Another cool network! I'm jealous. : ) If they hired you as the expert and they realize that the network is to blame, you don't really need to beat the correct solution over thier head. They should be looking to you for the best possible solution. I just hope layer 8 dosen't get in the way (or a know-it-all in-house admin).
As for the max switch hop, STP may be 7, but that's too much. You should try to stick to the basic model Cisco has been pushing for years - 3. Access, Distro, Core, which you seem to recognize. If they balk at your suggestions, you can show them a baisc chart from a CCDA book. I'm sure you can explain that the less distance/hops a packet has to travel and the less paths it has to take, the better. Between that and a sniffer, it should be another fun job. -- RFC 1149 Compliant. ""Jeffrey Reed"" wrote in message [EMAIL PROTECTED]">news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]... > Im rather new to the Cisco world but have with other vendors. I need some > help with design Best Practices. Recently there was a post that told us > the max switch hop in a network should be about 7 hops. As a reseller, I am > working with a customer who has the following network design: > > Internet-3600-PIX-6500(r)-G-6500(s)-G-5500-5000-3500-1900-10M-3COMhub > > Unless indicated by a G or 10M, the link between devices is 100M. The > 6500(r) does all the routing, the 6500(s) is where about 7 5500s hang off > on Gig fiber. Each 5500 has about 3-4 5000s connected with 100M fiber. Each > 5000 has about 10-12 3500s which have about 8-12 1900s. Each of the 1900s > have about 4-8 3COM 10M hubs with students. Their teachers and admin staff > sit on 10m & 100M links in the 5500s & 5000s. The 6500(s) has about 200 > users via 100M. All the links support trunking until you hit a 1900. Ive > over-simplified for this example, but I think you get the idea. > > This network just sort of grew this way over the years. Older equipment is > pushed out to the edge as newer equipment is installed in the core. They > report a lot of random problems all blamed on the network. Their firmware is > pretty up to date and the hardware is reliable. > > While they are still using AppleTalk, a little IPX and mostly IP, I believe > their network is too complex with all the switch hops. I want to propose a > redesign that puts a user no more than three hops from the core 6500. This > may mean new single mode fiber in some locations and upgrades to hardware in > other locations. Im not looking for design help, Im looking for a smooth > way of telling the customer their design is the problem, not the hardware > itself. > > Any suggestions on how you have approached a customer or better yet, your > boss, on the need to have a proper design, even if it means additional > investment in fiber and effort to implement?? > > I appreciate the help from this group > > Jeff Message Posted at: http://www.groupstudy.com/form/read.php?f=7&i=38460&t=38453 -------------------------------------------------- FAQ, list archives, and subscription info: http://www.groupstudy.com/list/cisco.html Report misconduct and Nondisclosure violations to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
