What things should be considered when designing an enterprise network?

1. Plan the network's complexity to be in line with the customer's IT expertise.
2. PoE, or PoA?
3. Speed.
4. Redundancy.
5. Standards and maintenance.
6. Network management tools.

When designing a new computer network, whether for five people or 500, it's important to weigh the needs and desires of those who will be using the network with the budget of those who will be paying for it. Some important things to consider that may not be on anyone's wish list include balancing security issues with the desire for easy access to information; building redundancy into the network in anticipation of breakdowns; and standardizing hardware and software to keep maintenance costs in check. In case something terrible happens, a disaster recovery plan should be in place. In case things go well for the organization, room for future growth should be built into the network design.