seek design advise - options for switch choice and topology

[Najib Akbari]

What do you think of the network of a branch office with ~400 wired and 100 wireless user, no heavy traffic, no local server, mainly normal internet and accessing the required services from SD-WAN. 2X ISP. core will be BGP to SD-WAN and backup to Fortigate

- for the topology, collapsed core ? or everything on the same stack ( routing/switching ) ?

- if collapsed core then how is the option of 2X C9300X-24HX for the core and 8X C9200-48PXG-E for access witch bundled into 2X separate stack with 4X sw in each stack. basically 2X access stack uplinked separately to core? or any other advise for design and sw model? and what if I have 8X ac sw in one stack?

[Leo Laohoo]

What's the C9300X-24HX for?

[Najib Akbari]

L3 CORE

[Leo Laohoo]

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@Najib Akbari wrote:
L3 CORE

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I know what the function is "L3 core" I still do not understand what is the C9300X-24HX function is for 400 clients and no server.  What is unique or role about the C9300X-24HX that it has been chosen as the "L3 core" in the network?  

If it is was decided to have a 3-layer network design (core, distro, access) or 2-layer network design (collapsed core & distro, access) then I'll leave it at that.  Because, frankly, "400 clients" and no server, can be achieved with a fully collapsed 9200 stack.  

Next, the Catalyst 9350 was recently announced during Cisco Live US 2025 and this is targeted to replace the 9300/9300L.  (The 9250 will be announced, possibly, in December 2025.)  Protect the "investment" and start thinking about the 9350 rather than the 9300X.  

Lastly, get (additional) discounts for the helping move excess 9300 (all models) stocks (because of the 9350):  

• Purchase two products and get a 20 percent discount.
• Purchase three products and get a 23 percent discount.
• Purchase four or more products and get a 25 percent discount.

I hope this helps.

[Najib Akbari]

Thanks for your time! lets say Im not a design person, and confused by cisco product diversity:
the traffic going thru the core will be: 400 wired data, 400 VOIP and 100 Wireless communication via core through SD-WAN to Data Center. VOIP server and WLC are local with Backup at DCenter. basically all common services for any mid-sized organization like DB access, and over 300 VM servers access thru core located in DCenter.
the Internet traffic pass thru core and to Internet via Fortigate. 

I can't be certain of the reason this model being picked but it can change or at least i gain more design knowledge for the next,

for now plan is to have 2X SW as core and 2X access stack of 4X switch in it ( collapsed core ). the reason for collapsed core and 2X access stack is easy tshoot with breaking down physical domains and separate L3 and L2 traffic.

I can share the current core statistic if you want to have more accurate analyze.

thanks

[balaji.bandi]

The Model are chooses based on what traffic transit from the CORE, how the they consuming the traffic for the Optic requirement.

In this case i would suggest to use Cat 9500 as Core if you have budget as SVL (that will remove your collapsed Core).

couple of reference - this shows some sd-access and traditional, so you get idea.

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/solutions/CVD/Campus/cisco-campus-lan-wlan-design-guide.html

https://www.ciscolive.com/c/dam/r/ciscolive/emea/docs/2023/pdf/BRKENS-2031.pdf

[Joseph W. Doherty]

Because, frankly, "400 clients" and no server, can be achieved with a fully collapsed 9200 stack.

One of my immediate thoughts too, but didn't know if 9200 stack supports 9 members.

[Leo Laohoo]

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@Joseph W. Doherty wrote:
but didn't know is 9200 stack supports 9 members.

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Try 16 (switches in a stack).

[Joseph W. Doherty]

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@Leo Laohoo wrote:

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@Joseph W. Doherty wrote:
but didn't know is 9200 stack supports 9 members.

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Try 16 (switches in a stack).

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In that case, a single stack may be a very viable solution.

[balaji.bandi]

16 stacks in one basket (nah) its like big maintenance (cisco mentioned support 16, never seen any use case of this)

You need Longer Stack cables.

[Joseph W. Doherty]

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@balaji.bandi wrote:

16 stacks in one basket (nah) its like big maintenance (cisco mentioned support 16, never seen any use case of this)

You need Longer Stack cables.

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Don't need a 16 member stack in this case.   9 x 48 (432) ports, would provide 400+ edge ports.  (Leo responded to my question whether newer stacks could exceed 8 members, which would provide 400 ports.)

Even for a 16 member stack, you shouldn't need a longer stack cable (i.e. if you use the alternating stack cabling connection method - same method if stacking across ToR).

[Leo Laohoo]

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@Najib Akbari wrote:
~400 wired and 100 wireless user

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That is a wrong assumption.  

"100 wired users and 400 wireless clients" is more realistic.

[julian.bendix]

Always hard to give such advice via threads, but generally what you describe is doable with the switches you described.

However large stacks is not a good idea.

[Joseph W. Doherty]

If no heavy traffic, 9200s or even 9200Ls might be sufficient, even for a dual stack core.

Also, perhaps just two stacks of 5 48 port switches.