Chapter 8: Performance Architecture

The performance architecture describes how user, application, device, and (existing) network requirements for performance (capacity, delay, and reliability, maintainability, and availability [RMA]) will be met within the planned network. Developing requirements for performance is a key part of the analysis process, and this component architecture is where they are supported.

The performance architecture is the newest of the component architectures and is rapidly evolving to include many new mechanisms to achieve network performance. Furthermore, as you will see in this chapter, the success of this architecture is highly dependent on the other component architectures.

8.1 Objectives

In this chapter, you will learn about what performance means in a network, including descriptions of mechanisms to achieve performance, how to determine the relationships both between these mechanisms and between performance and the other architectural components, and development of the performance architecture. We will also develop goals for performance that will guide the development of this architecture.