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Need basic VoIP help - Network Configuration

I oversee a network of about 350 network devices, all on a single subnet (172.16.x.x/255.255.252.0). We currently use an ANCIENT Nortel Norstar telephone system and are looking at upgrading very soon. We will need about 150 phones immediately with the option to grow to double that if needed. Obviously, I don't want to add 150-300 more devices onto the same subnet for bandwidth reasons. How do most people go about configuring their VoIP networks? We were looking at a ShoreTel system if it makes any difference.....Could I just have the ShoreTel system hand out DHCP info on a completely different subnet, like 10.0.0.x/255.255.255.0? Is there any need to have the two subnets even talk to each other? Also, is there anything that needs to be done on our Firewall to allow incoming and outgoing calls If the Shoretl server is in house? Thanks in advance.

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PortableTech

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jfaubiontx

One thing you haven't mentioned is replacing the wiring for that ancient system. The Norstar would have used Cat 3 wiring. Many folks like to replace the system with VoIP to take advantage of using the network wiring for both phones and data.

If you have the wiring in place then I would certainly recommend separating the networks as managing that many phones will be easier.

tenover

ASKER

The wiring is all Cat5. Good thinking though. So i could have the phone network completely separate from our computer network? There's no need for them to talk to each other at all?

PortableTech

As long as the phone system can talk to the voip server, it has no need to be able to talk to the rest of the network be that by vlan separation or physical separation.

jfaubiontx

Nope we have several customers with a GigE network for their computers and a separate 10M or 100M network for the phones. No need to spend the extra money on fast switches that are not needed for the phones however we typically provide a GigE port to the telephone server. In your case with 150 phones this means more dollars for switching also. Welcome to the world of compromise. Separate the networks and you increase the cost of the network. Combine the network, and you may slow the computer network.

tenover

ASKER

Awesome, thanks. I think I would just pay a bit extra to keep things physically separated. What if down the road we want to integrate with Outlook or something similar? Then what, just stick a router between the two?

jfaubiontx

Yep just a way to route packets to the email server.