DEACON: An Integrated Approach to the Analysis and Design of Enterprise Architecture-Based Computer Networks

The most common approach to network development in the modern organization remains an undocumented, ad hoc method of deploying available technology rapidly to fit within a given cost structure. Current methods largely ignore the importance of integrating the networking strategy of a firm with the overall information systems architecture of the enterprise. To address this problem, a new approach to network analysis and design is presented. The new method integrates existing principles of information systems analysis and design with the unique requirements imposed by distributed systems. The integrated approach seeks to provide the organization with a set of guidelines for allocating resources to a computer network based upon the business goals of a firm. Specifically, the method calls for (1) defining the business problem, (2) modeling business requirements, (3) modeling location requirements, (4) developing a network architecture, (5) simulating network operation, and (6) implementing the network.