Installation guide

Determine System Topology Planning and System Design
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ShoreTel 14.2 Planning and Installation Guide 27
Determine System Topology
The ShoreTel system has a unique distributed call control software architecture that enables you to
deploy ShoreTel voice switches and IP phones anywhere across your IP network. Even though
multiple sites are supported, the ShoreTel system is a single system with an extensive set of integrated
applications and a single management image. The ShoreTel system offers unmatched simplicity
through this single image system, and delivers high availability, with no single point of failure, through
its distributed architecture.
The first step in planning a voice network is to determine the overall network topology. Topology
information includes the following:
 Sites and Users. Number of sites and number of users at each site.
 Headquarters and Distributed ShoreTel Servers. Number of servers required, plus the name or IP
address of all ShoreTel servers (main and distributed).
 Teleworker Sites. Number of teleworker installations and the type of telephones supported.
 Telephone Requirements. Number of telephones at each site (by type).
 Trunk Requirements. Number of trunks required for optimal performance.
 ShoreTel Voice Switches. What models are needed and how many of each model.
 WAN Connections. The number of WAN connections (per site) and complete service-level
information.
For detailed information about planning your network for the ShoreTel system, see Chapter 3, Network
Requirements and Preparation on page 43.
Sites and Users
Your network topology diagram should provide an accurate inventory of the different physical sites and
the number of users at each site.
Headquarters and Distributed ShoreTel Servers
The Headquarters ShoreTel server hosts the voice applications platform and the management web
site, as well as the integrated voice applications. Typically, the Headquarters ShoreTel server is
located at the largest location, containing the majority of users. Make special note of the main ShoreTel
server on your topology diagram.
On your topology diagram, provide the following information about ShoreTel servers:
 Total number of servers (i.e. sum of servers at all sites).
 Number of servers at each site.
 The name and IP address of every server.