Each type of network traffic has different performance and security requirements. This in-depth network design reference on Network World discusses today’s network model which typically include voice, video, network management, mission-critical, and routing traffic in addition to bulk user traffic.
“Network designers used the three-level Hierarchical Design Model for years. This older model provided a high-level idea of how a reliable network might be conceived, but it was largely conceptual because it didn’t provide specific guidance.
“A newer Cisco model — the Enterprise Composite Model — is significantly more complex and attempts to address the shortcomings of the Hierarchical Design Model by expanding the older version and making specific recommendations about how and where certain network functions should be implemented. This model is a component of the Cisco Security Architecture for Enterprise (SAFE) Reference Architecture.”
