Switing Solution

[pramod devhare]

Dear Team,

I am having multiple vlans in my organisation. My organisations is divides into 4 floor. Each floor is contains the multiple vlans.

I want to configure the complete redundancy.

Can you please suggest the network topology for the same?

[Marius Gunnerud]

Dependig on the size of your network and your requirements,  you could have a combined core/distribution layer consisting of 2 switches, and each switch on each floor has 2 links (one link going to each core/distribution switch) that are in an EtherChannel.  The core/distribution switches will have 2 links going between them.  Also, remember to set the spanning-tree priority on the distribution switch that is to be the root bridge.

[Marvin Rhoads]

There are many correct answers for the limited information you provided. Marius' suggestion is one. The general layout of access layer (local switches on each floor) and collapsed core/distribution switch is pretty typical and a good recommendation for this size of network.

For more details, can you tell us:

- number of users per floor

- whether 1 Gbps (or multiple 1 Gbps ) or 10 Gbps is desired leaving the local switch(es)

- whether you have fiber between floors and is it 10 Gbps-capable (OM3 or better specification)

[pramod devhare]

Dear Sir,

Thanks for your reply. I am sharing the network details in my organisation.

1) we are having four floor plus  ground floor.

  Forth floor:- 88 users

  Third floor:- 59 users

  second floor:- 52 users

  first floor: 70 users

Ground floor 42 users

2) Every floor there are 10 numbers of IP Phones.

3) Each floor is contains Number of VLANS

4) The Fiber conection is available from every floor to Core switch and each swich is having 10 GBps SFP+ module.

Is this information is sufficient?

[Marvin Rhoads]

That gets us closer. So each floor (except ground) has >48 users = the number we can support from a 1RU switch. So we would typically put a 2-switch stack.

For this size of network, Cisco 2960X would be a good choice. They can do PoE at various levels - see table 6 of the product data sheet for options. Each switch can have dual power supplies of desired and your links to the core switch can be from separate stack members. You could use 2 x 24-port model for the ground floor.

Your core would need to handle 10 x 10 Gbps links. That's going to require a bigger switch - we typically see mid-sized campus's using the 4500X for this function. For redundancy you would put a pair of 4500X in a VSS cluster. That way they logically act as one switch and all of your floor switch uplinks can be bound into a 20 Gbps Etherchannel giving maximum bandwidth and resiliency. The 4500X data sheet is here. You would need the entry level model, WS-C4500X-16SFP+.