About the Course
Organizations demand networks that prove their value through measurable performance, yet many lack the structured capability to model demand, engineer capacity, or tune routing for peak efficiency. To succeed, you must demonstrate five core capabilities: constructing accurate traffic/demand matrices using NetFlow and interface measurements, applying MPLS and IGP traffic engineering techniques to balance load, simulating working and failure cases to validate resilience, optimizing link utilization thresholds to prevent congestion, and mapping SLAs to network planning targets for compliance. This course follows industry best practices from Tier 1 deployments, leveraging standards like ISO/IEC 27001 for security alignment and PPDIOO for lifecycle management.
This is a practical, outcome-driven course that transforms scattered knowledge into a structured optimisation system. You will gain the ability to calculate traffic matrices using regression procedures, design OSPF and BGP topologies for scalability, implement MPLS traffic engineering for strategic load balancing, conduct NetFlow collector analysis for demand deduction, simulate failure scenarios to test fault domains, optimize link utilization thresholds, validate SLA compliance, and build capacity roadmaps. Specifically, you will learn to model demand using mathematical procedures, engineer routes for strategic efficiency, and simulate failures to ensure resilience. Hands-on, you will build traffic matrices, optimize routing policies, and simulate failure cases; at an overview level, you will be introduced to MPLS concepts and simulation tools.
Real constraints in this domain include budget limitations for hardware upgrades, complex regulatory burdens for data sovereignty, technology adoption gaps in legacy environments, and competing priorities between security and performance. This course is designed for professionals who must deliver high-performance networks under these exact conditions, turning constraints into opportunities for strategic optimisation.
Target Audience
This course is designed for senior professionals responsible for designing, maintaining, and optimizing high-performance networks that support critical business operations.
- Network Architect - Design enterprise campus and data center topologies
- Capacity Planner - Model traffic demand and forecast infrastructure needs
- Traffic Engineer - Optimize MPLS paths and balance link utilization
- Senior Network Operations Manager - Oversee daily network performance and SLAs
- IP Network Specialist - Configure routing protocols and troubleshoot congestion
- Data Center Network Engineer - Design scalable virtualized network components
- Wireless LAN Architect - Plan and optimize enterprise wireless coverage
- Network Security Analyst - Integrate security policies into planning workflows
- Cloud Infrastructure Engineer - Align network capacity with cloud workload demands
- IT Infrastructure Director - Set strategic network investment and roadmap priorities
Course Objectives
This course equips you to model, engineer, and validate network planning initiatives that maximize throughput, ensure SLA compliance, and reduce operational costs.
- Calculate precise traffic/demand matrices using NetFlow and interface regression procedures
- Design OSPF and BGP routing topologies for scalability and fault domain isolation
- Implement MPLS traffic engineering strategies to balance strategic load across links
- Simulate working and failure network cases to validate resilience and fault tolerance
- Optimize link utilization thresholds to prevent congestion while maintaining SLA targets
- Map SLA requirements to network planning targets for compliance and performance assurance
- Analyze traffic patterns using pmacct NetFlow collectors for demand deduction and estimation
- Synthesize findings into a capacity roadmap and executive presentation for stakeholder buy-in
Requirements & Prerequisites
Prerequisites: Advanced working knowledge of IP routing (OSPF, BGP), Layer 2/3 switching, and subnetting. Participants must understand fundamental traffic engineering concepts and have experience with network monitoring tools (e.g., NetFlow, SNMP). No coding required, but familiarity with Excel for data analysis is essential. This course is designed for intermediate-to-advanced professionals; beginners should complete a foundational networking course first.
Local Application and Business Return in Malawi
How participants can apply the training in local operating conditions, and the return their organisation can plan for.
How participants apply this
Expected ROI
Training Methodology
This is a practical, outcome-driven course designed to turn network planning aspirations into measurable action and credible reporting.
Methodology includes:
- Hands-on calculation of traffic matrices using NetFlow regression and interface data
- Scenario simulation of working and failure cases to validate network resilience
- Traffic engineering audit using MPLS and IGP optimization checklists
- Stakeholder mapping exercise for SLA-to-planning target alignment
- Case study analysis of Tier 1 deployments in IP and MPLS network planning
- Group workshop producing a capacity roadmap under time and budget constraints
- Reflection exercise challenging current practices using pmacct NetFlow benchmarks
Upcoming Sessions
Next available dates worldwide
Certification
Recognized credentials that advance your career
Participants who complete the Network Planning and Optimisation Training Program earn a Trainingcred Certificate of Achievement, demonstrating professional competence and alignment with global standards in learning and development.
NITA Accredited
Accredited by the National Industrial Training Authority, ensuring programs meet nationally recognized standards of quality and relevance.
CPD Certified
Recognized by the CPD Certification Service, ensuring every program meets internationally benchmarked standards of professional excellence.
Why this course earns its place on your CV
Accredited training, practitioner trainers, and peers on the same career track — the three things real expertise is built on.
Effective Learning & Skill Development
- Build expertise with structured, outcome-driven learning.
- Equip individuals and teams with skills that grow with industry needs.
- Reinforce learning through real-world scenarios, case studies and practical exercises.
Career Growth & Professional Advancement
- Apply what you learn with a proven methodology that ensures lasting impact.
- Develop immediately usable skills that translate directly into workplace success.
- Gain the expertise needed for career advancement and leadership roles.
Training Optimization & Learning Excellence
- Tailor training to industry-specific challenges and organizational goals.
- Use data-driven insights and automation to enhance training effectiveness.
- Evaluate progress and ensure long-term learning success.
Tools and platforms relevant to this field
Examples Malawi teams may encounter, and that may be featured in training where they support the confirmed course scope.
These are field-relevant examples, not a promise that every tool will be covered. Exact coverage depends on the confirmed course scope, participant needs, and delivery format.
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Cisco Catalyst Center CiscoUsed for network visibility, policy control, and operational optimisation across enterprise LAN and WAN environments.
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Juniper Apstra Juniper NetworksUsed to automate data-centre fabric design and validate intended network behaviour before and after changes.
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SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor SolarWindsUsed to monitor utilisation, detect congestion, and support capacity planning with historical performance data.
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Wireshark The Wireshark FoundationUsed to inspect traffic flows and troubleshoot performance issues at packet level.
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Microsoft Power BI MicrosoftUsed to turn traffic, SLA, and capacity data into dashboards for executive and operational review.
