Computer Network Design

For a large national corporation with a large number of locations and a third-party hosting location, ensuring the safest, fastest, and easiest network configuration for monitoring and operating various Building Automation Systems (BAS) and IoT systems involves a combination of modern networking technologies and best practices. Network Architecture, Centralized Management with Distributed Control, A robust core network at the third-party hosting location to manage central operations. Deploy edge devices at each location for local control and data aggregation. Use SD-WAN (Software-Defined Wide Area Network) to provide centralized management, policy control, and dynamic routing across all locations. SD-WAN enhances security, optimizes bandwidth, and improves connectivity. Ensure redundant internet connections at each location to avoid downtime. Failover Mechanisms: Implement failover mechanisms to switch to backup systems seamlessly during outages. VLANs and Subnets: Use VLANs and subnets to segregate BAS and IoT traffic from other corporate network traffic. Implement micro-segmentation to provide fine-grained security controls within the network. Next-Generation Firewalls (NGFW): Deploy NGFWs to protect against advanced threats. Intrusion Detection and Prevention Systems (IDPS): Implement IDPS to monitor and prevent malicious activities. Secure Remote Access, Use VPNs for secure remote access to the BAS and IoT systems. Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA): Adopt ZTNA principles to ensure strict identity verification before granting access. Performance Optimization Traffic Prioritization: Use QoS policies to prioritize BAS and IoT traffic to ensure reliable and timely data transmission. Implement edge computing to process data locally and reduce latency. Aggregate data at the edge before sending it to the central location, reducing bandwidth usage. Ease of Management, Use a unified management platform to monitor and manage all network devices, BAS, and IoT systems from a single interface. Automate routine tasks and use orchestration tools to streamline network management. Design the network with scalability in mind to easily add new locations or devices. Integrate with cloud services for scalable data storage and processing. Recommended Technologies and Tools, Cisco Meraki for SD-WAN, security, and centralized management. Palo Alto Networks for advanced firewall and security solutions. AWS IoT or Azure IoT for cloud-based IoT management and edge computing capabilities. Dell EMC or HP Enterprise for robust server and storage solutions. Implementation Strategy, Conduct a thorough assessment of existing infrastructure and requirements. Develop a detailed network design and implementation plan. Implement a pilot at a few selected locations to test the configuration and performance. Gradually roll out the network configuration to all locations.

Advanced Enterprise Network Design with Redundancy (IOS & NX-OS) 🌐 🚀 Key Features: High Availability: VRRP (Core Layer) and HSRP (Distribution Layer) for seamless failover. Redundancy: LACP for link aggregation, OSPF for dynamic routing, and VLAN segmentation for secure traffic isolation. Scalability: Future-ready design with minimal disruption during upgrades. 💡 Design Overview: Core Routers (IOS): RT01 & RT02 with VRRP and OSPF for dynamic routing. Distribution Switches (NX-OS): DL1 & DL2 leveraging HSRP and LACP for VLAN redundancy and link efficiency. Access Layer: Trunk links to servers and workstations with secure VLAN segmentation. 🔧 Tested for Fault Tolerance: Simulated device failures validated seamless failover, ensuring uninterrupted operations. This vendor-neutral design was implemented using EVE-NG and tested with Cisco IOS and NX-OS devices, showcasing resilience, scalability, and security. 📊 Ideal for: Enterprise networks requiring high availability and future-proof architecture. Let’s connect and share insights on optimizing enterprise networks with Cisco technologies! 🚀

🔹 Designing Smarter Networks | Cisco Switching in Action 🔹 #Hello #NetworkEngineer Recently, I designed out a layered Cisco switching, simulating a full enterprise setup for two departments - IT & HQ using VLANs, trunking, routing, and DHCP. This week, I built a multi-layer VLAN topology from the ground up using: 🔹Core L3 Switch for routing, SVI creation & DHCP 🔹Distribution Switch (L2 Uplink) trunked for department segmentation 🔹 Access Switches (IT & HR) with precise VLAN assignments #Cisco #Networking #VLAN #NetworkEngineer What I Designed and Deployed: 》Created VLANs (10 - IT, 20 - HR) 》Built SVI interfaces for inter-VLAN routing 》Configured VTP (Server & Client mode) to automate VLAN propagation 》Established 802.1Q trunks between switches 》Applied DHCP pools for dynamic IP assignment 》Ensured proper VLAN allowance on each port for clean segmentation 🔸Why This Matters To Secure segmentation between departments For a Scalable and repeatable VLAN structure Gives Simplified routing and centralized control It's about making design decisions under pressure, fixing misbehaving VLANs, tracing STP loops, and ensuring every port performs exactly as intended. #CiscoSwitching #VLAN #Trunking #VTP #DHCP #NetworkDesign #L3Routing #AccessSwitch #CoreSwitch #NetworkingLab #NetworkEngineer #CiscoIOS #DataCenterDesign #STP #EnterpriseNetworking #CCNA #CCNP #Switching #TechLeadership

