Seeking Expert Guidance for Upgrading Our Cisco Access Switch to C9200

[richard101]

We’re excited about upgrading our reliable Cisco WS-C3560G-48PS switch, and we’re exploring options like the C9200L or C9300L. Could you help us find the best fit based on our needs and budget?

Here’s what we’re looking for:

• Port Configuration: 48 PoE ports, each supporting 1Gb speeds, to ensure seamless connectivity and power for our network devices.
• Uplink Capacity: Multigigabit fiber uplinks that support both 1Gb and 10Gb SFP transceivers, with backward compatibility for flexibility.
• Stackability: Stacking support would be ideal for scalable network expansion.

For now, we’re looking to purchase two access switches, with a focus on the most affordable option that aligns with the C9200L and C9300L models.

Your expert recommendations would be invaluable in helping us make the right choice within our budget. We’d be extremely grateful for any guidance you can provide!

Thank you so much for your insights!

[MHM Cisco World]

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/switches/switch-selector.html

MHM

[DanielP211]

Hello!

It all depends on your needs for functions... Both of the switches you listed 9200L & 9300L fit all of your needs, so it comes down to money and features.

C9200L will be cheaper, but C9300L offers more - like higher stacking bandwith, bigger routing table, more RAM, more flash... 

BR

[Aref Alsouqi]

9200 and 9300 L series has some limitations compared to the normal ones. For instance 9200L would not support full PoE, also the L series has less through and has lower performance compared to the normal ones. I personally would recommend the 9200 unless you need more throughput and higher performance compared to what the 9200 offers. Check out these two links please for more info:

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/collateral/switches/catalyst-9200-series-switches/nb-06-cat9200-ser-data-sheet-cte-en.html

Cisco 9200 vs 9300: Unveiling Battle of Networking Powerhouses

[Joseph W. Doherty]

If budget is a huge consideration, and if you've been happy with your 3560G, running base IP, and without any other considerations beyond being an (user?) access edge, possibly you should look into the various Catalyst 1x00 series switches.

Possibly, an even lower cost option would be one of Cisco's SMB CBS series switches.

I retired some years back and have no direct experience with the above or 9k switches either.   I've read, on these forums, some don't have high regard for the CBS series, but perhaps that's only/mostly true for a sizable enterprise environment.

No doubt any 9k is likely to work as a great replacement for your 3560G switches, but possibly you only need "good enough" at a "reasonable" cost.  (Don't overlook on-going maintenance costs, too.)