01 / Capability · Data & IT Infrastructure

High-Speed Data Networks

High-speed switching and routing, from the floor closet to the core, sized to real application load.

10G / 25G / 40G LAN, WAN and datacentre fabrics — sized for what the building actually does.

Network switching and patching in a building equipment room

02 / The foundation

A high-speed data network is not defined by the number on the switch port — it is defined by how the applications on it behave. Switching, routing, segmentation and Quality of Service decisions all follow from what the network actually has to carry.

Zentrum designs enterprise networks around real applications, on cabling and equipment environments planned to support them.

Part of Data & IT Infrastructure.

03 / System anatomy

How the infrastructure is put together.

Equipment-room locations, riser sizes, uplink counts and the switching architecture that lives on top of them are much easier to resolve at design stage than after occupancy. Getting the network right at the start is what allows every other technology system to behave.

  1. 01 /

    External connectivity

    Carrier entry, demarcation and the space reserved for it while the building is still on paper.

  2. 02 /

    Main equipment environment

    Core switching and main distribution, with power, cooling and access planned around maintainability.

    • Core switching
    • Power
    • Cooling
  3. 03 /

    Fibre backbone

    Riser and inter-building fibre with counts and grades sized for a later refresh, not only for day one.

  4. 04 /

    Distribution

    Floor or zone cabinets holding patching, PoE switching and the labelling that keeps the plant legible.

    • Patch fields
    • PoE switching
  5. 05 /

    Network services

    Segmentation, addressing and capacity separating guest, staff, building-system and management traffic.

    • Segments
    • Capacity
    • Management
  6. 06 /

    Endpoints

    Access points, workstations, cameras, readers, displays and control devices sharing one plant.

    • Wi-Fi
    • Security
    • AV
    • Controls

Outcome /

One backbone every other system can depend on.

Documented, labelled and tested, so future work extends the infrastructure instead of duplicating it.

Conceptual network backbone diagram: external connectivity enters a main equipment environment, a fibre backbone reaches distribution cabinets, network services segment the traffic, and endpoints across Wi-Fi, security, audio visual and controls share the same infrastructure.

04 / Design principles

What we hold the installation to.

  • Access switching

    Access-layer switches sized for the ports, PoE budget and applications on each floor.

  • Aggregation and core

    Aggregation and core switching architected for capacity and resilience.

  • Routing

    Routing between subnets, sites and internet edges designed against the traffic pattern.

  • Segmentation and VLANs

    VLAN and segmentation strategy that reflects how the organisation operates.

  • Monitoring and management

    Management, monitoring and reporting the network team can operate.

01 /

Hybrid work, video-conferencing and SaaS-heavy traffic patterns

02 /

Compliance and tenant separation in shared offices

03 /

Scalable design for growth without re-architecture

05 / Applications

Capacity that stays ahead of the building.

Workplaces and headquarters

Offices where the systems are judged on how little attention they need day to day.

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Also delivered in: Corporate offices and headquarters · Mixed-use developments · Hospitality · Education · Healthcare.

06 / Coordination and delivery

How the package runs.

  1. 01 /Understand which applications the network has to carry and how.
  2. 02 /Design switching, routing and segmentation against that.
  3. 03 /Coordinate uplinks, cabling and equipment rooms with the wider infrastructure.
  4. 04 /Install, configure, integrate and validate under representative load.
  5. 05 /Hand over management, monitoring and documentation.
  • 01Core and distribution switching with QoS and segmentation
  • 02SD-WAN, MPLS and ISP-diverse routing where required
  • 03Firewall, VPN and zero-trust access architecture
  • 04Capacity planning against hybrid work, SaaS and video traffic
Turnkey delivery →Assessment and support for existing systems →

07 / Related systems

What connects to this.

Data & IT Infrastructure
The switching architecture rides the structured cabling plant.
Seamless Wi-Fi Networking
Wired backhaul and PoE budget are part of the wireless design.
Electronic Security
Cameras, controllers and servers share the network with the rest of the stack.
Connected Communication
IP telephony and intercom depend on segmentation and Quality of Service.

Technology ecosystem /

Cisco logoDell logo

Next step /

Send us the drawings.

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