[nsp] Gigabit/Fibre LAN - Required Network Elements
Mark Tinka
mtinka at africaonline.co.sz
Thu Apr 22 09:19:39 EDT 2004
Church, Chuck wrote:
> Seems like you have an immediate need for fast LAN bandwidth,...
This is true.
> but
> very little WAN bandwidth needs.
Exactly. WAN bandwidth isn't something we can buy *cheaply* this side of the
world, so our needs for it would strictly be for mainstream (and not so much
non-mainstream) data requirements. Typically, I wouldn't see us doing
anything more than 256Kbps (unless prices came down, of course :)).
> I think 3745s are way overkill if
> you're going to be at less than T1 speed for the time being.
I see.
> Couple
> 2600s would probably suffice, but if the potential for DS-3 exists,
> maybe look at the 2691.
I don't think a DS-3 is anywhere near our grasp - I mean, that's what the
main upstream provider in the region has to his provider in NY/UK, so you
can imagine what that would cost.
> As far as the switches are concerned, I
> believe the only thing Cisco sells that will do 10GB is the 6500.
Over the last few e-mails in this thread, it appears 10Gbps may be a little
too much for my LAN, and maybe not worth the cost in the beginning, or close
future. I think what I'll go for is the servers running at 1Gbps, and the
rest of the users running at 100Mbps. I feel we should be able to cope.
> Way out of your price range, I think.
Right about that on the switch, although with some luck we might be able to
pull off a 7206-VXR on the router end; but, nothing's definite yet.
> If you can live with 'just'
> gigabit speed,
Oh yes, that I can.
> the 3750 series would probably work pretty well. I
> don't think you'd be gaining much with the jump to the 4500s, not
> enough anyways to justify the huge price jump.
I agree. I'll look more into it. Thanks again for your cander.
>
>
> Chuck Church
> Lead Design Engineer
> CCIE #8776, MCNE, MCSE
> Wam!Net Government Services - Design & Implementation Team 13665
> Dulles Technology Dr. Ste 250 Herndon, VA 20171 Office: 703-480-2569
> Cell: 703-819-3495
> cchurch at wamnetgov.com
> PGP key:
> http://pgp.mit.edu:11371/pks/lookup?op=index&search=cchurch%40wamnetgov.
> com
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Mark Tinka [mailto:mtinka at africaonline.co.sz]
> Sent: Thursday, April 22, 2004 1:05 AM
> To: Church, Chuck; cisco-nsp at puck.nether.net
> Subject: RE: [nsp] Gigabit/Fibre LAN - Required Network Elements
>
> Church, Chuck wrote:
>> Mark,
>
> Hi Chuck.
>
>>
>> How many workstations and servers are you initially using,...
>
> There will be:
>
> o 11 user workstations
> o 3 laptops
> o 2 network servers
> o 4 media servers
> o 2 content-production workstations
>
>> ...and how
>> much potential growth?
>
> We don't envisage that much (or any) growth after this; you could say
> +/- 3 workstations/servers over the next 5 to 7 years of operation.
>
>> How much uptime/reliability is required?
>
> Well, being a high capacity LAN that would be 100% under our control,
> we are gunning for a 99.99% uptime, or thereabouts. In terms of
> reliability, the key servers have been backed up and have their
> redundant counter-parts. The same goes for the 2 switches and 2
> routers, for redundancy and load balancing (where possible).
>
>> I
>> haven't checked in a year or so, but last I knew, no server could
>> come
>
>> close to saturating a gig link. Not sure why you're using 10gb links
>> to servers, much less workstations.
>
> Well, to be honest, I think so too - but we are also trying to cater
> for any future bandwidth requirements over the next few years. It's
> been made clear that there may not be much room for more capex :(.
>
> Having said that, perhaps a 1Gbps LAN may still be reasonable, as you
> say.
>
>> Seems like tremendous
>> overkill, and very costly.
>
> This is true, especially for the 10Gbps cards, since motherboards
> nowadays come with up to 1Gbps LAN interfaces.
>
>> If I'm reading it right, you've already purchased all these 10gb
>> NICs,...
