Seeing into the Future

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To make your network successful, you need to undertake a high-level analysis of what your organization will look like in one, three, five, and even ten years. Will the organization become more centralized or less? Will it expand geographically, or will it contract? Will you have more knowledge workers who require the free flow of information on networks to do their jobs? Will you need to deal with "boundaryless" workers who spend time in the office but who may also telecommute, belong to virtual teams, or even work in their clients' offices? Workers with such needs can make the usual means of information distribution completely inadequate. How will these workers get what they need? How will you balance conflicting demands for access and security?

Computer networks themselves are subject to rapid change because the experience of working on a network changes users' perceptions of what is possible and therefore changes their view of what is needed. Once it's possible to have access to real-time sales figures or inventory counts, the demand for access grows rapidly.

Even modest changes can have a substantial impact on your IT infrastructure. By anticipating changes and planning for them, you ensure that your network can evolve to meet future needs.