New Project - Cisco Network

Discussion in 'Networks' started by danielno8, Jan 6, 2012.

  1. danielno8

    danielno8 Gigabyte Poster

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    Hi All,

    I thought i would share a new project i will be working on over the next few months, and will welcome any feedback/advice.

    Long story short, a project team at my company are in the process of arranging the construction of a new platform for the north sea. Within this monstrous project, is the requirement to build the network. The project team have went out and purchased the following:

    4x Cisco 6500
    about 30x Cisco 3750-X switches
    2x Cisco 5550 ASA firewall
    3x unknown routers (we hope! not on the bill of materials)

    Normally with these projects, they do not involve us (the client for the platform) in any of the process. Basically, it's the projects job right up until first oil, we then have to support whatever we are given. This time, we have managed to get involved, and it looks like we will get brought into do the configuration. The problem being, the kit has been bought prior to any design work. My job now is to design/build a network which will match the requirements.

    Attached is a PDF of what i have drawn up so far. I'm pretty comfortable the design will be good, the fireall config is the only bit i haven't seen in action before (in this configuration, i haev used ASA's before). The reason for the firewalls where they are, is the inside of those is a process network, containing a number of control systems related to safety/production etc. Each system will sit on a VLAN, and in order to have protection between them, we need to have the inter-vlan routing sit on the firewall.

    I'm sure the 6500 with a firewall module would be the far better option, but as i said, i have to design this based on what i have been given.

    Should be fun......

    Daniel
     
    Last edited: Jan 6, 2012
    Certifications: CCENT, CCNA
    WIP: CCNP
  2. craigie

    craigie Terabyte Poster

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    Good times, not had the opportunity to deploy anything larger than the 3750 myself before as most of my (old) work used to be ASA's.

    Are you going to stack the Cisco 3750-X's? If I remember correctly you can get 7? in a single stack.

    What routing protocol will you be using internally EIGRP? and just out of curiosity how many days do you think it will take to configure this badboy?
     
    Certifications: CCA | CCENT | CCNA | CCNA:S | HP APC | HP ASE | ITILv3 | MCP | MCDST | MCITP: EA | MCTS:Vista | MCTS:Exch '07 | MCSA 2003 | MCSA:M 2003 | MCSA 2008 | MCSE | VCP5-DT | VCP4-DCV | VCP5-DCV | VCAP5-DCA | VCAP5-DCD | VMTSP | VTSP 4 | VTSP 5
  3. danielno8

    danielno8 Gigabyte Poster

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    To be honest the network would have no issues running with some 3750's as the core. Though it's in there to run for the next 20 years so probably a good thing. (all uplinks are 10Gb! )

    yep the 3750's will be stacked where possible....you'll see on the diagram where they are being stacked....funny thing is the project thought they could ALL be stacked, even between floors lol.

    We run OSPF internally, so i'm going to run the site as an OSPF NSSA, with both of the routers connecting back to area 0.

    I have booked 15 days for the config, should be enough as long as no big issues arise.
     
    Last edited: Jan 7, 2012
    Certifications: CCENT, CCNA
    WIP: CCNP
  4. danielno8

    danielno8 Gigabyte Poster

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    Doing the build this week, and it's been great fun :)

    Found out last week the project had decided NOT to run the required number of fibres to the core switches, and so have been left with having to daisy chain several stacks together (albeit on 10Gb links). Wasn't happy, totally goes against any sensible design, and given the cost of this kit, to be left with a less than perfect design is unforgiveable. I think my boss has managed to go back to the project and convince them it's the wrong thing to do. Not in time for the build (I have to have it built over the next couple of weeks, it then gets shipped to where the platform is being built), but we should get a chance to rectify it prior to the platform going out to sea (after we spend about £100,000 on more blades/10Gb SFP's for the 6500's.
     
    Certifications: CCENT, CCNA
    WIP: CCNP

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