Network Ninja

The Enterprise-Wide Architecture is the more specific enterprise level solution design model for the SONA Framework which gears and prepares the enterprise for Cisco IIN Vision.

The materials I have found on this reads like marketing and advertising sales copy and my version I am afraid might not come off much better.

The model focuses on the sites or locations of the enterprise namely campus (i.e. HQ, main building/buildings), data centre (i.e. could also be located at HQ unless farmed out or if you think of Google with their non-descript concrete buildings around the world that house their server), branch (1 or many locations), teleworker (road warrior or home office worker), and WAN/WAN with specific solutions and benefits for each location on implementing the design model.

Also have a look at the ECNM that has a look at a more recent model on this topic; look specifically at the sub-modules or modules and find these locations mentioned there.

Definitions

You will see the term Campus used often, this term I encountered in my CCNA studies and it is carried through further into later studies. A Campus is one or more buildings connected using a LAN infrastructure within the same geographic area.

You will also remember LAN being defined from CCNA studies and this applies to the Campus definition, a LAN is a network of connected devices within a limited geographic area.

This would build onto the Campus definition in a meaningful way. So to join the two terms a Campus as used in these posts wont span the globe (corporation sized wan environment) but be a localized collection of enterprise buildings, that could tie into the corporate wan, or not, but share a limited geographic area.

Think in South African terms the Didata Campus or maybe something like the Innovation Hub. Both Examples have multiple buildings located in close proximity of each other and have connectivity between each building. In international terms Microsoft Redmond Complex and the Googleplex come to mind as prime examples.

I am not saying that these companies use Cisco kit or employ this enterprise wide architecture (DD might being a Cisco Gold Partner but would probably use the ECNM), I am using their campuses as examples to illustrate the definition.

Overview

Cisco provides the enterprise-wide architecture which supports integration of the entire enterprise network (campus, data centre, WAN, branches, and teleworkers). This helps enterprises protect data and information securely and grow infrastructure and offerings by allowing employees, partners, suppliers, and customers secure, any time and anywhere access to tools, resources and services when needed as they need it.

Campus

Cisco Enterprise Campus Architecture empowers employees with advanced services (end-to-end) by combining core infrastructure (intelligent routing and switching) with tightly integrated productivity-enhancing technologies (IP Communications, Mobility, advanced services). This strategy allows enterprise to increase revenue, productivity, and customer satisfaction.

The design provides for high availability (resilient multilayer design), optimized bandwidth consumption (multicast), and quality of service (QoS) (multicast) while still addressing security challenges like worms, viruses, and other attacks on the network, even at the port level. This is done by a multilayered approach to design and implementation.

The architectural model is standards based thereby extending support on the network for additions like 802.1x and Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP), IP Security (IPSec), Multi protocol Label Switching Virtual Private Networks (MPLS VPN), identity management, and Virtual Local Area Networks (VLANs).

Data Centre

The Cisco Enterprise Data Centre Architecture supports the need for operational efficiency, optimization of utilization while enabling innovative service-orientated architectures, virtualization, and on-demand computing that is found within enterprise. This architecture model allows the data centre to scale without large or wholesale infrastructural change.

Branch

The Cisco enterprise Branch Architecture grants enterprise/corporate headquarters (HQ) the ability to extend applications and services (security, IP Communication, ERP, etc) to numerous (1 or 100s) of remote locations. The Cisco Empowered Branch solutions set makes use of the Integrated Services Routers (ISR) product range that includes single device integrated security, network analysis, caching, switching, converged voice and video.*

*With every benefit comes setbacks and in this case combining multiple solutions into a single chassis either fixed or modular comes single point of failure.

Teleworker

The Cisco enterprise Teleworker Architecture allows enterprise to deliver secure any time access to remote small or home office employees over standard broadband access services (ADSL, Wireless DSL, and at a stretch HSDPA & EDGE cellular technologies). This provides business with real time constant uptime allowing access to information when needed by employees ( i.e. resiliency) while allowing for a flexible work environment. Through the use of the integrated security within the ISR platform (800 Series) corporate (i.e. campus) security policies are extended to the network edge while enabling converged network services and applications (i.e. IP Telephony*, ERP solutions, etc) reach into employees homes and small offices.

*Check latency and lag issues of Wireless solutions before trying voice on them. Classic case of try before you buy, and try for a while before mind you if it works today doesn’t mean it will work at the end and beginning of the month.

WAN and MAN

The Cisco WAN and MAN Architecture allows for the convergence of voice, video and data service over a single IP network.

Resources:

Enterprise Architecture

Have a look at Aragoen Celtdra website on this topic (its for the BSCI but still applies).

Notes and Notices:

This is a part of my personal BCMSN notes and research to assist myself in learning and understanding the concepts and theory for the BCMSN exam. I learn by making notes reading and writing things down and wish to file them where I can’t lose them. These notes are not to be seen, judged or mistaken for replacements to Cisco recognized and authorized training which I personally support and attend and suggest you undertake if you are going for the BCMSN Certification.