By Edward Tetz

Cisco networking relies on three main design methods when dealing with network design or network layout. The first two methods in the following list relate to the goal of the network, whereas the third is an overall deployment method. Here are the three methods:

• Intelligent Information Network (IIN): The IIN framework can help add intelligence to your network. This intelligence spans layers of the network and links it to the rest of your IT infrastructure.

  If you consider that the network is simply a conduit that allows information from business applications to move from one application or location process to another, the design of the network ensures that the business processes that require this information will have it available when needed.

• Service-Oriented Network Architecture (SONA): The SONA framework takes a traditional network structure and helps it to evolve into an IIN. SONA assumes that your network will be unified, and that all data will traverse a single network architecture.

• Prepare, Plan, Design, Implement, Operate, and Optimize (PPDIOO): PPDIOO is a lifecycle method that Cisco uses for network management. Following this lifecycle management process assists in lessening the total cost of ownership for the network, increasing network availability, and improving agility to make changes to the network structure.

Each method has a place in the implementation of your networking solution. SONA gives you a structure to follow, allowing you to implement the IIN framework, while PPDIOO is a deployment model to follow when implementing any network changes, regardless of what the driving forces were for those changes.