Nexus 9000 series and the missing features - eVPC, max. FEX - why to buy?

[Marcel Kamenz]

Hi,

I have to update a datacenter to 10GE line speed at the access layer.

Above this I want to create a collapsed core and aggregation layer.

The design is for one row only!

Like this:

CoreA<-->CoreB

    |              |

    |              |

    |              |

 FexA      FexB

    |             |

     \   vPC  /

       \        /     

       Server

So I don't need eVPC, if its there I want to use it.

So what I need in features:

- Layer 3 routing in the core area (including OSPF)

- NAT in the core area (static/dyn)

- QoS on all ports (core and fex)

- max 384 vPCs 

The FEX configuration is fix, so there is no alternative for my setup:

12	N2K-2232PP-E
4	N2K-2248TP-E

So some cisco technicans told me to look at the 9000series. Before this I looked at the 5672UP and was ready to start over with this device.

These are two 9000 series setups I thought of:

1x 9504 with SUP-A as redundant chassis switch

OR

2x 9396PX

So I looked at the verified maximums and was shocked:

I supposed the 9000 series were to  replace the 5500 series over time but there are so many missing features.

Okay, native FC or FCoE I don't need. Then there is bad quality documentation for NAT and the vPCs.

How many vPC are supported? 48? really? Even a 5672 can do 544 vPCs!

Same for NAT, really no NAT on the 9500 series? Only on the 9300? Why?

Also FEX support is limited to 16 on the 9300er series.

Summarized:

Why should I buy this switch? Okay great line speeds and so on but the missing features are breaking our necks.

So I have the 5672UP on the one side and the 9396PX on the other side?

Or maybe is the 9504 the right choice or should I end up in a traditional 7009? 

So please advide :)

[dukenuk96 · Accepted solution]

Hi

Nexus 9000 series switches can run in two modes. When they run in ACI mode and in combination with Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller (APIC), they provide an application-centric infrastructure. When they run in NX-OS mode and use the enhanced NX-OS software, they function as a classical Nexus switch. 

So if you do not neet ACI features, I would not recommend to use them at all. Moreover there is no dynamic routing support in base license - you will have to pay additional money for it. Also only in last software version 'configure sync' feature was added, and without this feature it is real pain to administer large data center.

I would recommend you to look at 7000 or 5600 series (5500 are going to be end of sale, if not already). 7000 is a big chassis box, while 5600 is generally fixed configuration, however you can add there two 24x10G+2x40G modules. Dynamic routing and FEX features are well supported in base license.

You can compare licensing options for all Nexus series on this link http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/switches/datacenter/sw/nx-os/licensing/guide/b_Cisco_NX-OS_Licensing_Guide/b_Cisco_NX-OS_Licensing_Guide_chapter_01.html 

Actual model depends on port amount and capacity requirements, also you should plan for growth.

About NAT - I would not recommend to use this geature on Nexus at all, they are not designed for this, rather than access layer FEX aggregation and/or core switching/routing. Better look at ASA - they can do any NAT combination and do it really good.

Hope this helps.

[Marcel Kamenz]

Hi, :)

thanks for the advice.

It helped a lot. So I look out for the 5600 and 7000 series.

Actual I'am not sure which design is the best:

2x 5672 as VPC-Peers

or

1x 7009 + 2x SUP-1 (refurbished)

Any suggestions or what's your flavour?

[dukenuk96]

You know.. everything that can fail, will fail some time, the question is just - what exact time )))

So I prefer to avoid any single point of failure in any network, no matter data center or enterprise office - my nerves and night sleep cost more than equipment. Keeping all these in mind, I suggest to buy 2x5672, or even 2x56128 - prices will not differ too much.