Best Access Layer Architecture using Catalyst 9200 Series

[CyberChap]

Hi to All Tech Experts!

        I am looking to deploy new Network in a Power House based on Ring topology Using 9200 24 port. I spotted 09 Nodes for using access layer switches. Distance between each node varies between 50m to 70m. I am not network expert but have some basic knowledge, so can you please clarify my following question i.e. 

1 - To adopt Master Backup feature, can i Stack all 9200 in a ring through its optical 10G port at front rather than using Stack ports at back bcz all switches are placed at distance more than 50m.

2 - As 9200 can stack maximum 08 switches, can i use ring (03 Qty - 9200 switches) with (02 Qty any L2 Switch with 24 ports) star/branch connected to each 9200 switch (via available 02 10G ports) thus covering all 09 nodes in network (i.e. See figure for reference).

3 - Can i replicate routing of each 9200 switches to its sibling/branched L2 Switches by manually configuring with same VLAN nomenclature. Introducing L2 Switches is just to allocate the budget for other expansions.

4 - if Point # 3 can be achieved, will this be almost equivalent to stacking 09 Qty - 9200 switches? currently this network  will serve for IP surveillance system. later i am planing to use this backbone for EPABX System, Control data transmission, wireless controller and Office PC networking. Will this serve my future planing.

5 - Please share your valuable suggestion/recommendation for suitable device i.e. L2 Switches, Firewall, Router and Wireless Controller etc in light of #3 & #4.

Regards

[balaji.bandi]

Couple Questions and Advise :

1. when you mentioned star, is this because of distrance from red to blue - or all in same building to meet the Enterrpise distance for the edge device.

2. if the end device meet the requirement of Ethernet distance, you can stack Cat 9200 is the best option and easy to maintain.

3. in the main RED zone you can use Cat 9300 for routing and more of small medium core kind of switching (i can advise Cat 9500/ 9400 here, not sure budget).

here is reference for campus network design :

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/solutions/design-zone/networking-design-guides/campus-wired-wireless.html#~campus-guides

sugest to read last 2

• Enterprise Security Baseline for LAN, Wireless LAN, and WAN
• Campus LAN L2 Access with Simplified Distribution Deployment

[CyberChap]

Thanks for your reply, 

1 - Yes both Red & Blue are within Power House building. with this connectivity, distance between Red switches becomes 100 - 120 meters, where as Blue switches are placed 40 - 50 meters near to it's respective Red Switch.

2 - Distance within building are as described above, but as cables will be routed through trunches where other electrical cables are laying so i am opting Fiber cable for L3-L3 Switch connectivity (Red zone) & L3-L2 Switch connectivity (Blue to Red).

3 - Thanks for tip, i can consider 9300 in Red Zone along with Distribution & Core design if this architecture approved. Else I have to upgrade my network later due to budget limit & at the time when i run other IP solutions on it. Thats why i am concerning of access layer in this phase i.e. can L3-L2 Switch routing configuration achieve same level as of L3-L3 routing bcz IP Cameras on L3-L3 and L3-L2 should find NVR easily which is attached to 9200 switch. what about SG550x in Red Zone? although all switches have maximum stack limit to 08.

Though i have one solution in my mind, which is surely not good i.e. create/replicate all VLANs of 9200/9300 to its sibling L2 switch then draw Cat-06/Cat-05e & interconnect one port of each respective VLANs of both switches. if this works, still has limitation i.e.

1 - Nos of copper cable draw will increase with increase of VLANs and things will become messy. also not interested to lay Cat-06 more in trunches where electrical cable are placed.

2 - if 5 VLANs created then 5 + 5 ports out of 24 + 24 ports will be occupied.

Due to above reasons, i am querying whether L3-L2 Switches connected via optical uplink port will do the trick? in short i am trying to convert 24 port Catalyst 9200/9300 as 72 port with distributed 24 + 24 + 24 ports. interconnection via 10G port will also remove the bottlenect of the bandwidth. I planed for L2 switch on optical uplink port #03 & 04 rather than 9200/9300 so that Master / Slave configuration may not count it as another Member and may result exceeding 8 stacking member.

Regards

[balaji.bandi]

i was suggesting end device to be copper. and other device can be uplink to Cat 9300 suggest with Fibre optics using uplink modules.