NEXUS 7000 vs CAT 6500 (CASE STUDY)

[briangrides]

I thought I would reach out to the pro’s.

I am searching for case study(s) or any documentation for that matter. That might show a good business and technological case study for migrating from a 6500 (or other) based data center infrastructure onto a NEXUS 7000 infrastructure.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!!

[RAMAN AZIZIAN]

I am in the process of deploying the Nexus 7000, 5000, and 2000 in our data center to provide a common Enterprise Backend and Backup network infrastructure.

This may not be what your looking for, but just in case:

Here's a few differntior between the 6500 and 7000:

1) Nexus 7000 does not offer any service modules, where as 6500 has various cards (ACE, FWSM, etc)

2) 6500 has a limitation on the 10GE interfaces

3) Also if the Sup card fails on the 7000, traffic can continue to flow.

4) 7000 will also provide virtualization.

5) 5000 has a great 10GE port density (48 ports).

6) 2000 is a great fabric extender for top rack installtion or close to the server/applications.

[briangrides]

Thank you for your respose!!

Question though,

What are you plans for your data center CORE switches?

As you stated is correct about Nexus 7K lacking service modules, are you going to keep a device in the CORE to handle services (ie 6500) there? Or will you move towards utilizing external appliances (ASA) in conjunction with the 7K?? Another option would be to use 6500 for services and extend it off of the 7K in the core. What I call, services on a stick approach.

Your thoughts and any non propriatary documentation is greatly appriciated!!!

[RAMAN AZIZIAN]

The Nexus platform will be utilized strictly to provide a High Performace Network POP access point for  Enterprise Backup and Backend Solution. Our network infrastructure is desiged around a security zone, therefore the Backup/Backend networks will be seperated via an Juniper Firewall.

Toward the Frond End Network (Distribution), we have placed several 6500 (Paired), with Cisco ACE module to provide Load-balancing for the application. Each Front End network has a pair of Juniper Firewalls to protect the data and again to apply the security zone. We have deployed VSS in each of the Front End network segements.

Each firewall pair from the Front End zone has a connection to a pair of  6500 (Core/DMZ Zone) which has connections to INTRANET, Extranet, and Internet/peering partners.

Hope this answered some of your questions.

[briangrides]

This does help I appreciate it very much..

Brian.D.Graham@cbp.dhs.gov

[RAMAN AZIZIAN]

Glad I was able to help out Brian.

Have a great holiday and Happy New Year. Sounds like you got some exciting stuff coming your way as well.

Best Regards,

Raman Azizian

Enterprise Network Services