Physical vs logical view
Separate cabling/device placement from VLAN, subnet, routing and service relationships when the assignment needs both views.
Network topology support focused on device roles, segmentation, addressing, traffic paths, resilience and the design reasoning that turns a diagram into technical evidence.
This page now focuses on selecting and justifying network structure rather than repeating general assignment-deliverable wording.
Separate cabling/device placement from VLAN, subnet, routing and service relationships when the assignment needs both views.
Use core, distribution and access roles only when they add clarity and match the scale of the scenario.
Show alternate links or devices where availability is a requirement, and explain the failure the redundancy is intended to tolerate.
Use VLANs, subnets or security zones to show why different users or services should not share one broadcast/security domain.
Label interfaces and networks consistently enough that the diagram can be checked against the addressing table and configuration.
When performance or security is discussed, identify the important path between clients, gateways, services and external networks.
A diagram earns more value when the report explains why each major design element exists.
| Deliverable | What it should show | Quality check |
|---|---|---|
| Access switch | Connects endpoint groups or VLANs | Explain user/device density and uplink requirements. |
| Router or L3 switch | Routes between subnets or sites | Show the networks, gateways and route responsibility. |
| Firewall boundary | Controls traffic between trust zones | Identify which flows must be permitted or restricted. |
| Redundant link/device | Provides an alternate path or gateway | State the failure scenario it protects against and any protocol needed to avoid loops. |
The topology should support addressing, routing, security and capacity decisions throughout the report.
Device labels in diagrams, tables, screenshots and prose should match exactly.
Include interfaces and addresses where they support the task; avoid clutter that makes the logical structure harder to read.
Mark WAN, LAN, DMZ, VLAN or site boundaries when those divisions matter to routing or security.
Budget, scale, redundancy, performance and security requirements should be visible in the chosen structure.
A defined sequence keeps the technical work and written explanation aligned.
List users, sites, services, traffic types, security zones and availability constraints.
Place endpoints and services into sensible VLANs/subnets or site groups before choosing specific devices.
Define gateways, inter-site paths and any redundant links required by the scenario.
Check labels against the address plan and confirm every important traffic flow has a valid path.
Use the most specific page for the tool, protocol, lab, or report requirement in the brief.
Short answers about the scope of this page and the evidence commonly needed for the work.
There is no universal best topology. The design should be justified against the scenario, scale, resilience and management requirements.
Include network or interface labels when they improve traceability, but a separate address table can hold detailed host assignments.
The report should use the diagram as evidence for design decisions, traffic paths, segmentation and failure behavior.
Share the rubric, topology, Packet Tracer file, Wireshark capture, screenshots, or report instructions.