Table of Contents

Overview

This section provides complete network design scenarios based on real-world use cases. Each scenario includes network diagrams, IP addressing schemes, equipment requirements, configuration examples, and implementation considerations.

Available Scenarios

Small Business Networks

Advanced Networks

Scenario Selection Guide

Small Office (10-20 Users)

Best For:

  • Single location business
  • Limited IT expertise
  • Budget-conscious deployment
  • Basic security requirements

Key Features:

  • Simple flat network or basic VLANs
  • Consumer/prosumer equipment
  • Single internet connection
  • Basic firewall and WiFi

Go to: Small Office Scenario

Branch Office (20-50 Users)

Best For:

  • Remote location of larger organization
  • Connection to headquarters
  • Standardized deployment
  • Centralized management

Key Features:

  • Site-to-site VPN to HQ
  • Local internet breakout option
  • VLAN segmentation
  • Managed switches and enterprise APs

Go to: Branch Office Scenario

Home Lab (Personal)

Best For:

  • IT professionals learning
  • Testing and certification prep
  • Hobby networking enthusiasts
  • Isolated testing environment

Key Features:

  • Multiple VLANs for isolation
  • Routing between segments
  • Virtualization and testing
  • Separate guest/IoT networks

Go to: Home Lab Scenario

Multi-Site Enterprise (100+ Users)

Best For:

  • Organizations with multiple locations
  • Centralized IT management
  • Advanced security requirements
  • Business-critical applications

Key Features:

  • MPLS or SD-WAN connectivity
  • Redundant internet connections
  • Hierarchical network design
  • Advanced security and monitoring

Go to: Multi-Site Scenario

Common Design Considerations

Internet Connectivity

Scenario Primary Backup Bandwidth
Small Office Cable/Fiber 4G/5G 100-500 Mbps
Branch Office Fiber/Cable LTE/5G 100-1000 Mbps
Home Lab Residential Optional 50-1000 Mbps
Multi-Site HQ Fiber (dual) Cable 1-10 Gbps

Security Layers

Small Office: Router firewall, WPA2/WPA3 WiFi, basic antivirus

Branch Office: Firewall appliance, IPS, VPN encryption, guest isolation

Home Lab: Firewall rules, VLAN isolation, monitoring, testing security tools

Multi-Site: UTM/NGFW, IDS/IPS, DDoS protection, SIEM, network segmentation

IP Addressing Strategy

Small Office: Single /24 subnet (192.168.1.0/24)

Branch Office: Multiple /24 subnets per VLAN (10.100.x.0/24)

Home Lab: /24 per VLAN (192.168.x.0/24 or 10.x.x.0/24)

Multi-Site: Summarizable ranges (HQ: 10.0.0.0/16, Branches: 10.1-254.0.0/16)

Implementation Approach

Phase 1: Planning

  1. Document requirements (users, devices, applications)
  2. Select appropriate scenario as template
  3. Customize for specific needs
  4. Budget equipment and services

Phase 2: Design

  1. Create network diagram
  2. Plan IP addressing scheme
  3. Design VLAN structure
  4. Document security requirements

Phase 3: Procurement

  1. Purchase equipment based on design
  2. Order internet circuits
  3. Acquire licenses (if needed)
  4. Prepare installation materials

Phase 4: Implementation

  1. Physical installation and cabling
  2. Basic configuration
  3. VLAN and routing setup
  4. Security hardening

Phase 5: Testing

  1. Verify connectivity
  2. Test failover scenarios
  3. Performance baseline
  4. Security validation

Phase 6: Documentation

  1. As-built network diagram
  2. Configuration backups
  3. IP address inventory
  4. Operational procedures

Next Steps

  1. Select scenario matching your requirements
  2. Review complete design and customization options
  3. Use as template for your implementation
  4. Consult troubleshooting guide for issues

These scenarios provide proven designs for common networking requirements. Adapt them to your specific needs while maintaining best practices.

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