Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1472963
July/August/September 2022 I 45 4. Veracity: After considering many options, be sure to think about practicality as well. Do some solutions appear great on the surface but lose their appeal after more research? There is no single magic media. For example, do not decide up front that only Category cable, only fiber, or only wireless will be used. What advantage does that provide? The media should match the application. 5. Value: The value to the project and resulting expectations must be clear to everyone from the start. 6. Volume: Consider how much the project is trying to accomplish from a business perspective to keep goals and priorities in focus. Work the Way Down From a network topology standpoint, start high and work down. A top-down approach starts with business requirements and moves to a network design at the application layer. It then works its way down the seven-layer OSI model, finishing at the physical layer. Delink network topology from cabling topology and break cabling topology into sections (e.g., layer 1 backbone, layer 2 backbone, horizontal and outlet/ station/device cabling). Network topology dictates how devices talk to each other. From the device standpoint, the most FIGURE 4: All of the 6 Vs are important when considering a course of action. 5. For this reason, ICT professionals must learn how to respect, get along with, and partner with other team members to reach a consensus on what makes sense for the customer while respecting those other organiza- tions, capabilities, and requirements. Desired outcomes cannot be achieved without that collaboration. Use the Six Vs of Decision Making Smart building design requires smart decision making. Success often comes down to managing the six Vs (Figure 4). 6. 1. Vector: Everyone and everything need to move in the same direction and move toward the same source and goal. 2. Velocity: Everyone and everything need to decide on the pace at which to move together so forward progress is possible. 3. Variety: Always have an open mind and consider a variety of options to make sure the right product, system, or solution is selected. efficient way for that to happen is for devices to be directly linked. From a physical ICT infrastructure point of view, this creates a problem when network topology is mirrored in the real world. Think about a spider web that connects every device directly to its switch. Can it be done? Yes, but it makes a mess, takes too much time, and wastes resources (e.g., ceiling space, path- ways, conduits, rooms) as opposed to a structured cabling approach, which accommodates everything by selectively consolidating and taking a measured, practical approach to achieving the goal of "everything attached to everything."