WAN Planning

I just started a new job as the sole network admin for a small ASP. Their
users are saturating a full T-1 pretty regularly, and the WAN link is
handled by a single Cisco 1700 series router. I'm trying to pull together a
recommendation for a second T-1 and router with failover capability, so if
one line drops we don't lose all the connections. Anyone have recent
experiences, hardware recommendations, or other thoughts to share on this
scenario? I'm a little overwhelmed with "new" stuff to learn and want to
make sure I'm considering all the required variables here. Any help would be
appreciated as to the planning process invovled.

Get both T1's from the same provider. Most routers either have two Serial
Ports or are "modular" and you simply add another module for the second
port. then both T1 go into the same router. Your 1700 router and the ISP
router on the other end are configured to work together to implement the two
lines as required. This obviously means that this is a "coopertive" project
between you and the ISP,...it also means that you can leverage their
expertiese when there are problems (which is good) because they are equally
involved. It also means that they can/will help to properly configure your
Cisco 1700.

My Cisco 1700 has the first Serial port built in (Serial 0) and the second
one (Serial 1) is in the add-on module.

--

Phillip Windell [MCP, MVP, CCNA]
www.wandtv.com


"Paul Wright" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> I just started a new job as the sole network admin for a small ASP. Their
> users are saturating a full T-1 pretty regularly, and the WAN link is
> handled by a single Cisco 1700 series router. I'm trying to pull together
a
> recommendation for a second T-1 and router with failover capability, so if
> one line drops we don't lose all the connections. Anyone have recent
> experiences, hardware recommendations, or other thoughts to share on this
> scenario? I'm a little overwhelmed with "new" stuff to learn and want to
> make sure I'm considering all the required variables here. Any help would
be
> appreciated as to the planning process invovled.
>
>

I would use multilink PPP and have the two T1's in a 'bundle'. This way you
can utilize both T1's and if one fails, the bundle is still up and
forwarding traffic across the 'good' T1. You will be required to have both
T1's from the same provider and they need to configure MPPP on their router
too, which some ISP's won't do, but most of the smaller shops will.

"Paul Wright" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> I just started a new job as the sole network admin for a small ASP. Their
> users are saturating a full T-1 pretty regularly, and the WAN link is
> handled by a single Cisco 1700 series router. I'm trying to pull together
a
> recommendation for a second T-1 and router with failover capability, so if
> one line drops we don't lose all the connections. Anyone have recent
> experiences, hardware recommendations, or other thoughts to share on this
> scenario? I'm a little overwhelmed with "new" stuff to learn and want to
> make sure I'm considering all the required variables here. Any help would
be
> appreciated as to the planning process invovled.
>
>

Great minds think alike, eh? ;-)

--

Phillip Windell [MCP, MVP, CCNA]
www.wandtv.com

"Neteng" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:%23WzPMI%(E-Mail Removed)...
> I would use multilink PPP and have the two T1's in a 'bundle'. This way
you
> can utilize both T1's and if one fails, the bundle is still up and
> forwarding traffic across the 'good' T1. You will be required to have both
> T1's from the same provider and they need to configure MPPP on their
router
> too, which some ISP's won't do, but most of the smaller shops will.
>
> "Paul Wright" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> > I just started a new job as the sole network admin for a small ASP.
Their
> > users are saturating a full T-1 pretty regularly, and the WAN link is
> > handled by a single Cisco 1700 series router. I'm trying to pull
together
> a
> > recommendation for a second T-1 and router with failover capability, so
if
> > one line drops we don't lose all the connections. Anyone have recent
> > experiences, hardware recommendations, or other thoughts to share on
this
> > scenario? I'm a little overwhelmed with "new" stuff to learn and want to
> > make sure I'm considering all the required variables here. Any help
would
> be
> > appreciated as to the planning process invovled.
> >
> >
>
>

You may have to upgrade your IOS for that. In addition, I am not sure if a
1700 is going to work like that. Check ciscos website. The previous authors
do have great minds though.
--
dave love
Director of IT
mcse, ccnp


"Phillip Windell" wrote:

> Great minds think alike, eh? ;-)
>
> --
>
> Phillip Windell [MCP, MVP, CCNA]
> www.wandtv.com
>
> "Neteng" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:%23WzPMI%(E-Mail Removed)...
> > I would use multilink PPP and have the two T1's in a 'bundle'. This way
> you
> > can utilize both T1's and if one fails, the bundle is still up and
> > forwarding traffic across the 'good' T1. You will be required to have both
> > T1's from the same provider and they need to configure MPPP on their
> router
> > too, which some ISP's won't do, but most of the smaller shops will.
> >
> > "Paul Wright" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> > news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> > > I just started a new job as the sole network admin for a small ASP.
> Their
> > > users are saturating a full T-1 pretty regularly, and the WAN link is
> > > handled by a single Cisco 1700 series router. I'm trying to pull
> together
> > a
> > > recommendation for a second T-1 and router with failover capability, so
> if
> > > one line drops we don't lose all the connections. Anyone have recent
> > > experiences, hardware recommendations, or other thoughts to share on
> this
> > > scenario? I'm a little overwhelmed with "new" stuff to learn and want to
> > > make sure I'm considering all the required variables here. Any help
> would
> > be
> > > appreciated as to the planning process invovled.
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>
>

The 1700 does have some limitations. It can not do "trunking" with VLANs
using the "Router on a Stick" topology so it requires a physical port for
each VLAN segment. But it should handle the two T1s and work with them
without problems. Even the old 10mbps 2500's could do that.


--

Phillip Windell [MCP, MVP, CCNA]
www.wandtv.com


"xlove" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:93053ED5-49F3-41D8-A796-(E-Mail Removed)...
> You may have to upgrade your IOS for that. In addition, I am not sure if a
> 1700 is going to work like that. Check ciscos website. The previous
authors
> do have great minds though.