Network Connectivity Overview

There are several things to consider when determining how to implement or upgrade your network to Windows 2000. If a network diagram that relates to your current network exists, then consult that diagram to determine where to strategically implement the new features of Windows 2000. As an example, you need to examine clients, servers, switches, and routers to see whether or not they currently use services such as Quality of Service (QoS), Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM), or routing protocols Also examine and modify TCP/IP addressing schemes, if necessary, to take advantage of the new options in Windows 2000 Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP).

If you have not done so already, create physical and logical diagrams that reflect your network needs. This is essential because the diagrams give an overall view of the infrastructure before any steps are taken to physically assemble the network. This allows the designer and administrator to work together to put network systems and devices in place. The following sections describe what you can include in the diagram.

Sites

Show a graphic depiction of where sites are located in the diagram. This helps when you determine wide-area and remote-site connectivity methods. You need to implement sites according to geographical boundaries, administrative boundaries, or both.

Remote Connectivity Methods

Include mediums for connecting remote sites to the central site in your diagram. This can include T1, E1, Frame Relay, Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN), or plain old telephone service (POTS). You can also use the diagram to show the types of routers used to connect the sites to the wide-area backbone These routers can be Windows 2000 routers or routers from various third-party vendors. Show methods for connecting remote users to sites, using technologies such as direct dial-up and virtual private networks (VPNs).

Internal Local Area Network Connectivity Within Sites

Create a graphical depiction of the internal networks of the sites in order to utilize the new features of Windows 2000 most efficiently. Include the following information:

Network medium    Include the type of infrastructure you plan to use, such as 10 or 100BaseT connectivity, ATM, or gigabit Ethernet. If you plan to use ATM, determine which sections of the network will be directly connected to ATM, using IP over ATM or local area network emulation (LANE).

Routing and switching infrastructure    Determine where you plan to place routers and switches. This is important to maintain network bandwidth and minimize bottlenecks. Also make sure that the routing and switching hardware you plan to use can support technologies such as QoS.

Protocols    If you plan to use TCP/IP, show the IP addressing scheme for each subnet within the site. If you plan to use other protocols such as IPX, AppleTalk, or NetBIOS Enhanced User Interface (NetBEUI), show them also. Also consider including the routing protocols such as OSPF or RIP that you might use for connecting your networks. For more information about using TCP/IP, see "Windows 2000 TCP/IP" in the Microsoft Windows   2000 Core Networking Guide. Also see "Unicast IP Routing," "IPX Routing," and "Services for Macintosh" in the Microsoft Windows   2000 Server Internetworking Guide.

DNS and Active Directory structure    Design the DNS and Active Directory™ structure for your network. Include a logical domain diagram with your network diagram that shows the domains and forests in your company. For more information about the Active Directory directory service, see "Designing the Active Directory Structure"in this book .

Server infrastructure    Show placement of DNS, DHCP, and WINS servers in your diagram.

Remote connectivity methods    Show how remote clients and remote networks will connect to the corporate network in your diagram.

The following sections discuss designing a network that best incorporates the features of Windows 2000 Server into your organization and outline steps for determining a network connectivity strategy.

Figure 7.1 illustrates the primary steps for determining your network connectivity strategy.

Figure 7.1 Process for Determining Network Connectivity Strategies

Designing a network for Windows 2000 consists of first designing many small parts of a network that form the overall infrastructure. The sections that follow describe the different aspects of a wide area network (WAN), along with some procedures and design considerations for each. The external, wide-area aspects of a corporate network infrastructure are covered, such as demilitarized zones (DMZs), site implementation, and remote access connectivity. The internal aspects of the network, such as protocols, security, and local area network (LAN) connectivity methods, are also examined.