Enterprise Network Design and Virtualization

Updated in May 2025. This course now features Coursera Coach! A smarter way to learn with interactive, real-time conversations that help you test your knowledge, challenge assumptions, and deepen your understanding as you progress through the course. This course offers a thorough exploration of enterprise network design principles, equipping you with the skills to architect robust and scalable network infrastructures. Starting with the basics of enterprise architecture, you’ll delve into the nuances of 2-tier vs. 3-tier designs, evaluating the strengths and challenges of each approach. You’ll also explore the intricacies of on-premise and cloud-based solutions, gaining insights into how to choose the right design for different business needs. As the course progresses, you’ll get hands-on experience with key virtualization technologies and modern networking solutions like SD-WAN and SD-Access. You'll learn to implement high-availability designs using stateful switchover and redundancy protocols, ensuring seamless network performance even during failures. The course also covers wireless network design, addressing critical topics such as client density and segmentation to optimize network efficiency and security. In the final modules, the focus shifts to virtualization technologies that transform traditional networking. You’ll master concepts such as hypervisors, virtual switches, and VRFs, gaining practical knowledge on how to configure and manage virtual environments effectively. Advanced topics like GRE over IPsec tunnels and VXLAN provide the tools to design secure, scalable networks that meet the demands of complex enterprise environments. This course is ideal for network engineers, IT professionals, and system administrators looking to deepen their knowledge of enterprise network design and virtualization. A basic understanding of networking concepts and familiarity with enterprise network operations are recommended prerequisites.