Network Layout for IP Camera VoIP System: Hows it Look?

[Operandi 0]

Alright, first off a little background. I’m recent IT graduate (last spring) but not yet working in the field in any official capacitance. It’s been about a year and half since I had my last Cisco class so I may be a bit rusty.

 

Right now I’m in the beginning process of helping a locally own retailer setup a network infrastructure for IP camera and in the future VoIP, about 45 – 50 total IP devices when the project is complete. Nothing has been purchased yet but I have some candidates and a network layout planned, thought this is the first time I’ve setup network of this type in the real world.

 

Right now I’m looking at Netgear and LG/Ericsson (previously SMC, Nortel) switches. Haven’t gotten to the router yet and VoIP will come later. For either brand there would be one 1000MB 24 port switch and three 100MB switches, all of them 24 port and all will have PoE on all ports.

 

Netgear switches.

http://www.netgear.com/products/business/switches/smart-switches/GS724TP.aspx

http://www.netgear.com/products/business/switches/smart-switches/FS728TP.aspx

 

LG switches (on Newegg cause LG’s page is a mess).

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833218005&Tpk=LG%20ES-2024GP

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833218007&Tpk=ES-2026P

 

Here is rough layout of the network plan in Visio.

 

I was planning on using the higher-end 1000MB switch to function as the backbone of the network to witch the three other 100MB switches would connect. Both the Netgear and LG switches have 1000MB uplink ports, and my understanding is that I can connect the 100MB switches to any of ports on the 1000MB switch correct?

 

I was also planning on separating the cameras, VoIP phones and server/PCs on their own VLANs. The IP camera server would have two NICs one for the camera VLAN and one for the PCs VLAN. That way I could get the network up and running with VLANs without the need for router. The router would be added later to allow for remote access to the Camera server as well as function as the gateway to the internet, and VoIP functionality when that points comes.

 

Thoughts, suggestions?

[andrewgroup 0]

My first thoughts are if you can keep the count of devices under 50, then I would use a 48 port switch. Something more in line with GS748TPS I would not specifically require that these be 1GB ports, but having 4 1GB ports for server connectivity will be best....

 

The reason is the switch fabric on the switch will allow 1GB of data to stream to the data server from PC's while at the same time allow 1GB of streaming to the other 1GB ports.... The fabric likely will switch over 50GB all at once.

 

IF you needed more bandwidth to a DVR or SERVER then LAG another port to the server.

 

Note VLAN's are seperate broadcast domains and for less than 50 devices, and likely the same IP scheme, I would avoid using VLANS. No benefit. However, I would strongly suggest that you learn and understand 802.1Q and P so that you can learn to assign physical ports, packets, and protocol varying levels of priority within the switch. Note the term, "QOS" is a joke and in almost all cases, you must fully inderstand how different devices TAG the headers in packets so that you can assign these packets to Queues within the switch.

 

Note, Setting TOS/COS packeting tagging on windows is all but useless , so you'll likely assign physical switch ports to prioritize packets to and from a DVR or VoIP PBX.

 

also, if you plan on exceeding the 40 ports, then first buy a switch that supports STACKING. this will create a much higher speed backplane between two or more switches and give you a single IP web interface to manage the stack...

[Operandi 0]

Thanks for the reply, lots to think about there...

 

A 48 port switch would be idea but due to the building and wiring situation (open ceilings and very tall ceilings) making that many runs to a central location would be very problematic and time consuming. This system will also be phased in over time to replace an analog DVR system that has no upgrade path. The physical locations of the switches were chosen based device concentration and ease of access so it will be fairly easy to build up and expand the network over time.

 

I kinda figured VLANs would probably be a bit overkill in terms of bandwidth control but I also figured it would be a good security practice.

 

QoS is defiantly something I will be researching more going forward but there will be plenty of time for that. The first phase will be the server, two switches (the 1GB switch, and one 100MB switch) and a half dozen or so IP cameras.

[patrecia 0]

I just got installed voip phone system at home for my internet work and things getting little easier for me, now I can talk to my clients on high speed connection and it save time too. Thanks for sharing article here.

 

[mod edit - spam link removed. nice try.]

[Joandainty 0]

According to me this Network Layout for IP Camera VoIP System is fantastic. Its really well explain by the diagram " title="Applause" /> . actually I am looking online for some phones for my business. I want your suggestions regarding this.

 

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VoIP system

[ssnapier 0]

We use a company called 8x8 for our VoIP stuff and I love them! Pretty easy to setup, very robust equipment and all of the options you can think of. Here is a link if you want to check them out: http://www.8x8.com/

[scuba-junky 0]

The diagram is fine but you really need to do more than just draw a few switches with lines between them. There isn't enough detail in the drawing to really make it very useful. If you feel you really need that many switches (maybe they are separated by great distances) you should indicate so. It looks like you are going to have multiple subnets - you would improve the diagram if you included complete network addressing information such as the network addresses, subnet masks, any routing you desire including static routing, where's the DHCP server (static based upon mac address or dynamic? - better security), NAS device, LAN, WAN, Intranet, DMZ etc... You may even want to add the names and exact address of each device you plan to implement. You may want to also include security such as a firewall - where is it, what does it protect, who can get at it? You mentioned having two NICs in your DVR and implied it would provide routing. Try to show that on your drawing. What OS and application is on the DVR - list it in a description under DVR box. This way a single drawing provides a great deal of information that you can rely on while implementing the build and maintaining it in the future. The more information you provide about your network architecture the more beneficial it will be. You've got a good "basic line drawing". Now build on it and add the gritty details. Once you think your getting closer, post it again for comments.