Hardware Specs
Figure 1: The physical lab hardware assembled during build-out.
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 bridged 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 GL-MT3000 |
| Role | Upstream ISP connectivity, NAT/DHCP for the lab |
Core Switch — Catalyst 3560-CX
Section titled “Core Switch — Catalyst 3560-CX”The Cisco Catalyst 3560-CX was used to practice Layer 3 switching: SVIs, inter-VLAN routing, and aggregation. Its fanless design was a key reason for choosing it — a silent lab is much more comfortable.
| 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 |
Access Switch — Catalyst 2960
Section titled “Access Switch — Catalyst 2960”The Cisco Catalyst 2960-8TC-L was used to practice Layer 2 concepts: VLANs, trunking, and STP. Its FastEthernet ports were not used to connect end devices — it made no sense for that in this lab; it was purely a practice tool. Like the core, it is fanless, keeping the lab silent.
| 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 |
See Network Topology for cabling and IP design.