explore the network design process, survey the SMB landscape, and identify your network requirements from the edge to the core for an effective solution implementation. Part II delves into security, CRM, IP telephony, unified messaging, IP/TV, and wireless LAN solutions, which can save businesses critical time and money.

For networking professionals, Cisco Network Design Solutions for Small-Medium Businesses is a one-stop reference and design guide for the effective implementation of SMB networking solutions that enhance the bottom-line.

Peter Rybaczyk has been engaged in multiple technology disciplines since 1979, including applications development, database administration, network design and administration, technical writing and editing, professional IT training, and IT consulting. Additionally, during his career, Peter has owned several IT consulting businesses, and currently, his privately held firm, Convergent Netcom Services, is located in Tucson, Arizona. He has delivered more than a hundred IT seminars to audiences in the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia, and Australia and has consulted and worked with Fortune 500 companies and numerous small to medium-sized businesses, covering multiple vertical markets, including wholesale and retail distribution, health care, law practice, insurance, finance, manufacturing, and telecommunications. He also wrote Cisco Router Troubleshooting Handbook and Novell's Internet Plumbing Handbook and coauthored PC Network Administration. Peter holds a B.S. degree in physics and several industry certifications, including CNE, CCNA, and CCNP.

This book is part of the Networking Technology Series from Cisco Press¿ which offers networking professionals valuable information for constructing efficient networks, understanding new technologies, and building successful careers.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Part I      Network Design Process and Solutions Overview for SMBs

Chapter 1            Effective Networking Solution Design Process

Step 1: Identifying Stakeholder Requirements

Management (Executive and Line of Business)

IT Department

End Users

Customers

Vendors

Output from the Requirements Identification Stage

Step 2: Validating Stakeholder Requirements

Achieving Consensus

Assigning Priorities

Output from the Validation of Requirements Stage

Step 3: Creating and Reviewing the Draft Design Document

Identifying the Physical Network Topology

Determining Measurable Performance Requirements

Formulating a Viable Budget

Creating a Realistic Completion Timeline

Step 4: Creating a Final Design Document Before Implementation

Networking Solution Implementation Considerations

Sources of Implementation Expertise

Project Management During Implementation

Performance Testing

Documentation

Training

Putting It All Together

Summary

Chapter 2            SMB Networking Environments and Solutions Design Considerations

One Name, a Multitude of Shapes and Sizes

Business Sectors

Business Sizes

Business Missions

The Pitfalls of the One-Size-Fits-All Approach

SMB Networking Solutions Design Considerations

Network and Data Security Design Considerations

Remote Access Design Considerations

Wireless Design Considerations

IP Telephony Design Considerations

Partner Collaboration Design Considerations

Customer Care Design Considerations

Front Office/Back Office Integration

Solution Identification and Discovery Process for SMBs

The Case Against and for a Security Solution

The Case Against and for a Remote Access Solution

The Case Against and for a Collaboration with Partners Solution

The Case Against and for a Customer Care Solution

The Case Against and for a Front Office/Back Office Integration Solution

Summary

Chapter 3            Network Infrastructure Requirements for Effective Solutions Implementation

The Telecom Closets

Patch Panels, Horizontal Cabling, and Work-Area Cabling

Switches

Routers

Data Centers or Computer Rooms

Network Servers

Network Storage

Power Protection

The User Desktop Environment

Workstations

Network Printers and Other Peripherals

Network Upgrades Planning

Sources of Upgrades Expertise: The Who

Upgrades Timing: The When

Upgrades Impact: The How

Upgrades Cost: The How Much

Applications, E-Mail, and Network-Management Tools

The Impact of Applications

E-Mail Options

Network-Management Methods

Summary

Part II      SMB Networking Design Solutions

Chapter 4      Overview of the Network Security Issues

Categories of Security Threats

Information Corruption

Information Disclosure

Repudiation and Lack of Authentication and Authorization

Denial of Service

What Security Threats Mean to an SMB

What if My Website Is Defaced?

What if My Website Is Inaccessible?

What if Someone Intercepts and Reads My E-Mails?

What if My Customers Can’t Send Me E-Mail?

