Retail Store Design Project

Question: Design a network design project for a retail store. Answer: Stores Multiple store footprints were implemented that address a variety of business objectives. Each store footprint section contains designs that were extracted from the reference architecture. Each design contains the following: Reference architecture Store design Logical topology Addressing plan Components selected Design Guidelines First evaluate application mix in the store, bandwidth requirements, and distances involved For normal check-out functions, utilize 10 Mbps Ethernet For high bandwidth applications, such as multimedia, some kiosk or server applications, utilize switched Ethernet or 100 Mbps Ethernet Multimode fiber if large distances involved (very infrequent) Due to price points and size of store, evaluate 100% switched environment Try to utilize a single location for the hub, router, and any other data networking equipment Look for most cost-effective WAN alternative Router vs Controller or Server Look to a WAN/VAN connection if there are a large number of stores in the chain Enable software distribution - especially if Windows NT or AIX is in the store, or if other I/T equipment is in the store Enable credit authorization from a central site - save $$$ If registers are constantly being moved and only limited bandwidth is required, consider 100% wireless store The medium retail store reference architecture is designed for enterprise retail businesses that require network resilience and increased levels of application availability over the small store architecture and its single-threaded, simple approach. As more mission-critical applications and services converge onto the IP infrastructure, network uptime and application availability are more important. The dual-router and dual-LAN switch design of the medium store supports these requirements. Each of the Cisco ISR routers can run Cisco IOS Software security services and other store communication services simultaneously. Each of the Cisco ISR routers is connected to a dedicated WAN connection. Hot Standby Routing Protocol (HSRP) is used to ensure network resilience in the event that the network connection fails. The access layer of the network offers enhanced levels of flexibility and more access ports compared to the small store. Up to 12 wireless access points can be installed in the store, supported by the Cisco Wireless Control System (WCS) controller as tested and without adding more controllers. The distributed Cisco Catalyst switches can support a combination of larger physical buildings or a larger number of endpoints than the small store. Advantages include the following: More adaptive access layer with support for a greater number of endpoints and more diverse building requirements (multiple floors, sub-areas, and so on) Improved network resilience through parallel device design Improved network and application availability through parallel paths Limitations include the following: No distribution layer between core layer (the ISR) and the access layer switches Single WCS Controller decreases in-store resilience of the wireless network; the recommendation is to have store APs fallback to the central WCS controller if the local WCS controller fails, or to install dual-local WCS controllers. Components Selected Cisco 2951 Integrated Services Router (ISR) Cisco Catalyst 3750X 48-port PoE Switch Cisco Catalyst 2960 Compact Switch Cisco Aironet 3502e and 1262N Access Points Cisco Video Surveillance 2421 IP Dome Camera Cisco Video Surveillance 2500 Series IP Camera Cisco Operations Manager v4.1 Cisco Physical Access Gateway Design considerations are as follows: Centralized solution management supports all aspects of network, security, and systems management; and supports remote access from anywhere on the network. Standardized equipment and software images, deployed in a modular, layered approach, simplify configuration management and increase the systems availability. The highly available data center design permits highly resilient access from stores to core data and storage services. WAN aggregation alternatives allow flexible selection of service provider network offerings. The service aggregation design allows for a modular approach to adding new access layers and managing shared network services (for example, firewall, IPS, application networking, wireless management) Firewall, IPS, and application networking services are available at the service and aggregation layers of the data center. Scalability to accommodate shifting requirements in data center compute and storage requirements. WAN access speeds are typically the limiting factor between the store network systems and the WAN aggregation layer. It is typical for retailers to over-subscribe the WAN circuits between the stores and the WAN edge aggregation router. Over-subscription can cause inconsistent results and packet loss of payment card information in the event that more traffic enters the WAN circuit simultaneously. Backup network connections from store networks to the data center are recommended when payment card information is transported via the WAN. References Lohse, G. L., Spiller, P. (1999). Internet retail store design: How the user interface influences traffic and sales.Journal of Computerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ Mediated Communication,5(2), 0-0. Chopra, S. (2003). Designing the distribution network in a supply chain.Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review,39(2), 123-140.