Network Infrastructure
(Redirected from Networking Infrastructure)
A Network Infrastructure is a technology infrastructure that provides the foundational components, communication channels, and architectural elements necessary for enabling data exchange and connectivity between computing devices and systems.
- AKA: Networking Infrastructure, Network Architecture, Communications Infrastructure.
- Context:
- It can typically include Hardware Components such as routers, switches, firewalls, cables, wireless access points, and network interface cards for establishing physical connectivity.
- It can typically implement Network Protocols including TCP/IP, HTTP, DNS, and DHCP for standardizing data communication and network services.
- It can typically incorporate Network Topology designs such as star topology, mesh topology, bus topology, and ring topology for organizing connection patterns.
- It can typically support Network Security Measures including access control, encryption, intrusion detection, and traffic monitoring for protecting data integrity and system availability.
- It can typically maintain Network Management Systems for performance monitoring, configuration management, troubleshooting, and capacity planning.
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- It can often facilitate Local Area Network (LAN) connectivity within buildings or campus environments through wired connections and wireless connections.
- It can often enable Wide Area Network (WAN) connectivity across geographic regions through leased lines, VPNs, or MPLS networks.
- It can often support Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) connectivity within city limits or metropolitan regions.
- It can often provide Internet Connectivity through various access technologys including broadband, fiber optic, cellular, and satellite.
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- It can range from being a Small Office Network Infrastructure to being an Enterprise-Grade Network Infrastructure, depending on its size, complexity, and performance requirements.
- It can range from being a Traditional Physical Network Infrastructure to being a Virtualized Network Infrastructure, depending on its implementation approach and technology stack.
- It can range from being a Basic Network Infrastructure to being a Converged Network Infrastructure, depending on its ability to handle multiple traffic types and services.
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- It can have Network Performance Metrics including bandwidth, latency, throughput, packet loss, and jitter that affect user experience and application behavior.
- It can implement Redundancy Mechanisms such as backup links, failover systems, and load balancing to ensure high availability and fault tolerance.
- It can support Quality of Service (QoS) capabilities for prioritizing critical traffic and ensuring performance consistency for time-sensitive applications.
- It can incorporate Network Virtualization technologies such as VLANs, VxLANs, and overlay networks for logical segmentation and resource optimization.
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- Examples:
- Network Infrastructure Types, such as:
- Enterprise Network Infrastructures, such as:
- Service Provider Network Infrastructures, such as:
- Network Infrastructure Implementations, such as:
- Wired Network Infrastructures, such as:
- Wireless Network Infrastructures, such as:
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- Network Infrastructure Types, such as:
- Counter-Examples:
- Computer Hardware, which focuses on individual device components rather than interconnection systems and communication capabilitys.
- Software Application, which operates on top of network infrastructure but isn't part of the foundational connectivity layer.
- End User Device, which connects to network infrastructure but doesn't provide the communication pathways or connectivity services themselves.
- Virtual Machine, which may communicate over network infrastructure but doesn't constitute the physical or logical network elements themselves.
- See: IT Infrastructure, Cloud Network Infrastructure, Network Security, Network Protocol, Software-Defined Networking, Network Topology.