I Need 5 seperate segments and still be able share files. S/W Vlan or Route

[ogorzalek]

I need five separate segments / networks with a around 50 IP’S in each one, and still be able to browse and see the other segments in network neighborhood.

Each segment is running at least 1 NT 4.0 server, NT Server – Embedded, Win 2000 server, Novell 3.12 server, Novell 4.11 server, Novell 5.1 server. Red Hat Linux. and various Macintosh, NT Workstation, Windows 9.x , Windows 2000 Pro workstations.

Each segment needs to be able to see each other in network neighborhood, share printer drivers – and install them via point and print (clicking on a shared driver in network neighborhood)

We use Intel and EFI print controllers. They communicate via Net Bios / UNC Path, LPR, and Standard TCP/IP ports.

We test a line of Multi-Function copy-Print-Fax-Scan devices and on occasion, we need to duplicate a different environment’s and print or scan across trusted domains.

My boss want’s 5 segment’s and still be able to browse and see the other segments in network neighborhood – my network places.

What would be the most economical way to do this? Security is not an issue; this will be behind a corporate firewall.

1. A 2900 series catalyst S/W running multiple V – Lan‘s with WINS running in the background.

Or

2. A 2600 series modular Router with multiple cat 5 10/100 fast Ethernet interfaces.

Would either of these scenarios work or do you have a different suggestion?

Any advice or suggestions would be much appreciated.

.

[rfroom]

I would strongly suggest running WINS regardless of the equipment used. Wihtout it, you could run into issues especially in seeing devices between VLANs.

[scottmac]

From a bandwidth perspective, IMO, VLANs won't help you here at all. If the VLANs were to span all five segments, all you'd be doing is propagating the broadcast from several "chatty" protocols across the entire network, defeating the segmentation.

I believe your best bet, with the information you've given, would be to connect each segment to the router, set up "IP Helper" aimed at the WINs server(s), and be done with it.

Try to locate the servers on the most-used segments, if you have several segments with extreme traffic, add NICs to the server that directly attaches it to the high load segments (make sure routing/forwarding on the server/resource is disabled, or you'll have a loop). That would localize most of the broadcast traffic and still get the peer-peer traffic to each segment as necessary.

If it's possible to group as many hosts using the various protocols each to their own physical segment, all the better.

There are many ways to set this up, depending on what your ultimate goals are. In a multi-protocol environment, keeping things as simple as possible will help the troubleshooting later.

Good Luck

Scott