Objectives

The primary objective of the tender is to procure and implement a network infrastructure upgrade at the University of Johannesburg. This involves the supply, delivery, and support of new high-performance, managed Layer 3 switches (distribution/aggregation and access switches) to enhance the university's campus LAN infrastructure. The goal is to improve network performance, reliability, security, and standards compliance across academic, administrative, and research environments.

Scope

The scope includes:

• Provision of managed Layer 3 switches with specified technical features for distribution/aggregation and access layers.
• Replacement of existing switches to support higher performance and standards compliance.
• Delivery and installation of hardware across multiple campuses.
• Provision of maintenance and support services for a minimum of 3 years, with an option to extend to 5 years.
• Provision of accessories such as SFP/SFP+ modules and stacking cables.
• Provision of technical documentation, network diagrams, and certification of compliance.

Technical Requirements

Distribution/Aggregation Switches

• Managed Layer 3 switches with rack-mountable form factor
• Minimum 24 x 10G SFP+ ports
• At least 2 x 40G QSFP+ ports (or 4 x 25G uplinks)
• Switching capacity > 640 Gbps; forwarding rate > 400 Mpps
• Hardware stacking with minimum 4 units per stack
• Dual hot-swappable power supplies and fans
• Full Layer 3 routing support (OSPF, RIP, static routing)
• Security features including IEEE 802.1X, ACLs, DHCP snooping, DAI
• Management via CLI (SSH, console), SNMP v2c/v3, Web GUI, REST API (optional)
• OpenFlow or equivalent SDN compatibility (optional)
• NetFlow or sFlow support
• Operating temperature 0°C to 45°C
• Compliance with RoHS, CE, FCC Class A standards

Access Switches

• Managed Layer 2/3 switches, rack-mountable, 1U
• Minimum 24 x 10/100/1000Base-T RJ-45 ports
• Minimum 4 x 10G SFP+ uplink ports
• Switching capacity > 128 Gbps; forwarding rate > 95 Mpps
• Hardware stacking with minimum 4 units per stack
• PoE+ support on all copper ports (IEEE 802.3af/at)
• Security features including IEEE 802.1X, ACLs, DHCP snooping, DAI
• Support for VLANs (4094), LLDP, SYSLOG, multicast switching
• Protocols: 802.1Q VLAN tagging, Spanning Tree (per VLAN), QoS (802.1p), LACP (802.3ad), RSTP (802.1w), MSTP (802.1s)
• Management via Web GUI, CLI (SSH, console) with security features
• Minimum 16,000 MAC address entries
• Operating temperature 0°C to 45°C
• Standards compliance similar to distribution switches

Open Standards Compliance

All proposed switches must adhere to open standards including:

• IEEE Ethernet standards (802.3 series)
• IETF RFC routing protocols (OSPF, RIP, static)
• IEEE 802.1Q VLAN tagging and QoS (802.1p)
• IEEE 802.3ad LACP
• IEEE 802.1D, 802.1w, 802.1s spanning tree protocols
• IPv4 and IPv6 dual stack support
• NetFlow or sFlow traffic analysis
• OpenFlow or equivalent SDN compatibility (preferred)

Skills and Certification Requirements

• Manufacturers must provide a valid OEM partner certificate or partner authorization letter.
• Resources involved in deployment must have a minimum of 5 years experience in routing and switching, with relevant certifications such as CCNP or equivalent.
• Technical staff must be able to demonstrate expertise through CVs and certification documentation.
• Proposed solutions should include comprehensive technical documentation and support structures.