3.2 The First Steps in WAN Design
3.2.4 WAN sensitivity testing
From a practical point of view, sensitivity testing involves breaking stable links and observing what happens. When working with a test network, this is relatively easy. You can disturb the network by removing an active interface, and monitor how the change is handled by the network: how traffic is rerouted, the speed of convergence, whether any connectivity is lost, and whether problems arise in handling specific types of traffic. You can also change the level of traffic on a network to determine the effects on the network when traffic levels approach media saturation.

 
Web Links
Network Pre-Installation Guide
Network Design
Dartmouth Method for Teaching Design