𝗛𝗟𝗗 vs 𝗟𝗟𝗗 in 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 – Why Both Matter! In 𝗻𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀, two critical phases shape the success of implementation: 𝟭. 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵-𝗟𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 (𝗛𝗟𝗗): This is the 𝗯𝗹𝘂𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝘁 of the network. It outlines the 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲, including: • Network topology diagrams • IP addressing and routing overview • Security zones and traffic flow • Integration points with cloud or third-party systems 𝗛𝗟𝗗 = 𝗕𝗶𝗴 𝗣𝗶𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 + 𝗕𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗔𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 It 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀 and 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗲 the 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 and ensures it 𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗻𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗼𝗯𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀. 𝟮. 𝗟𝗼𝘄-𝗟𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 (𝗟𝗟𝗗): LLD 𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘁𝘆-𝗴𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘁𝘆, covering: • VLAN and subnet details • Routing protocol configurations (OSPF/BGP) • Port mappings and cabling • Firewall rules, NAT, ACLs • Device configurations and naming conventions 𝗟𝗟𝗗 = 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 + 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 This is 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗼-𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗼𝗰𝘂𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 for 𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗿𝘀 during the actual 𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗽𝗵𝗮𝘀𝗲. #𝗞𝗲𝘆_𝗗𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲?  𝗛𝗟𝗗 = What to build | 𝗟𝗟𝗗 = How to build it . Both are essential – 𝗛𝗟𝗗 𝗱𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆, while 𝗟𝗟𝗗 𝗱𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗲𝘅𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. If you’re involved in 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 or 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗻𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀, make sure both designs are solid for a smoother deployment and easier maintenance. #Networking #ITInfrastructure #ProjectManagement #NetworkDesign #HLD #LLD #Cisco #CloudNetworking #ITProjects 𝗟𝗲𝗳𝘁 (𝗛𝗟𝗗) 𝗩𝗦 𝗥𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 (𝗟𝗟𝗗) samples :

🚨 The Most Common Network Design Mistakes I've encountered🚨 Let’s talk about something that separates good network designs from the ones that force engineers into endless troubleshooting nights due to bad design choices. I’ve been in this field long enough to see the same mistakes happen over and over. So let me save you the headache: 1️⃣ Not Planning for Growth 🔹 You build a network for today, and 12 months later, it’s already struggling. 👉 Always design for the next five years, not just the next five months. 2️⃣ Overcomplicating Everything 🔹 Too many layers, unnecessary VLANs, and overly complex routing will eventually cause a disaster in your network. 👉 The simpler the network, the easier it is to maintain. 3️⃣ Single Points of Failure 💀 I once saw a company with one switch running the entire network. 💀 Guess what happened when it failed? Everything went down. They had to reboot it twice a day! 👉 Always design with high availability in mind - if the business requires it. 4️⃣ Ignoring Proper Network Segmentation 🚨 Dumping everything into one big flat network? Bad idea. 🚨 No VLANs, no isolation - just a giant broadcast storm waiting to happen. Not good! 👉 Separate your traffic: users, servers, IoT, guest Wi-Fi. they all need their own space. And by the way, printers need their own subnet too! 5️⃣ Forgetting About Monitoring & Documentation 📜 Have you ever walked into a network with zero documentation? I’m sure you have, we all have been there! 👉 It’s like being dropped into a jungle with no map. 📊 If you’re not monitoring, you’ll only realize something’s wrong when the users start screaming. Not good! 6️⃣ Not Thinking About Security from Day One 🔑 Security isn’t something to delay. ❌ No access control? Cybercriminals will love you. ❌ No firewall rules? Enjoy crypto-miners in your network. ❌ Default passwords everywhere? Why are you even in IT? Might as well hand out your login credentials. ⸻ 🔥 So, what do we have here? 🔥 ✅ Plan for scalability from the start ✅ Keep your design simple & avoid unnecessary complexity ✅ Remove single points of failure ✅ Use network segmentation to keep things secure & efficient ✅ Monitor everything and always have updated documentation ✅ Security first - don’t wait until you get hacked to fix things, it might be too late. ⸻ 💡 Knowledge Challenge 👉 What’s the worst network design mistake you’ve ever seen or experienced? Drop it in the comments! 👇 1/100 #DavidOnNet #SecretsOfUptime #NetworkingTips #Networking