Building SECURE INTELLIGENT NETWORKS

摘要

As organizations continue seeking ways to improve their efficiency and their responsiveness to customers, new demands are being placed on data networks. These new uses for the data network are forcing IT decision makers and network architects to rethink their strategy for supplying ubiquitous, reliable service to their users. The notion that throwing enough bandwidth at the network can solve all or most problems no longer holds true. These new applications require networks to supply more brains, not brawn. The goal of the intelligent infrastructure is not only to provide bulk bandwidth, but also to insure that criteria such as security, latency, availability and workforce mobility are all met simultaneously. That means enforcing policies about network access and traffic shaping throughout the network from the edge to the core, using a switched infrastructure. The infrastructure can comprise layer two, three and four switches, depending on the needs of an organization as well as its capacity to configure and manage the network's complexity. We'll examine some of the strategies infrastructure vendors are bringing to the table to meet their customers' needs. But before we get into particular approaches, it's worth taking a look at the applications and requirements that drive the need for the intelligent infrastructure.