Communication Needs

What is the best way to design a network that contains a fibre optic backbone, 4 subnets and and net access?

I currently have a fibre optic backbone connected to the internet through a dmz. THere are two hubs on the backbone, each connected to a router. Each router then connects to 2 switches which will eventually make a total of 4 subnets containing computers and printers. Am i using the right network devices here? Ok, i have a DMZ sitting in between the internal network and the internet to provide security. In the DMZ is a web server, email server and a Remote access server with a firewall sitting infront of it keeping unwanted users out from the internet Could i put the two routers onto the backbone, then connect the switches to these routers to create my subnets.(i thiink thats what you were suggesting) Im going to use private ip addressing using dhcp and dns servers. I dont think i will need NAT as the workstations on the network dont need to connect to the internet directly, although they will be connecting to a WAN that contains another site. thanks for your help

Public Comments

1. First, what do you mean by connecting through a DMZ. A DMZ is a "Demilitarized Zone" and it refers to the part of your network that is not protected by a firewall. Also, if you have 2 routers (with or without switches built in?) and 2 switches you can probably get rid of the hubs altogether. Hubs are not good for implementation of networks these days as they are "dumb" networking devices. It sounds like a star topology would suit you well. Bring the fibre backbone in to the strongest router, then route all the data to the appropriate subnet from there. Theres alot more factors that you did not express in your question. What block of IPs are you getting from your ISP? Are you using NAT for the internal addresses? What is the internal addressing scheme? I hope my information helps. -- Update In order for your internal clients to access the internet (if you need them to) you will either have to use NAT, or a proxy server in the DMZ. The layout you suggested would work, if you couple two of the subnets on the same device. The switch will take care of the routing for you. The router is the only one concerned with the subnet masking, really. It will seperate the two broadcast domains from one-another (each broadcast domain containing two subnets). I hope I'm understanding you right :)