New DC design

[eyep]

we are medium size service provider with limited budget and rack space for new upgrade project.

objective is to design new datacenter design with Core - Distribution and Access in parallel to existing and gradually migrate networks over.

for Core we have already purchased a pair of 4948E, for Distribution we are not sure but looking at 4500 X, and edge witll be layer 2 Cisco switches , perhaps 2960

It a shared service model with cloud services, security and availability is important, design we are working on is:

- Layer 3 at Core

- VRF for each customer at Core with VACLs where required

- VSS ( is it required at both distribution and Core) ?

- Access to Distribution 10G trunks

does above look ok with the selection of hardware?

[sean_evershed]

If you run VSS in the Distribution tier of your network then spanning tree won't block OSI Layer2 uplinks from the Access tier. Therefore you double the bandwidth of these uplinks.

With OSI Layer3 uplinks from the Distribution to the Core you don't have this issue so the need for VSS is reduced. However you stated that you have 4948E switches in the Core. These switches don't support VSS.

You will only be able to implement VRF-Lite on the hardware you listed above. It depends on your business requirements if you need to support a full MPLS VPN network. If that is the case then you would need to look to deploying 6500s in the Distribution tier.

For redundancy I would muli-home each 2960 to each 4500X.

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[eyep]

Thanks sean, can we use 4500s for both distribution and core (a pair running both)? and not use 4948E.

Just thinking the benefits of running VSS with double bandwidth.

[sean_evershed · Accepted solution]

Hi, the 4948E is designed as a top of rack switch for terminating server connectivity.

There is nothing stopping you using 4500s for the Core and Distribution.

It sounds like a small network so you might consider having a collapsed Core/Distribution layer. This would save on buying another pair of 4500s.

Don't forget to rate all helpful posts.

[eyep]

any guidelines on what is classed as a small network ? I need to consider scalability as well for future so need to understand limitations as this a new design - Thanks