Overview of Designing a TCPIP Network

Overview of Designing a TCP/IP Network

Designing your IP deployment includes deciding how you want to implement IP in a new environment, or — for most organizations — examining your existing infrastructure and deciding what to change. Windows Server 2003 TCP/IP, the most widely used networking protocol, can connect different types of systems, provide a framework for client/server applications, and give users access to the Internet. TCP/IP is included in the Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition; Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition; Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition; and Windows Server 2003, Web Edition operating systems.

Before you start the TCP/IP design process, inventory your hardware and software and create or update a map of your network topology. Preparing an inventory and network map can save time and help you focus on the design decisions you want to address. After you review your existing network, you might upgrade several servers to Windows Server 2003 in order to take advantage of end-to-end support for TCP/IP, or you might decide to redesign your entire network to improve its efficiency and prepare for the future of IP networking. Determine which design tasks are relevant to your environment, and then decide what changes you want to make to your network. For more information about creating a hardware and software inventory and a network topology map, see "Planning for Deployment" in Planning, Testing, and Piloting Deployment Projects of this kit.

To start the TCP/IP design process, you must make a number of design decisions about your network infrastructure. For enterprise-wide scalability, you might decide to plan your IP infrastructure based on a hierarchical network design model. You must also choose between hardware and software-based routers, and decide where to use static routing or dynamic routing protocols. You must carefully design a structured model for IP address assignment that fits your current networking environment and that accommodates expected growth. Your model can use either public or private addresses, or you can use a combination of public and private addresses.

In addition, consider security issues for an IP network, including where best to use Internet Protocol security (IPSec) and which options are appropriate for securing your perimeter network. For higher availability and load balancing, you can include redundancy in your network design. Decide whether you need to use technology enhancements such as IP multicast to optimize server workload and network bandwidth. You might start deploying IPv6 on certain network servers or clients, and, if so, decide how you want to implement IPv6/IPv4 coexistence.

After you develop your network design, you can use the remaining chapters in this book as a guide for deploying core features, such as DHCP, DNS, and WINS, as well as optional technologies, such as support for mobile or home users, connecting remote sites, or deploying wireless solutions.

Process for Designing a TCP/IP Network

Figure 1.1 shows the design stages involved in deploying TCP/IP. Although the figure lists the stages sequentially, you must consider each topic in relation to the others rather than as a linear step-by-step process.

Figure 1.1: Designing a TCP/IP Network

Windows Server 2003 TCP/IP Background

Windows Server 2003 TCP/IP enables enterprise networking and connectivity on computers running Windows Server 2003, Microsoft Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows NT , Windows Millennium Edition, Windows 98, and Windows 95.

Benefits of Windows Server 2003 TCP/IP

Using TCP/IP in a Windows Server 2003 configuration offers the following advantages:

• Enables the most widely used network protocol. Windows Server 2003 TCP/IP is a complete, standards-based implementation of the most widely accepted networking protocol in the world. IP is routable, scalable, and efficient. IP forms the basis for the Internet, and it is also used as the primary network technology on most major enterprise networks in production today. You can configure computers running Windows Server 2003 with TCP/IP to perform nearly any role that a networked computer requires.

• Connects dissimilar systems. Although all modern networking operating systems offer TCP/IP support, Windows Server 2003 TCP/IP provides the best platform for connecting Windows-based systems to earlier Windows systems and to non-Windows systems. Most standard connectivity utilities are available in Windows Server 2003 TCP/IP, including the File Transfer Protocol (FTP) program, the Line Printer (LPR) program, and Telnet, a terminal emulation protocol.

• Provides client/server framework. Windows Server 2003 TCP/IP provides a cross-platform client/server framework that is robust, scalable, and secure. Windows Server 2003 TCP/IP offers the Windows Sockets programming interface, which is ideal for developing client/server applications that can run on Windows Sockets-compliant TCP/IP protocol implementations from other vendors.

• Provides access to the Internet. Windows Server 2003 TCP/IP can provide users with a method of gaining access to the Internet. A computer running Windows Server 2003 can be configured to serve as an Internet Web site, it can function in a variety of other roles as an Internet client or server, and it can use nearly all of the Internet-related software available today.