Data center network engineering
What makes a data center network reliable? Tested redundancy, clear segmentation and controlled changes. Our data center network engineering covers multi-carrier BGP, a modern fabric and current documentation, so a mistake does not turn into an outage.
- Spine and leaf
- Multi-carrier BGP
- Segmentation
- Change control
of end-to-end IT service outages are caused by networking and connectivity issues.
Source: Uptime Institute, via Network Worldof impactful data center outages have a network cause.
Source: Uptime Institute, via Network Worldrise in outages caused by staff not following procedures.
Source: Uptime Institute, via Network WorldProblems we solve in data center networks
In a data center, most network incidents come from changes, from redundancy that was never tested or from incomplete visibility. That is why our data center network engineering starts on those three fronts.
Symptom
Changes that end in outages
A configuration error during a maintenance window hits several tenants at once.
How we fix itWe define procedures, change review and rollback plans.
Engineering and architectureSymptom
Redundancy that only exists on the diagram
The hardware is doubled, but failover was never tested with real traffic.
How we fix itWe design and test redundancy end to end.
Design and implementationSymptom
BGP with multiple carriers and tenants
Weak filters, over or under filtered routes, and traffic leaving where it shouldn't.
How we fix itWe configure BGP with policies, filters and RPKI.
BGP configurationSymptom
Tenants that must stay isolated
Several tenants share infrastructure and separation relies on fragile configurations.
How we fix itWe segment with VRF, VLAN and MPLS.
MPLS configurationSymptom
Little visibility when something fails
Without telemetry or centralized logs, finding the root cause takes hours.
How we fix itWe deploy monitoring, central syslog and alerting.
Monitoring platformsSymptom
Documentation that doesn't match reality
Diagrams are stale and every change adds risk.
How we fix itWe audit the network and document it in detail.
Audit and documentationWhat does a well designed data center network look like?
A spine and leaf fabric gives equal paths between any pair of servers and scales by adding leaves.
- Every leaf connects to every spine: if one spine fails, traffic keeps flowing through the rest.
- VRF segmentation keeps each tenant isolated even on shared hardware.
- An out of band management network lets you reach devices even during an outage.
Data center network engineering services
Each service has its own page with the process, benefits and frequently asked questions.
Signs your data center network needs a review
- Failover has never been tested with real traffic.
- Changes go in without review or a rollback plan.
- One mistake affects several tenants at once.
- Finding the cause of a failure takes hours.
- Diagrams do not match the current configuration.
- Internet access depends on a single carrier.
How do we work with you?
Diagnosis
We listen to the problem and review the network through secure access.
Plan
You get findings, priorities and a clear proposal.
Execution
We apply changes in stages, with a window and a rollback plan.
Follow through
We document, train your team and stay available.
Data center network engineering: frequently asked questions
What is a spine and leaf architecture?
A two layer design where every leaf switch connects to every spine. It delivers predictable latency, equal paths and growth by adding leaves.
How do you prevent outages caused by configuration errors?
With change procedures, peer review, templates, automatic backups and a tested rollback plan for every window.
How do you test failover without risking tenants?
With a staged plan in a maintenance window, starting with the least critical paths and live monitoring during each test.
What are EVPN and VXLAN and when do they make sense?
They extend layer 2 networks over a routed fabric. They make sense with many tenants or workloads that move between racks.
How are tenants segmented in a data center?
With VRFs to separate routing tables, VLAN or VXLAN to separate domains, and security policies between segments.
How do you configure BGP with multiple carriers?
With your own ASN, inbound and outbound filters, RPKI validation and policies that define where traffic enters and leaves.
What should you monitor in a data center network?
Availability, interface errors, latency, BGP sessions, link utilization and configuration changes, with threshold alerts.
What should network documentation include?
Physical and logical diagrams, addressing, configurations, operating procedures and a change log.
Do you work with Arista, Juniper and Cisco?
Yes. We work with several vendors in the same network and design around standard protocols.
Can you work overnight windows?
Yes. We coordinate windows with your team and work during the hours that least affect your tenants.
Guides to go deeper
Other industries we serve
Does your data center run on a network nobody wants to touch?
Let's review the architecture and the risks together. We will propose a staged plan.