Designing CBS switch for various network sizes and their limits

[vbhoj74]

Hi Gurus, i've a very basic question. How do I know as to what size of network does the CBS-350 4G or 4X series can handle at the access & the collapsed-core?

Let take an example of the basic data for the CBS-350-48T-X:

800 MHz ARM processor, 512MB of memory, 176 Gb/s switching capacity, 130.94 Mpps forwarding rate, MAC table 16K addresses.

The Switch Hardware resource table says max: IP Entries 776, IPv4 Policy based routing: 12, VLAN mapping 100. 

What really does IP entries means ?

The switch has excellent L3 features that any SMB would need, how do we calculate the network size limits with the given hardware specs ? - thanks !

[Kasun Bandara]

Hi, for SMB, cisco gave optional switch series (CBS350 previously SG350). you need to be careful when selecting switch for core level. because catalyst series is comes with very high reliability than CBS switches. also other factors such as redundant power, expansion capabilities, packet buffer, etc. if you are OK to  move with CBS series, make sure you check switch throughput is enough for your number of users /applications / network devices planned to use through this switch. 

IP entries means number of IP addresses can handle in TCAM table. 

this is the correct datasheet for this switch series.

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/collateral/switches/business-350-series-managed-switches/datasheet-c78-744156.html

[vbhoj74]

thank you for the reply. I'm aware about the hardware quality difference between the CBS & Catalyst switches. I wanted to know the calculation done in order to decide if a switch can fit into a given size of the network at the access level and at the collapsed core level. 

How do I know if the switch throughput is enough for the number of clients/applications ? Is there any document that I can refer to clear my doubts ?

I believe, with the CBS350-48-4X,  the throughput is 176 Gb/s, which is basically wire speed (double the sum of all it's port speeds). 

Is throughput the only parameter to watch out for ? or there can be other bottlenecks too, like the processing power of the switch & RAM. How do I calculate if the switch if powerful enough to perform it's intended functions without slowing down?