Stacking GBICS vs. SX-GBICs in 3524 stacks...

kenjohnson · ‎06-25-2002

I've been (perhaps stupidly :-) using stacking GBICs on my VoIP 3524-PWR-XL stacks (typically three 3524's with a single GIG uplink to a 4006).

per conversations elswhere - I had never really thought about putting a standard SX GBIC in there to remove the duplexing problem as well as the problem I heard rumors about with 3-switch stacks causing problems in AVVID VoIP environments like mine (is this tru BTW?)

ANyway - my question is - if money is no object - is there any orther disadavantage other than the obvious loss of both GBIC ports in all but the top and bottom switch to going and pulling out the Stacking GBICs from these stacks and replacing with SX GBICs with SC fiber patch cords? It seems like the smart move - does that prevent the switches from logically behaivng as a stack automatically the way they do with the Stacking GBIC? If so - is this any good reason not to make the change?

Any advice appreciated - Thanks!

P.S> - anyone know what the theoretical utiltization of the uplinks from a 3524 would be if all 24 lines picked up and carried on conversations to phones off the switch? (G711) My math is failing me but it seems like it'd be reaonsbaly up there...

- Ken

gary.shaw · ‎06-25-2002

Stacking 3 * 3524-PWR-XL for AVVID is a big no-no. Cisco wont guarantee QoS in that configuration, the max you should stack is two.

You have a few options you could indeed use the standard fibre gbics up to the core/distribution or... if you've got more than three and want to save on fibres back to the core, you could fibre them into a 3508 (star configuration) which could then link up to the core (or use two 3508's for redundancy)