Enterprise Network Design & Configuration

(CCNA-Level Final Project)

Tool Used: Cisco Packet Tracer
Scope: Multi-site campus topology with full Layer 2/3 design
Skills Demonstrated: VLAN design, VTP domains, routing (EIGRP/static), HSRP, EtherChannel (LACP), DHCP, NAT, STP, VoIP, wireless, failover routing

Project Overview

This project simulates the deployment of an enterprise-grade network infrastructure spanning four major office locations: Los Angeles (HQ), San Diego, San Francisco, and New York. The environment includes core switching, router configurations, wireless, voice, and security integrations using Cisco technologies. The goal was to apply CCNA-level knowledge to create a scalable, redundant, and secure network using best practices.

Network Design Breakdown

Sites and Addressing

Each site has its own subnetting scheme and routing domain:

• LA Office (HQ): 10.192.0.0/11
• San Diego Office: 172.25.128.0/18
• San Francisco Office: 172.30.0.0/18
• New York Office: 192.168.128.0/18
• Point-to-point (L3) links: /30 to conserve IP space

VLANs and VTP Domains

All core switches and access switches are assigned VLANs based on their role in the network. VLANs were grouped by purpose:

Each office operates under a separate VTP domain to maintain independent VLAN propagation and avoid accidental overwrites (Example: CORE_12, SD, SF, NY).

Redundancy & Layer 3 Routing

To ensure high availability:

• HSRP (Hot Standby Router Protocol) was implemented for each VLAN across core switch pairs. Each VLAN had a virtual default gateway, with one switch active and one standby.
• Inter-VLAN routing was configured on all Layer 3 capable 3650 switches.
• EIGRP (IPv4) was deployed in LA, SD, and SF for fast convergence and route summarization.
• Static routing was used in the NY office and edge routers to simulate ISP/public connectivity.
• Floating static routes were set up in firewalls to simulate failover between dual ISPs.

Switching Technologies

• EtherChannel (LACP) was configured over trunk links for link redundancy and load balancing.
• Spanning Tree Protocol (STP):
  • Root Primary and Secondary were manually set for each VLAN.
  • Ensured a loop-free topology with deterministic failover.

Security & Internet Failover

• Dual Cisco ISR 2911 routers were configured to simulate internet failover.
• Primary traffic flows through FW_2911_1, but upon failure, routing fails over to FW_2911_2 via a floating static route.
• NAT was configured for outbound traffic from internal subnets to simulate internet access.

Wireless and VoIP Integration

• Each site had a dedicated Wireless LAN Controller (WLC) and Access Point (AP).
• Wireless networks included:
  • staff-xx (WPA2)
  • students-xx
• VoIP:
  • Cisco 7960 IP Phones with DHCP-supplied addresses
  • Cisco 2811 router functioning as a VoIP server
  • Directory numbers: West = 1000–1999, East = 2000–2999

DHCP & End Device Setup

DHCP scopes were created for:

• VoIP Phones
• Students
• Wireless clients

VLANs were populated per spec:

• 1 PC in IT, Admins, and Student VLANs
• 1 IP phone in the VoIP VLAN
• Wireless laptops for both SSIDs
• 1 server in each Server VLAN

Technologies Applied

Outcome

This final project showcases my ability to design, implement, and troubleshoot a full-scale enterprise network architecture using Cisco technologies. Every component was configured manually without automation tools to reinforce a deep understanding of core networking concepts. The finished network was fully operational, fault-tolerant, and aligned with real-world enterprise best practices.