Reply 1
Indeed nothing truer can be said about the importance of security in a computer network. Unlike the world of past years, nowadays most companies store their sensitive information on their computer networks and the cloud which exposes them to potential data security threats (Kaufman 2009). Loss of such information can be overly costly for the company and as such wins security the top priority in the list of considerations for a good computer network design. While other aspects of the network such as the convenience of using the network also do count, the losses one is likely to suffer from a security breach on their system are much more significant.
Also important is a balance on the cost and the effectiveness of a computer network. The business leaders have to strike this balance carefully as not always do expensive tools lead to more effectiveness. Often businesses do spend much on inappropriate tools that do not respond properly to the needs of the business.
Reply 2
I do agree that the choice of internetwork devices is important in a world of varied choices and one that experiences speedy evolution, especially in the computer field. The items described such as the switch port density and switch port density are important for the sake of compatibility with more recent tools and for readiness in possible evolutions in the software world.
As computer networks are ordinarily built on switches and routers, it is very important that the network engineer selects the best layer that the switches and the routers get to work on (Pióro & Medhi 2004). Identifying between layer 2 and layer 3 is indeed important for the reason described. Similarly, as different networks offer different functionalities, the various business requirements will be a determinant of the choice of internetwork devices.
References
Kaufman, L. M. (2009). Data security in the world of cloud computing. IEEE Security & Privacy, 7(4), 61-64.
Pióro, M., & Medhi, D. (2004). Routing, flow, and capacity design in communication and computer networks. Elsevier.
