Cisco 3550

[londint]

I am proposing 2 x 3550-48-EMI for a new branch as the CORE with L3 features to do routing within VLANs created at L2 level. This will be sited on the 1st floor.

What I need to know is what switch can I deploy on the other floors for uplink connection to these 3550 bearing in mind distance and mostly only workstations will be connected at these other floors.

Thank you very much

[lgijssel]

You can consider the 2950 for this purpose. You will only have 100Mb or maybe an etherchannel as your uplink.

A preferrable solution would be to use the 3550-12G and two plain 3548 switches. You can then connect the other floors through Gigabit links using either copper or fiber GBICs. This will be slightly more expensive, but far more performant and extendible.

[londint]

Thanks

As the 3548 is fast becoming an eol, can i use the 2950G-48 and stack them them in and out onto one aonther and eventually to the 3550-48-EMI. How many of such stacks can i have and will all these 2950?? be able to use the L3 function of the 3550-48-EMI to route?

Thanks

[lgijssel · Accepted solution]

Yes! Of course I should have stated to use the 2950 but things are changing so rapid that it is sometimes hard to keep track. The 2950 is the replacement for the 3548.

Technically you can stack all switches in one cabinet using copper GBICs and the remote locations through fiber. Keep in mind that copper GBIC stack ports only deliver half duplex.

One L3 capable switch will suffice for routing between the vlans. You have to configure the stack ports as trunks for this to work.

Regards,

Leo

[londint]

God bless you plenty. In that case, can I also use fiber for the local switches since they will be going from floor to floor.?

Thank you very much

Thanks

[lgijssel]

As long as you have sufficient ports (GBIC slots) to so, yes.

Keep in mind that the stacking or daisy-chaining of several switches reduces overall availabilty. A failure in one stack wil cause all subsequent switches to lose connectivity as well. With the 3550-12G you can create a star-shaped topology that is more reliable.

Regards,

Leo