NETWORK RELATED

Network Planning and Management
Network planning is important to the business. There is an ongoing role in
measuring the network, determining what steps to take to improve performance,
and planning for upgrades, replacement, and expansion. Unless an organization
is quite small, this role is often performed by internal staff. This role also over-
sees contract work in installation and testing. The role has been expanded to ex-
tranets and linking to the internet as well as handling internal networks. Growth
in internet use has made this position more significant.
Network Installation and Testing
You are not going to install and test a network every day. Network installation
and upgrades are done as discrete tasks. Installation requires specialized equip-
ment in terms of cabling tools, crimping tools, and so on, and network testing re-
quires special monitoring equipment. These functions are also generic and not
company specific, which make them suitable candidates for outsourcing.
Network Operation and Troubleshooting
With the increased reliability of networks, there is less of a need for internal
staff to be assigned to troubleshoot network problems. For large organizations, it
makes sense to have this function performed internally, allowing for identifica-
tion of the problem prior to contacting a vendor to do repairs. The effect is to
reduce overall cost and the mean time for repairs.