A network engineer configures devices. A network architect decides what the devices should be, where they sit and how they relate, then writes that down so engineers can build it consistently. The shift is from commands to decisions, and this lesson describes what changes.
The questions change
Not ‘how do I configure this’ but ‘what does the business need this network to do in three years, and what design gets us there without a rebuild’. Growth, applications, sites, cloud, security posture and budget all become inputs.
Design artefacts
A high-level design describing intent and topology, a low-level design specifying addressing, protocols and device roles, and decision records explaining why. These are the architect’s output; configuration is derived from them.
Reference models
Hierarchical core, distribution and access for campus; spine-leaf for data centre; hub-and-spoke or mesh for wide area. Each solves a specific scaling problem. Choosing among them is the first design decision.
Action Step
Portfolio artefact one, part one: write a high-level design brief for a network you know, stating the business requirements, growth assumptions, constraints and the reference model you would apply, with reasons.
This course is vendor-independent: it is not affiliated with, endorsed by or accredited by any tool vendor or certification body, names products only for identification, and issues no credential. Verify current documentation before applying anything in production.