Catalog
concept#Architecture#Security#Platform#Reliability

Computer Networking

Fundamental concept for connecting computers and devices to enable data transfer, resource sharing, and distributed applications.

Computer networking links computers and devices via physical and logical communication paths to enable data transmission, resource sharing, and distributed applications.
Established
High

Classification

  • High
  • Technical
  • Architectural
  • Advanced

Technical context

Identity providers for authentication (e.g. LDAP, SAML)Monitoring platforms (e.g. Prometheus, Grafana)Orchestration/automation tools (e.g. Ansible, Terraform)

Principles & goals

Apply layered models (separation of concerns).Design for availability and redundancy.Integrate security principles from the start (security by design).
Build
Enterprise, Domain, Team

Use cases & scenarios

Compromises

  • Misconfigurations can cause outages or security vulnerabilities.
  • Single points of failure when redundancy is inadequate.
  • Insufficient monitoring hides performance issues.
  • Automate testing and deployment of network changes.
  • Implement segmentation by function and risk.
  • Continuous monitoring and regular capacity planning.

I/O & resources

  • Bandwidth and latency requirements
  • Existing infrastructure topology and device inventory
  • Security policies and compliance requirements
  • Architecture diagrams and IP addressing plans
  • Configuration guides for network devices
  • Monitoring and alerting configurations

Description

Computer networking links computers and devices via physical and logical communication paths to enable data transmission, resource sharing, and distributed applications. The concept covers topologies, protocol stacks (e.g. OSI/TCP‑IP), addressing, routing, switching, as well as security and performance considerations across contexts. It forms the basis for network design, operation, troubleshooting and architectural decisions in IT systems.

✔

  • Enables distributed applications and resource sharing.
  • Scalability through targeted architectural choices.
  • Provides foundation for security, monitoring and automation.

✖

  • Physical and topological limits constrain performance.
  • Complexity increases with size and heterogeneity of infrastructure.
  • Changes may require extensive coordination.

  • Throughput (Mbps/Gbps)

    Measures data transferred per time unit and indicates capacity.

  • Latency (ms)

    Delay for packet transmission between endpoints; critical for real‑time apps.

  • Packet Loss (%)

    Proportion of lost packets, indicator of stability and congestion.

Corporate LAN with VLAN separation

Segmentation of guest, employee and server networks to reduce attack surface.

Content delivery via distributed networks

Use of CDN architectures and Anycast routing to accelerate global content.

Hybrid WAN connectivity

Combination of MPLS and broadband links for cost optimization and resiliency.

1

Perform requirements analysis and stakeholder workshop.

2

Create architecture design with topology, addressing and redundancy.

3

Run prototypes and tests in an isolated environment.

4

Execute staged rollout with monitoring and validation.

5

Provide operational documentation and runbooks.

⚠️ Technical debt & bottlenecks

  • Outdated firmware on network hardware
  • No documented IP plans and responsibilities
  • Manual configuration changes without traceability
BandwidthLatencySingle Point of Failure
  • Using a single VLAN for all trust zones.
  • Excessive QoS prioritization without measuring effects.
  • Implementing security rules only at the perimeter.
  • Underestimating latency‑sensitive paths across the WAN.
  • Missing rollback plans for misconfigurations.
  • Dependency on proprietary features without exit strategy.
Network protocols (TCP/IP, BGP, OSPF)Routing and switching conceptsNetwork security and segmentation
Latency requirements of critical applicationsThroughput and scalability under peak loadsSecurity and compliance requirements
  • • Physical cabling and site limitations
  • • Budget limits for hardware and links
  • • Regulatory requirements and data protection