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Multilayer VLAN Implementation

This project was for a software development company in a rapid growth phase. For this customer, we worked closely with Cisco engineers to design a multilayer, VLAN-based network using a Cisco Catalyst 6509 core switch and numerous Cisco Catalyst 3548XL distribution switches. After the design was completed, we led the implementation of the network in close cooperation with the customer's in-house IT staff. The core switch was connected to each distribution switch with a fiber Gigabit Ethernet link; each of these links was configured as an 802.1q VLAN trunk. VLAN propagation was configured for the entire network so that VLANs could be defined once on the core switch and the VLAN definitions would automatically replicate to all distribution switches. Also as part of this same project, we implemented redundant Cisco PIX firewalls with stateful failover and installed Cisco VPN 3000 series VPN concentrators for remote access and site-to-site IPSec VPNs. (See this related case study for more information.)