That level of passion for technology can be a bad thing--especially when the excitement clouds your judgment as to the best network design for your business. Having the latest and greatest gear can cause more problems than it solves, particularly if the network doesn't require that solution. I know how the ego can suffer when one is forced to admit that a plain old leased T1 makes more business sense than a nationwide VPN implementation--but you should always use the right tool for the job (and then figure out how to get the VPN in the door). This rule has never been truer than it is in the dot-com world.

The network for which I'm responsible has one critical function: support Web orders from cradle to grave. Any changes in technology I make must support and enhance that business process, period. If that means using the bleeding edge's networking widget to solve a problem, so be it. But I also need to be open to pulling a "dumb" hub off the shelf--if that's what's needed. If I ever lose sight of this rule and get a little greedy--maybe I install some new gizmo that screws up the network--invariably it will come back to bite the company in the wallet. I don't forget the rule, however, because I'm not interested in becoming the poster child for "Most Lost Revenue in July."

In larger corporations, things are different. The corporate network seems to have morphed from many departmental LANs to one huge corporate intranet. That intranet exists to support business communication, but the corporate goals are less clear. Because these networks grew out of necessity and weren't always built with good planning, it's difficult to ferret out the core reason for having the network in the first place. Sure, everyone needs resources such as e-mail and the Web, but what are the truly important things this conglomeration of network technologies must do? You don't want to answer, "To support the business goals for the corporation," when your boss asks that question. That just won't cut it. If you're ultimately responsible for the network's health and well-being, you should know better than anyone what business problems it needs to solve.

I hate to use the term, but you should come up with a network-specific "mission statement" describing why the network exists and, in turn, why you deserve big bucks to run it. A good specific statement is something like, "The network exists to help our engineers exchange ideas and collaborate on CAD drawings so we can build washing machines" or "to drive a huge propaganda machine so people buy our Redmond, Wash.-based software solutions." Once you know the mission statement by heart, you'll find yourself using it in every purchase justification you write--and management loves that stuff.

So spend a few hours at your local tavern tonight brainstorming your mission statement. Make sure you write it on a napkin, because you'll probably forget it later (I speak from experience here). Once the business goals are set, you'll find it easier to plan projects that enhance your network and let the business grow. Remember, success translates into higher budgets for you to buy all those wonderful new network toys. Then you can have Christmas all year long.

James Hutchinson is a manager of network operations at Toysmart.com. He has designed and managed networking environments in various business sectors. Send your comments on this column to him at jhutchinson87@hotmail.com.