What are the best practices for implementing routing policies and access controls?

1 Define your objectives

Before you start designing and implementing your routing policies and access controls, you need to have a clear idea of what you want to achieve and why. What are the business requirements, security goals, and performance expectations for your network? How do you want to segment your network into different zones, subnets, or domains? How do you want to prioritize, filter, or redirect traffic based on source, destination, protocol, or content? How do you want to monitor, audit, and troubleshoot your network activity? By defining your objectives, you can plan and document your routing policies and access controls more effectively.

3 Use the right tools

Routing policies and access controls are not static or fixed. They are dynamic and flexible, and they need to be updated and adjusted as your network changes and grows. To do this, you need to use the right tools that allow you to create, modify, and apply your routing policies and access controls easily and efficiently. For example, you can use routing policy languages (RPLs) such as Cisco IOS Policy Language (IPL) or Juniper Networks Routing Policy Language (RPL) to define and express your routing policies in a concise and consistent way. You can also use network management systems (NMSs) such as Cisco Prime Infrastructure or Juniper Networks Junos Space to monitor, control, and automate your network devices and services.

5 Review and improve

Routing policies and access controls are not final or perfect. They are evolving and improving, and they need to be reviewed and optimized as your network needs and challenges change. You can use feedback tools such as logs, alerts, or reports to collect and analyze data on your network performance, security, and usage. You can also use evaluation tools such as audits, reviews, or benchmarks to measure and compare your network against industry standards, best practices, or regulations. By reviewing and improving your routing policies and access controls, you can enhance your network efficiency, reliability, and compliance.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?