Determining the Network Hardware

The number of systems that you expect to support affects how you configure your network. Your organization might require a small network of several dozen standalone systems that are located on one floor of a single building. Alternatively, you might need to set up a network with more than 1,000 systems in several buildings. This setup can require you to further divide your network into subdivisions that are called subnets.

Some of the planning decisions you must make about hardware follow:

• The network topology, the layout, and connections of the network hardware

• The type and number of host systems your network can support, including the servers that might be required

• Network devices to be installed in these systems

• The type of network media to use, such as Ethernet, and so on

• Whether you need bridges or routers extend this media or connect the local network to external networks

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  Note - For a description of how routers function, see Planning for Routers on Your Network. For an overview of bridges, see Bridging Overview in Managing Oracle Solaris 11.1 Network Performance

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