What if Unauthorized Personnel Gain Access to My Internal Databases?

What if Unauthorized Employees Get into My Payroll Files?

Which to Fear More: Internal or External Security Threats

Strong Authentication

Granularity in Authorization

Restricting Network Access

Physical Security

Encrypting Sensitive Information

Network Segmentation

Security Procedures Important to SMB Success

Security Threat Antidotes

Information Integrity

Information Confidentiality

Nonrepudiation, Authentication, and Authorization

System Availability

The Importance of Having a Security Policy

Summary

Chapter 5      Cisco Security Solutions

Virtual Private Networks

VPN Deployment Considerations

VPN Deployment Scenarios

The Cisco VPN 3000 Series Concentrator Family

VPN-Capable Routers

Firewalls

Firewall Deployment Considerations

The Cisco PIX Product Line and the IOS Firewall

Intrusion Detection Systems

IDS Deployment Considerations

Cisco IDS Product Lines

Router Security Features

Router Security Deployment Considerations

Implementing Routing Protocols Security

Summary

Chapter 6   The Wireless LAN Solution

WLAN-Specific Security Considerations

WLAN Security Threats

WLAN Security Mechanisms

WLAN Sound Security Practices

WLAN Performance and Topology Considerations

WLAN Performance Considerations

WLAN Topology Considerations

WLAN Components

Radio Frequencies, Transmit Power, and Antennae

Access Points and Wireless Bridges

Wireless Routers

Wireless Clients

The Cisco WLAN (Aironet) Products Family

The 1400 Series Bridges

The 1200 Series Access Points

The Aironet Antennae

The Aironet Clients

WLAN Deployment Scenarios

A Small Office or Workgroup Deployment

An Enterprise Deployment

A Telecommuters Deployment

Summary

Chapter 7      Customer Relationship Management Solutions

CRM Deployment Considerations

Modes of the SMB’s Interactions with Customers

Customer Information Accessibility

SMB’s Customer Categorization Capability

Levels of Commitment to CRM

Analytics Tools and Metrics

Popular CRMs’ Relationship to Cisco Products

E.piphany CRM

SAP mySAP

PeopleSoft CRM

Pegasystems Customer Process Manager

Microsoft CRM

Cisco Solutions for CRM Integration

Cisco ICM Product Family

Cisco IP Contact Center

IP Interactive Voice Response Application

Which CRM Solution Is Right for My SMB?

I Am a Retail Outlet

I Am a Bank

I Am a Manufacturer

I Am a Hospital or a Health Clinic

Summary

Chapter 8   IP Telephony Solutions

IP Telephony Deployment Considerations

QoS Factors

Single Communications Infrastructure for Voice and Data

Open Standards Protocols

Common OS Hardware Platforms

IP Telephony Components and Protocols

Gateways

Gatekeepers

Software-Based PBXes

IP Phones

VoIP Protocols

Cisco IP Telephony Solutions

Integrated IP Telephony Solutions

CallManager Deployment Options

CallManager Integration with Legacy PBX

CallManager Dial Plan Configuration Considerations

IP Telephony Voice Applications

Cisco IP Phones

Cisco ISP/Carrier Solution

Summary

Chapter 9      Unified Communications Solutions

Deployment Considerations for Unified Messaging Solutions

The Cisco Unity Solution

Message Centralization

Text-to-Speech Capability

Multilanguage Capability

Global Administration via the Cisco Unity Administrator

Personalized Administration via the Cisco Unity Assistant and Inbox

The Cisco IP/TV Solution

Deployment Considerations for Movie-Quality Video to the Desktop

IP/TV Solution Components

The Value of an Intranet in an SMB Environment

Human Resources Services and Announcements

IT Help Desk Support

Summary

Chapter 10      Front and Back Office Integration Solutions

Getting Past the Jargon

Front Office: Concepts and Applications

Back Office: Concepts and Applications

Enterprise Applications Integration Tools

Is Integration for Me?

Integration Challenges

The Case for Integration

The Case Against Integration

The Integrators

The Synergex Solutions

IT Consultants with Programming Skills

In-House Analyst

Summary

Epilogue    The Future of SMB Networking

Bibliography

Index