Nope, only the CE routers need to run BGP. You would use the the IGP (or static routes) of your choice between the LAN and CE router.

Ah ok great.
I'm getting the hang of this now.

only 36 min until I can go home

Also anything else I should prehaps worry about or have I got everything covered now?

Aww you can go home to rest and be proud that you have helped me

Night shift in the NOC gets real boring.

Well I suppose if the network is designed well and secure, what can you do?

Engineering of new of other networks but that seemed to have disappeared from my job description before I even started this job. (long story)


That’s why lately I have been on a design and visio splurge on the forum. It gives me something to do at work.

OK I'm looking at using 3750G-48PS-S for layer 3 routing.
Currently I have 4 X layer 3 switches. I'm looking at gigabit ethernet from the access layer switches straight up to my core.
I have about 32 switches in my access layer (looking at 2980 with Fast Ethernet connection from the workstations)

http://img250.imageshack.us/img250/8017/majorhubnp1.jpg

So the workstations will be connectiong to a 48 port switch.

OK that is a major site design. (Thanks texanmutt for giving me a clue)
So the layer 3 routing will be done by some 3750G-48PS-S, because it's allows for future growth and handle the demands of the network.

Access layer of switching layer 2 switching will be done by 2960G-48TC-L

As for the router, looking at 7600

Would this design cope? Have I select the correct equiptment?

I hope your not thinkng about those for your core or distro layer on large sites. Better bump that up to 6500's. You could probably use 4500E's for the distro layer.




If a site only has 32 access layer switches and if it is only in one physical building, then I would classiy it as a medium sized site and then you wouldnt even need a distro layer. You could use 4500E's for the core on a site that size.

BTW, what is a 2980 ?

I think it was an switch on the cisco site. I must of entered in the wrong one.

Ah ok. So I don't really need a distro layer, I'll just have access and core layers then.

It depends on the site. If it has 5 buildings with 6-8 switches each, than you will need to have a three layered design. Of course you wouldn't get a 4500 as a distro layer to aggregate 8 switches. Maybe something like a 3750 could work fine. Every place is different.

Were did you get the 20k users from. In a corporate environment with 20K users, a main site (like a regional or global headquarters) will usually be 3000+ users so I don't see 1200 users on a main site with only 48 total sites.

Each country has so many sites.
There are major hubs which have 1200+ work stations.
Smaller sites have 70-90 workstations.

So each country will have so many major hub and smalls sites

With a stupid little map we are given. We are told the location of major hubs and smaller sites in each country this company operates in.

I'll think I'll just stick with the three layers, I've done my solution based on this. I can say this will allow for growth.

I think for layer 3 switching I'll just use 3750. Again I can say I've planned for future growth.

So we are told nothing about traffic or services, or anything such as bulidings, just a major hub or site. Also it's an airline company, so really this sort of spec is way beyond all of us. There is probably better solutions for this. But since we are told nothing as to what is really required other then a redesign. We can only assume.
This sort of network would have so many systems as well. It would make planning an network of this size months or even a year.

It's coming up to 10pm, I've been awake since 5am. I've been thinking about this all day. I want to have a free day tomorrow

Please understand, you cannot use a 3750 as the core of a 1200 user site. It cannot handle the load and a core switch will most likely be connected with fiber, which means you will needs allot more that 4 SFP slots. For 1200 users, use a 6500 or as a bare minimum, use a 4500E with a Sup6E .

So 6500 as a core switch
3750s for the distro layer
2whatevers as access switches

Linking between distro and core gigabit?
Core to WAN layer 3 switches fibre.
Rotuer to WAN switches fibre.


I take it 6500 or higher for WAN layer 3 routers.

Sorry if I am frustrating you. We've not really been taught how to determine requirements of a network.

4500 for distro (some places that are large enough use 6500s for the distro). Distro will get fiber going both ways because of distance. Core to WAN and router to WAN can be copper if they are close enough together.

A 3750 (like the 12 port SFP model) can be used as a distro switch for a small building with a few switches and 300 or less users.




No problem. If I was frustrated, I would not be answering your questions.