What is the ideal SOHO network setup?

[zachoooo]

I'm curious. Let's say you wanted to have a SOHO network running a NAS, and a couple servers for your businesses website and databases. You also want to have a couple workstation desktops and wireless laptops and smart phones. What would be the best setup for maximum security, reliability, transfer speeds, and latency?

[dzonidev]

Honestly first thing I would do is separate the server network from the home/office network.

Server side:
Now days you want to be efficient, so instead of getting 5 servers, I would get one bigger server and setup virtualization on it on which I would deploy a few machines including one to serve as a firewall. In that case I would use a Gigabit Managed Switch to link the VM server and the router that connects to the ISP. Even that is not needed, because I would be able to setup a Cisco VSS. Optimally there would be two internet links, one for the home/office and one for the server side.

 

Home/office:

On the home side it's a little different. First thing's first a hardware firewall, providing that you use a router and not a modem to connect to the internet. A gigabit switch behind the firewall, in my case a 24 port (preferably managed because of port teaming) one would be more than enough. Category 6 cabling round the house, F/UTP. NAS, I prefer a custom setup rather than getting a all-in-one solution.

The NAS server would be WHS11 (for various reasons), Intel Quad NIC (because those rock), and 6, 2TB drives. Something like WD Red or Green or even Purple.

WiFi, several access points around the house, most likely wireless n/ac. Protection, WPA2-Enterprise, setup a RADIUS server, or even better I could setup a ADDS and allow usage of domain credentials.

 

Reasoning, Quad NIC I would want to setup NIC teaming because we want redundancy and increased performance. Utilizing those 4 ports would result in 4Gbps throughput. Windows Home Server 2011 proved to be a good deal for me, because it allows seamless integration with backups for all your windows PCs, has a number of integrations with 3rd party apps, such as Serviio, Lights Out, also has kind of drive management because of which I don't need to use RAID.

 

Devices I would buy:

 

Home:
- Router (we don't want to use the ISP's one): Cisco RV320
- Switch: Cisco SG200-26
- Access Points: ZyXEL NWA1123-AC

- NAS or Home Server - i3, 8GB RAM, 4x3TB HDD, Intel Quad NIC, Rack Mount Case
- Server Rack (Optional but with the gear in hand, should be considered)

 

Server: Xeon E5-2620, Intel Quad NIC, 32GB ECC RAM, 6x1TB HDD + 2x256GB SSD for caching, Rack Mount Case.

 

Software licences not accounted for.

[zachoooo]

Honestly first thing I would do is separate the server network from the home/office network.

Server side:

Now days you want to be efficient, so instead of getting 5 servers, I would get one bigger server and setup virtualization on it on which I would deploy a few machines including one to serve as a firewall. In that case I would use a Gigabit Managed Switch to link the VM server and the router that connects to the ISP. Even that is not needed, because I would be able to setup a Cisco VSS. Optimally there would be two internet links, one for the home/office and one for the server side.

 

Home/office:

On the home side it's a little different. First thing's first a hardware firewall, providing that you use a router and not a modem to connect to the internet. A gigabit switch behind the firewall, in my case a 24 port (preferably managed because of port teaming) one would be more than enough. Category 6 cabling round the house, F/UTP. NAS, I prefer a custom setup rather than getting a all-in-one solution.

The NAS server would be WHS11 (for various reasons), Intel Quad NIC (because those rock), and 6, 2TB drives. Something like WD Red or Green or even Purple.

WiFi, several access points around the house, most likely wireless n/ac. Protection, WPA2-Enterprise, setup a RADIUS server, or even better I could setup a ADDS and allow usage of domain credentials.

 

Reasoning, Quad NIC I would want to setup NIC teaming because we want redundancy and increased performance. Utilizing those 4 ports would result in 4Gbps throughput. Windows Home Server 2011 proved to be a good deal for me, because it allows seamless integration with backups for all your windows PCs, has a number of integrations with 3rd party apps, such as Serviio, Lights Out, also has kind of drive management because of which I don't need to use RAID.

 

Devices I would buy:

 

Home:

- Router (we don't want to use the ISP's one): Cisco RV320

- Switch: Cisco SG200-26

- Access Points: ZyXEL NWA1123-AC

- NAS or Home Server - i3, 8GB RAM, 4x3TB HDD, Intel Quad NIC, Rack Mount Case

- Server Rack (Optional but with the gear in hand, should be considered)

 

Server: Xeon E5-2620, Intel Quad NIC, 32GB ECC RAM, 6x1TB HDD + 2x256GB SSD for caching, Rack Mount Case.

 

Software licences not accounted for.

Thanks for the really in-depth answer