Infrastructure Design and Install

Infrastructure design and installation refers to the planning, provisioning, and physical deployment of the foundational IT and network systems that support business operations—covering everything from cabling and power to servers, racks, networks, and security systems.

It involves the structured layout, selection, and setup of:<ul><li>Physical infrastructure (cables, racks, switches, UPS, cooling)</li><li>Logical infrastructure (IP design, server roles, VLANs)</li><li>Systems integration (security, backup, cloud, and network services)</li></ul>It’s essential for:<ul><li>Offices, data centers, warehouses, manufacturing plants</li><li>Ensuring reliable, secure, scalable operations</li></ul>

<ol><li>Discovery & Planning<ul><li>Assess site layout, electrical, and cooling availability</li><li>Identify current/future IT needs (users, data, apps, services)</li><li>Define compliance goals (HIPAA, PCI, NIST, ISO)</li></ul></li><li>Design<ul><li>Network topology (LAN/WAN/VLAN/Wi-Fi layout)</li><li>Rack elevation, cable tray layouts, power mapping</li><li>IP schema, naming conventions, segmentation</li><li>Redundancy, failover, and DR planning</li></ul></li><li>Procurement<ul><li>Hardware (servers, switches, racks, UPS, firewalls)</li><li>Structured cabling (Cat6A, fiber, conduit, patch panels)</li><li>Software licensing (OS, VMs, security, monitoring)</li></ul></li><li>Installation<ul><li>Pulling cables and terminating jacks or patch panels</li><li>Rack and stack of hardware (labeling, documentation)</li><li>Configuring switches, routers, APs, firewalls</li><li>Installing servers and virtualization environments</li><li>Integrating with access control, CCTV, alarm systems if needed</li></ul></li><li>Testing & Handover<ul><li>Validate power, grounding, and cable continuity</li><li>Test network connectivity, throughput, and security</li><li>Provide documentation, labeling, and training</li><li>Support go-live and stabilization</li></ul></li></ol>

<table><thead><tr><th>Category</th><th>Common Equipment/Services</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Network</td><td>Firewalls, switches (PoE), access points, routers</td></tr><tr><td>Server/Compute</td><td>Rack servers, blade systems, NAS/SAN storage</td></tr><tr><td>Power & Cooling</td><td>UPS, PDUs, HVAC, environmental sensors</td></tr><tr><td>Cabling</td><td>Cat6/6A/7, fiber optics, patch panels, conduits</td></tr><tr><td>Security</td><td>Racks with locks, video surveillance, access control</td></tr><tr><td>Cloud/Hybrid</td><td>Azure/AWS/GCP integration, VPN, SD-WAN</td></tr></tbody></table>

<ul><li>Use structured cabling standards (TIA/EIA-568)</li><li>Separate power and data paths</li><li>Label every port, cable, and device consistently</li><li>Implement redundancy for core services and power</li><li>Allow for scalability in rack space, IP addressing, and cooling</li><li>Design with remote management (iLO/iDRAC, IP KVMs, SNMP)</li><li>Document everything: wiring diagrams, configs, network maps</li></ul>

<ul><li>Network and rack layout diagrams</li><li>IP addressing and VLAN plans</li><li>Configuration documentation (firewalls, switches, servers)</li><li>As-built drawings and cable test reports</li><li>Access and password records (secured)</li><li>Training and support documentation</li></ul>