>
> Well, not for all the servers, just 2 of them. If they meet our
> cost/benefit ratios, then we may go ahead and do a round purchase.
> But I didn't want to do that until I was sure I was spending only
> where I needed you, hence this mail.
>
>> and budget only allows for two 3725
>> routers and two 3550 switches???
>
> Correct!
>
>>
>>
>> Chuck Church
>> Lead Design Engineer
>> CCIE #8776, MCNE, MCSE
>> Wam!Net Government Services - Design & Implementation Team 13665
>> Dulles Technology Dr. Ste 250 Herndon, VA 20171 Office: 703-480-2569
>> Cell: 703-819-3495 cchurch at wamnetgov.com
>> PGP key:
>>
> http://pgp.mit.edu:11371/pks/lookup?op=index&search=cchurch%40wamnetgov.
>> com
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: cisco-nsp-bounces at puck.nether.net
>> [mailto:cisco-nsp-bounces at puck.nether.net] On Behalf Of Mark Tinka
>> Sent: Wednesday, April 21, 2004 11:11 AM To:
>> cisco-nsp at puck.nether.net Subject: [nsp] Gigabit/Fibre LAN -
>> Required Network Elements
>>
>> Hi all.
>>
>> We are planning a project that will be LAN-bandwidth intensive -
>> there
>
>> will be a lot of file sharing, a lot of media streaming and quite a
>> large amount of packet transfer across the LAN.
>>
>> We are thinking of running Gig-E on Cat-5 UTP and fibre.
>>
>> To be more specific:
>>
>>
>> o We plan to run the main media servers on a 10Gbps LAN backbone.
>> The servers already have IntelR PRO/10GbE LR Server Adapter. These
>> adapters have a dual-port interface for an MMF/SMF fibre hookup.
>>
>> o All the LAN machines already have the IntelR PRO/1000 MT Desktop
>> Adapter installed, and can run from as low as 10Mbps through to
>> 100Mbps and onto 1Gbps, over Cat-5 UTP.
>>
>> o Some of the workstations that will access the the media servers
>> for content will need to re-serve it to both internal and external
>> users. These workstations are equipped with the IntelR PRO/10GbE
>> LR Server Adapter, along with the dual-port interface for an MMF
>> fibre hookup.
>>
>> o We are also integrating IP telephony for our internal telephone
>> system on the same backbone, using Cisco IP Phones and some Cisco
>> switching/routing gear. We need to have sufficient capacity on the
>> LAN so voice quality isn't compromised.
>>
>>
>> Questions:
>>
>> o We are looking for a solution that will allow us to run our LAN
>> from 10Mbps all the way to 1Gbps, using both Cat-5 and SMF or
>> MMF fibre, depending on the distance/bandwidth trade-off. More
>
>> specifically, a solution in terms of switching and routing.
>>
>> o What we have on budget now is 2x 3550 Cisco Catalyst Switch and 2x
>> 3725 Cisco routers. Obviously, for us to realise anything between
>> 100Mbps and 10Gbps, we need to run said speed right from the PC
>> network card through to the switch and then the router.
>>
>> o Could anyone please suggest what we could do with this Cisco gear?
>> We haven't yet ordered, as we may need to be specific about
>> required network modules. I could have done all this on my own,
>> but I realised I may not have enough time, and would really
>> appreciate any
>
>> tips/feedback from list members that have (tried) such a scenario.
>>
>> o Essentially, we want fibre and Cat-5 to reside on the
>> switches/routers, in, more or less, equal amounts, to allow for
>> growth and expansion in either direction.
>>
>>
>> Please note that while this project is quite ambitious, this is a
>> corporate business, with just *enough* money to spare, hence the low
>> router/switch specs at this time. Anything higher may not be quite
>> feasible (probably until some time in the future), but your input is
>> welcome, nonetheless.
>>
>> Any other information anyone can provide will be much appreciated.
>> Thanks.
>>
>> Regards,
>>
>> Mark Tinka
>> Technical Manager, Africa Online Swaziland
>>
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>
> Regards,
>
> Mark Tinka
> Technical Manager, Africa Online Swaziland
Regards,
Mark Tinka
Technical Manager, Africa Online Swaziland
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