Need some LAN switching advice

[ATLien247]

I have two 24-port Cisco Catalyst 2950s. I need more ports, eight right now, possibly more in the future.

Let's pretend I have an unlimited budget (yeah, right). Also, I would like to eventually make the jump to GigE and VoIP, but that is far down the road.

Should I just add another 24-port switch, like a 2960? Some other combination of higher-end switches? Modular?

 

[nweaver]

2950's are old (but can be ebayed cheap). I would start moving to stackable 3750's. Very very very nice switches.

 

[ATLien247]

Originally posted by: nweaver
2950's are old (but can be ebayed cheap). I would start moving to stackable 3750's. Very very very nice switches.

Any particular configuration?

 

[jlazzaro]

+1 on 3750's..."nice" is an understatement if you're trying to save a few bucks and dont require the stacking features, look into 3560's instead. since you mention VoIP and GigE, keep in mind while 2960's will provide 10/100/1000, they have no PoE support.

on a side note, i just did an install with some 3750E's w/ a 10Gig XENPAK...cool stuff.

 

[Diaonic]

The last ones I deployed were the 3550 series
Very nice hardware

 

[nweaver]

Originally posted by: jlazzaro
+1 on 3750's..."nice" is an understatement if you're trying to save a few bucks and dont require the stacking features, look into 3560's instead. since you mention VoIP and GigE, keep in mind while 2960's will provide 10/100/1000, they have no PoE support.

on a side note, i just did an install with some 3750E's w/ a 10Gig XENPAK...cool stuff.

eh....I'm confused. I haven't seen 10gig on any 3750's, you had to go to the 3650 (at least I thought it was that) and they provided 2 10gig ports. We just ordered one, and I was wondering if it was going to stack with our 3750's.

 

[spidey07]

3750s have 10 gig now.

Although I love the 3750s and it's all I ever deploy, they can get real pricey if you start wanting triplespeed access ports (10/100/1000). I think around 10 grand.

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/pro...models_comparison.html

 

[p0lar]

Originally posted by: nweaver
eh....I'm confused. I haven't seen 10gig on any 3750's, you had to go to the 3650 (at least I thought it was that) and they provided 2 10gig ports. We just ordered one, and I was wondering if it was going to stack with our 3750's.

The 3750E accomodates them, yes.

To the OP, an inexpensive topology with the C2950s you mention, if you wish to maintain a homogenous C2950 network, would be to up link each switch to each other and run a proper spanning tree configuration. If you have the C2950G model, you can uplink on the GBIC interfaces and the worst case scenario finds you with redundancy of uplinks and a minimum number of interfaces consumed in the process.

i.e.
SwitchA int gi0/1 -> SwitchB int Gi0/1
SwitchA int gi0/2 -> SwitchC int Gi0/1
SwitchB int gi0/2 -> SwitchC int Gi0/2

I would be hard-pressed to be convinced to uplink on anything other than gigabit, however, so C2950G units would be required. They have additional features that are nice anyway, and are quite budget conscious, though only mildly moreso than the C3550G which has vastly more capable functionality, including basic L3 [dynamic] routing. The 3750E is indeed a fantastic switch/router, but will press your budget compared to those I mentioned. It's easy to make that recommendation from a professional perspective, but not so easy when flipping that burger in front of the bean counters.

 

[spidey07]

If you want an expensive switch...

WS-C3750E-48PD-EF
Catalyst 3750E 48 10/100/1000 PoE+2*10GE(X2),1150W,IPS s/w
USD 29,990.00

 

[Diaonic]

Originally posted by: spidey07
If you want an expensive switch...

WS-C3750E-48PD-EF
Catalyst 3750E 48 10/100/1000 PoE+2*10GE(X2),1150W,IPS s/w
USD 29,990.00

Or you could put a down payment on a house....

 

[ATLien247]

Originally posted by: spidey07
If you want an expensive switch...

WS-C3750E-48PD-EF
Catalyst 3750E 48 10/100/1000 PoE+2*10GE(X2),1150W,IPS s/w
USD 29,990.00

Or ~$18.6K with my discount. Still, it'd leave me eight ports short.

Which leads to the question: 3x24 or 1x48+1x24?

 

[spidey07]

1x48, 1x24.

Always better to have as few interconnects as possible.

 

[p0lar]

Originally posted by: spidey07
1x48, 1x24.

Always better to have as few interconnects as possible.

9 times out of 10, I'm going to give the same answer. The other time, I'm going to ask for a topology and probably give the same answer anyway.

 

[p0lar]

OP: Sorry about my budget-conscious advice. Without respect to budget, the 3750Es are positively fantastic units. I actually did an eBGP/iBGP setup between a pair of 3750s today, and though only taking a default route on both ends, they are still such well-supported and predictable devices. Only the 3750-Metro has a higher mark in my book in that particular class of switch.

