Hardware Specs
Compute Node
Section titled “Compute Node”| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Model | HP t740 Thin Client |
| CPU | AMD Ryzen Embedded V1756B (4C/8T) |
| RAM | 16 GB DDR4 |
| Storage | 512 GB NVMe |
| Role | Proxmox hypervisor — KVM, LXC, nested EVE-NG |
The HP t740 was selected for performance-per-watt and nested virtualization support. Extra NICs bridge the host to physical switch ports on the Catalyst 3560-CX for hybrid lab testing.
Management Console
Section titled “Management Console”| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Model | MacBook Pro |
| Role | CLI access, Draw.io diagramming, code management |
Edge Gateway
Section titled “Edge Gateway”| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Model | GL.iNet |
| Role | Upstream ISP connectivity, external NAT/DHCP for the lab |
Core Switch — Catalyst 3560-CX
Section titled “Core Switch — Catalyst 3560-CX”The Cisco Catalyst 3560-CX serves as the Core/Distribution layer. As a multilayer switch, it handles all physical inter-VLAN routing and acts as the high-speed backbone.
| Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| Model | Cisco Catalyst 3560-CX Series |
| Form Factor | Compact, Fanless |
| Network Layer | Layer 3 (Multilayer) |
| Port Configuration | 16 total ports (Copper + SFP) |
| Throughput | 32 Gbps |
Planned Port Mapping
Section titled “Planned Port Mapping”- SFP Ports: Reserved for future high-speed fiber uplinks.
- Gigabit Copper: Uplinks to the Catalyst 2960 and the HP t740.
Currently in initial provisioning — primary management switch connecting the Proxmox host to the rest of the infrastructure.
Access Switch — Catalyst 2960
Section titled “Access Switch — Catalyst 2960”The Cisco Catalyst 2960-8TC-L acts as the Access Layer switch, providing Layer 2 connectivity for endpoints and management interfaces.
| Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| Model | Cisco Catalyst 2960-8TC-L |
| Form Factor | Compact / Fixed Configuration |
| Network Layer | Layer 2 |
| Port Configuration | 8 × FastEthernet (10/100) + 1 × Gigabit Dual-purpose |
| Forwarding Bandwidth | 16 Gbps |
Planned Port Mapping
Section titled “Planned Port Mapping”- Gi0/1 (Uplink): Trunk port connecting back to the Catalyst 3560-CX.
- Fa0/1 – Fa0/8: Access-level testing, console management loops, and future lab endpoints.
Advanced configurations (Port-Security, Access VLANs) are in the backlog.
See Network Topology for cabling and IP design.