Which topology/structure is proposed for the hotel?

Star/hierarchical with a core L3 switch and access switches

Why use VLANs such as a separate guest Wi-Fi VLAN?

To separate guest traffic from hotel systems for security

To make guests part of the server network

To remove the need for a firewall

What is the benefit of PoE access switches?

Reduced cabling because APs, phones and cameras get power through the data cable

Which provides high availability in the design?

Two ISPs and UPS/generator backup

2072 Kartik · 8 marks

Network design for 3-star hotel

Short answer

Use a star topology with a core L3 switch, PoE access switches, dual-band 802.11ac/ax APs, dual ISP firewall, and servers for PMS/DHCP. VLANs separate guest, staff, and system traffic for security and easy management.

You are assigned to design a network infrastructure for a 3-star hotel. Recommend a network solution with hardware and software in current trend that can be used in the hotel. Make necessary assumptions and justify your recommendation with logical arguments where possible.

Assumptions

3-star hotel with 5 floors, 60 guest rooms, lobby, restaurant, conference hall, front desk, kitchen, and back office.
About 150 simultaneous guest devices, 30 staff computers, IP cameras, a POS system and IP phones.
100 Mbps leased fibre Internet connection from an ISP, with a backup 4G/second ISP link.

Proposed design (star/hierarchical topology)

   Internet (ISP1 + ISP2)
            |
      [Firewall/Router]
            |
     [Core L3 Switch]----[Servers]
       /     |      \
 [Access  [Access  [Access
  Sw F1-2] Sw F3-4] Sw F5/Hall]
     |        |        |
  Wi-Fi APs, IP phones, PCs, cameras

Hardware

Firewall/router with NAT, VPN, and load balancing for two ISPs.
1 core layer-3 switch (gigabit, VLAN, routing) and 4 to 5 PoE access switches (24 port) using Cat6 UTP in rooms and fibre between floors (backbone).
20 to 30 dual-band 802.11ac/ax Wi-Fi access points managed by a central WLAN controller.
Servers for property management system (PMS), billing, DHCP/DNS, file/backup and CCTV storage (NVR).
UPS and generator backup, structured cabling and rack.

Software and services

Property management and booking software; POS in restaurant; IP-PBX for VoIP phones; hotspot with captive portal and login voucher.
Network management, antivirus, firewall rules, and automatic backup.

VLAN plan

VLAN	Users
10	Guest Wi-Fi (internet only, bandwidth limited)
20	Staff and back office
30	PMS/POS servers
40	CCTV and IoT
50	VoIP phones

Justification

VLANs separate guest traffic from hotel systems, giving security.
PoE reduces cabling for APs, phones and cameras.
Two ISPs and UPS give high availability, which is essential for a hotel.
Gigabit access and fibre backbone allow future growth (smart rooms, IPTV).
Central controller and captive portal make Wi-Fi easy to manage and secure.

✓ Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort)

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