Network Coverage Solution for a Five-Story Office Building in Madrid, Spain

Project Background

This project outlines a modern, secure, and high-performance network infrastructure for a five-story office building in Madrid, Spain. The network must support a wide range of business-critical activities, including cloud services, VoIP telephony, video conferencing, and everyday internet access for employees and guests. The solution must be professional, reliable, and scalable to accommodate future growth and technological advancements.

Requirement Identification

1. Structured Cabling & Network Foundation: A robust wired network backbone is required to connect all floors, offices, and meeting rooms, utilizing both fiber optic (for uplinks) and Cat5e/6 (for endpoints) cabling.
2. Secure Internet Gateway: A strong security appliance is needed at the internet perimeter to protect the internal network from external threats and to manage traffic efficiently.
3. High-Density Wi-Fi Coverage: Seamless and secure wireless coverage throughout all five floors, including common areas, to support mobile devices, laptops, and IoT equipment.
4. Power over Ethernet (PoE): The solution must provide PoE to power devices such as VoIP phones, wireless access points, and surveillance cameras, simplifying installation and reducing power outlet requirements.
5. Simplified Management: A centralized management system is desired to configure, monitor, and maintain the entire network infrastructure easily.
6. Scalability: The network design should allow for easy addition of users and devices in the future.

Entirely Networking Solution Design

Topological Diagram

The design is inspired by the concept diagram, which shows a clear per-floor access design with a central aggregation point.

Diagram Explanation:

Internet & Security: The SD-WAN & Firewall appliance connects to the ISP. It provides secure internet access, threat protection, and traffic management for the entire office.

Core Layer: A S5700-24F-8G-4TF switch acts as the network core on the ground floor. Its 24 SFP fiber ports and 8 Gigabit RJ45 ports provide high-speed connectivity to aggregate traffic from all floors and connect to servers or the firewall.

Access Layer: On each of the five floors, a AI1016GC 16-port Gigabit PoE switch is deployed in a wiring closet. These switches: 

• Connect to the core switch via fiber optic uplinks for high-speed backhaul.
• Provide Power over Ethernet (PoE) to end devices like Wi-Fi APs and VoIP phones over Cat5e/6 cabling.
• Connect to wired computers and other non-PoE devices.

Wireless Coverage: Wi-Fi 6 Access Points (e.g., W288AP R2.0), powered by PoE, are strategically mounted on ceilings throughout each floor to provide seamless wireless coverage.

Bill of Quantities (BOQ) – Recommended Foredge Products

Solution Features

1. Professional Structured Design: The hierarchical design (Core -> Access) ensures a scalable, manageable, and high-performance network.
2. Robust Security: The dedicated firewall appliance protects the network perimeter, while VLAN capabilities on managed switches allow for segmenting guest, employee, and IoT traffic.
3. Seamless Wireless Experience: PoE-powered Wi-Fi 6 access points provide fast and reliable coverage across all office spaces, supporting high-density client connections.
4. Power over Ethernet (PoE): Simplifies deployment and reduces costs by delivering both data and power to key devices like phones, cameras, and APs over a single cable.
5. Centralized Cloud Management: The Apollo CMS platform allows for easy setup, monitoring, and troubleshooting of the entire network from a single dashboard, reducing IT overhead.
6. Future-Proof Infrastructure: The use of fiber optic uplinks and a capable core switch provides ample bandwidth for future growth and more demanding applications.

Conclusion

This proposed Foredge solution provides a complete, professional, and secure network infrastructure tailored for a modern five-story office building in Madrid. It successfully integrates wired and wireless connectivity, robust security, and simplified management into a single, cohesive system. The design ensures high reliability, excellent performance for business applications, and the flexibility to scale alongside the company’s future needs, making it a sound and strategic investment.