1. Describe the Enterprise Composite Model used for designing networks and explain how it addresses enterprise network needs for performance, scalability, and availability
2. Explain the role of switches in the various modules of the Enterprise Composite Model (Campus Infrastructure, Server Farm, Enterprise Edge, Network Management)

This looks like an update of the old Campus Switching Design using the edge, backbone, and core modules.

Enterprise Composite Model

The SAFE Security Blueprint for Enterprise Networks makes makes reference to the ECM.

Cisco loves this modular concept, as it makes designs easier to reuse.

In particular, the Enterprise Campus and Enterprise Edge modules are of relevence to the exam. Note that we seem to have kept the backbone/distribution/core concept for users, but the management and server components have been added in, along with breaking out the Internet and WAN sections into the Enterprise Edge.

Description

The model provides a framework for the design of an enterprise network, basically a new version of the AVVID architecture. The components are Enterprise Campus, Enterprise Edge, and Service Provider Edge as per the diagram above.

The Enterprise Campus module deals with the campus, defined as one or more buildings on a local area connected with a high speed network. The campus does not provide remote/Internet access. The campus is broken into functional areas, described below.

The Enterprise Edge module connects the Enterprise Campuses, and other internal resources such as the WAN.

The Service Provider edge is the demarcation to the Internet and other remote access services.

Campus Infrastructure

Hierarchical Campus Design At-A-Glance addresses the benefits of the Campus Infrastructure module.

It is made up of several functional modules:

• Building Access
• Building Distribution
• Campus Backbone
• Network Management
• Server Farm
• Enterprise Edge

The first three are as before. Network management is a new block that handles performance and fault monitoring, logging and authentication. It is recommended that this module implement an out of band network, ie one that is dedicated to management.

The server farm is a more redundant and collapsed version of the access and distribution networks, ie the switches connect in a redundant fashion to the core.

Enterprise edge aggregates all the other functional areas into the backbone. This is one place where more aggressive filtering would happen.

Performance

The ECM addresses performance by dividing functional areas into modules, and connecting them together over a high speed backbone. This allows for efficient summarization of networks, and more efficient use of high speed uplink ports.

Scalability

With its modular approach, the ECM is scalable. Simply add on more function modules as required.

Availability

Again, modules can be connected in a redundant fashion to the core/distribution layers.

Role of switches in ECM

Access – layer 2 switches connecting workstations and other devices to the distribution. Here, basic protocol filtering and QoS marking would happen

Distribution – either L2 or L3 switches depending on the size and needs. These switches will bring in multiple access switches, perform more advanced QoS and filtering. Distribution connects back into the core/campus backbone

Backbone – again, either L2 or L3 switches depending on needs. Primary goal is to switch packets, so switches will be acting on tagged QoS packets rather than marking, and perform basic routing.

These Design Guides provide a better look at various scenarios (small, medium, large) and suggest switches.

Content Copyright Sean Walberg

Enterprise Composite Model

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