 

[InlineFive]

Have you considered upgrading to HP 3500yl switchs instead? Although I haven't had any experience with the Cisco 3750s or the HP 3500yls the HP solution looks like it offers most (if not all) of the functionality at a much more reasonable price. Especially once you delve into 10/100/1000 and PoE.

 

[p0lar]

Originally posted by: InlineFive
Have you considered upgrading to HP 3500yl switchs instead? Although I haven't had any experience with the Cisco 3750s or the HP 3500yls the HP solution looks like it offers most (if not all) of the functionality at a much more reasonable price. Especially once you delve into 10/100/1000 and PoE.

Sorry, but a quick glance at the specs shows that the HP in question is an apples-to-oranges comparison to a Cisco 3750. Compare and contrast the featuresets advertised for this switch with that of the NetGear FSM I ranted on not long ago -- almost identical. Take into consideration the lack of standardized configuration interface, inferior documentation and infamous HP support and your support costs will balloon to the cost of the 3750 rapidly.

Caveat emptor.

I'm really trying not to poo-poo the recommendation because it's notable that HP has re-engineered itself in the SMB switching market, but the two switches just aren't in the same league.

 

[nweaver]

Originally posted by: spidey07
3750s have 10 gig now.

Although I love the 3750s and it's all I ever deploy, they can get real pricey if you start wanting triplespeed access ports (10/100/1000). I think around 10 grand.

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/pro...models_comparison.html

damnit. my 3650 is about to arrive. We did that instead of sticking with the 3750's because we needed some 10 gig stuff in the lab. GRRRR

 

[Cooky]

Just so you guys know, 3560 and 3750 have exactly the same specs, except the ability to stack.
So if you need to stack, get a 3750, otherwise you're just pissing your money away.

Now, back to OP's question, I'd get a modular switch, like a 4500. It's so much easier to manage...w/o having to worry as much about the redundant links / STP among switches, when you need to upgrade image, you only need to do it once, etc.

 

[skyking]

I was going to suggest something like this....
But I'd get booed/laughed out of this Cisco circle-jerk
Seriously, I got one of those a month ago for our office. I took the old 24 port out to the old building and linked it up with fiber.

 

[nweaver]

The dells aren't bad, but the lack the features, reliability, and support of Cisco.

I didn't realize the 3650 wasn't stackable, I was hoping to stack them with our 3750's for a bit more density and multiple 10Gig ports (eventually)

 

[jlazzaro]

Originally posted by: nweaver
I didn't realize the 3650 wasn't stackable, I was hoping to stack them with our 3750's for a bit more density and multiple 10Gig ports (eventually)

not only do they lack StackWise support, but GigaStack as well. how is it the 3550's do but these dont?

according to cisco...
Instead, a cluster of any combination of these platforms can be managed over a single IP address using the Cisco Network Assistant software.

lol...

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: jlazzaro

Originally posted by: nweaver
I didn't realize the 3650 wasn't stackable, I was hoping to stack them with our 3750's for a bit more density and multiple 10Gig ports (eventually)

not only do they lack StackWise support, but GigaStack as well. how is it the 3550's do but these dont?

according to cisco...
Instead, a cluster of any combination of these platforms can be managed over a single IP address using the Cisco Network Assistant software.

lol...

Stackwise is a GODSEND!!!!

The reason why cisco came out with the 3750-e series is because.....well I can't say. But they were getting slammed on their datacenter offering and the changes occuring.

LOL at cisco network assistant. "here! you can manage 100 servers with a single web interface!"

*actual reachability by what you're doing will be compromised, good luck! But hey! You wanted a web interface, so here ya go!

If you believe that, you'll believe anything.

 

[p0lar]

Originally posted by: nweaver
The dells aren't bad, but the lack the features, reliability, and support of Cisco.

They also had a REAL bad spat of bad firmware several years ago right when they kicked off their gigabit lines. I was the recipient of such a few devices -- support was horrible, NEVER AGAIN will I make that mistake.

 

[p0lar]

Originally posted by: spidey07
*actual reachability by what you're doing will be compromised, good luck! But hey! You wanted a web interface, so here ya go!

If you believe that, you'll believe anything.

Call me old fashioned, but...

CLI 'TILL I DIE

 

[cmetz]

skyking, the 27xx series switches suck. If you haven't had problems with yours yet, you're lucky.

The Dell 33xx series switches are pretty good, the 34xx switches are okay. I wouldn't buy a L3 switch from Dell, though, at that point you really do want to buy from one of the big boys. L2-only switches aren't rocket science (though the cheap folks still screw up some), but L3 switches require a lot more software clue.