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DESIGN OF LAN

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13 views5 pages

DESIGN OF LAN

Uploaded by

khamisandulu08
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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DESIGN OF LAN

Designing a Local Area Network (LAN) for an enterprise involves addressing various aspects
such as scalability, performance, security, and manageability. Here's a step-by-step guide to
designing an enterprise-grade LAN:

1. Understand Requirements

 Number of Users: Determine the number of users/devices to connect now and in the
future.
 Application Needs: Identify bandwidth-intensive applications like VoIP, video
conferencing, or data transfers.
 Redundancy: Decide the level of fault tolerance needed.
 Security: Address segmentation (e.g., separate guest and internal networks) and ensure
compliance with security standards.
 Scalability: Plan for future expansion.

2. LAN Design Model

Adopt a hierarchical design with three layers:

1. Core Layer:
o High-speed switching backbone for the network.
o Handles routing and heavy data traffic between distribution layers.
2. Distribution Layer:
o Connects access layer to the core.
o Implements policies such as access control, VLAN routing, and load balancing.
3. Access Layer:
o Directly connects end devices like computers, IP phones, and wireless access
points.

3. Network Topology

 Star Topology: Centralized design with switches connecting all devices. Easy to
troubleshoot and scale.
 Hybrid Topology: Combine star topology with other designs for complex needs.

4. Components
Core Layer

 Core Switches: High-capacity, low-latency switches (e.g., Cisco Catalyst or Juniper EX


switches).
 Routing: High-performance routers for inter-VLAN routing.

Distribution Layer

 Distribution Switches: Layer 3 switches for VLANs and network policy enforcement.
 Firewall: A robust firewall for secure internal and external traffic management.

Access Layer

 Access Switches: Layer 2 switches for end-user connections.


 Wireless Access Points (WAPs): Ensure wireless coverage in all areas.
 PoE Switches: For powering IP phones, cameras, or WAPs.

5. Logical Network Design

 IP Addressing:
o Use private IP address ranges (e.g., 10.x.x.x or 192.168.x.x).
o Plan for efficient subnetting (e.g., /24 or /28).
 VLANs:
o Separate traffic by departments (e.g., Sales, HR, IT).
o Use a dedicated VLAN for VoIP and another for guest Wi-Fi.

6. Physical Network Design

 Cabling:
o Use Cat6 or Cat6a for high-speed (1 Gbps+) connections.
o Fiber optics for interconnecting switches at the core/distribution layer.
 Rack Organization: Neatly organize switches, routers, and patch panels in racks.
 Power Backup:
o Deploy Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS).
o Redundant Power Supplies (RPS) for critical devices.

7. Redundancy and Fault Tolerance

 Switch Stacking: Combine switches for increased capacity and fault tolerance.
 Link Aggregation: Use protocols like LACP to combine multiple links.
 Spanning Tree Protocol (STP): Prevent loops in the network.

8. Security

 Access Control:
o Implement 802.1X for device authentication.
o Use Access Control Lists (ACLs) on switches/routers.
 Firewall:
o Segment internal and external traffic with firewalls.
 Intrusion Detection/Prevention:
o Deploy IDS/IPS systems for real-time threat management.

9. Management Tools

 Network Monitoring:
o Use tools like SolarWinds, PRTG, or Nagios.
 Configuration Management:
o Implement centralized tools for switch/router configurations.
 Logging and Alerts:
o Deploy Syslog and SNMP monitoring.

10. Sample Diagram

A typical LAN setup might include:

 Core Layer: 2x Core Switches (redundant).


 Distribution Layer: 2x Layer 3 Switches.
 Access Layer: Multiple Layer 2 Switches + WAPs.
 Firewall between the core and external network

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