Networking computers first and tracking the connections later can quickly become confusing and unmanageable as you try to find which computer communicates with and shares resources with which other computers. In your human network, do you share everything with your friends? In your family network, would you want your parents or guardians to know your every thought? You have your information-sharing plan in your head, and it is important to keep track of it so you don’t make a mistake and share something where it was not intended.
Similar concerns must be considered while designing a computer network. Before you even connect your first computers together, you should have a plan. A network plan, therefore, is a formally created product that shows all the network’s components and the planned connections between them.
Such a plan is also used to manage the various types of information. Your plan should show what types of information are stored where, and who is allowed to use each type, and the type of your computer hardware to make your computer networking run smoothly.
