gether to solve immediate problems, rather than being planned carefully and built with an end state design in mind. This in no way should be held against the server engineers. They have risen to the occasion, and performed miracles above and beyond the call of duty. The problem usually lies in the fact that they are server engineers and not network engineers. Remember that small companies don't tend to require network engineers at first. Many find it hard to accept that they need them as they grow larger. Truth #2: Networks are often pieced together instead of designed. Networks are often viewed as nothing more than a means to get the workstations talking to the servers and the Internet. Especially in smaller environments, the net- work takes a backseat to server and workstation issues. This is related to Truth #1, but is more a case of management not understanding the value of the network. Network infrastructure is often viewed in the same category as buildings, chairs, and such. That is to say, the network is not perceived to be a competitive advantage, but rather, a necessity that consumes capital. Because it's not a profit center, why waste money on it? That is the perception a lot of management has regarding networking equipment and staffing. This attitude is usually prevalent in smaller, nontechnical companies, though it is certainly found elsewhere as well. As the network is often an afterthought, training is usually not a high priority, either. And people who have devoted their careers to servers are likely to choose further server training over network training. Truth #3: Network design is not high on upper management's list of priorities. The upper management of many small- and mid-sized companies often doesn't understand the impact a poorly built network can have. While news of the latest viruses and server security holes is plastered on the front pages of CNN and the New York Times, the networks usually chug along without any fanfare. When the net- works fail, these managers usually wake up, at which 