Ask the Expert: Catalyst 3K Series Update

[ciscomoderator]

With Dan Schnour

Welcome to the Cisco Support Community Ask the Expert conversation. This is an opportunity to learn and ask questions of Cisco expert Dan Schnour about the Catalyst 3k series update.

Dan Schnour is the product manager for the Catalyst 3K. He has held this position for the past three years. Schnour has years of hardware engineering experience. He holds a bachelor's degree in electronics engineering from the Technion University in Israel and an MBA degree from Cornell University.

Remember to use the rating system to let Dan know if you have received an adequate response. 

Dan might not be able to answer each question due to the volume expected during this event. Remember that you can continue the conversation on the Network Infrastructure sub community discussion forum shortly after the event. This event lasts through March 22, 2013. Visit this forum often to view responses to your questions and the questions of other community members. 

[Joseph W. Doherty]

Does the 3850 support IPv6 IS-IS and/or HSRP?  If not, will it and when?

[Leo Laohoo]

Does the 3850 support IPv6 IS-IS and/or HSRP?  If not, will it and when?

IPv6 Configuration Guide, Cisco IOS XE Release 3SE (Catalyst 3850 Switches)

IP Routing: ISIS Configuration Guide, Cisco IOS XE Release 3SE (Catalyst 3850 Switches)

[Joseph W. Doherty]

Thanks Leo.  I've already read both, but I've received conflicting information from a private Cisco briefing.  Trying to get clarification from the (hopefully) source.  (It's rare, but Cisco's documentation doesn't always agree with reality, nor does it always answer the question when, or if, a feature will be supported.)

[Leo Laohoo]

private Cisco briefing.

Hats off to you for getting a briefing from Cisco.

I had to scrounge around (mostly from CSC forum) to get ours.

[Reza Sharifi]

Hi Joe,

According to the data sheet, IS-IS is supported:

Advanced IP unicast routing protocols (Open  Shortest Path First [OSPF], EIGRP, Border Gateway Protocol Version 4  [BGPv4], and Intermediate System-to-Intermediate System Version 4  [IS-ISv4]) are supported for load balancing and constructing scalable  LANs. IPv6 routing (OSPFv3, EIGRPv6) is supported in hardware for  maximum performance. OSPF for routed access is included in the IP Base  image. The IP Services feature set is required for full OSPF, EIGRP,  BGPv4, and IS-ISv4.

Data sheet:

https://www.cisco.com/en/US/prod/collateral/switches/ps5718/ps12686/data_sheet_c78-720918.html

HTH

[Joseph W. Doherty]

Thanks Reza, but looking for IPv6 IS-IS, not IPv4 IS-IS.

[Mohamed Sobair]

Dan,

Cisco Had officially announced the launch of their 3850 Catalyst in the Last Cisco Connect Event held in Saudi Arabia last February, I have a few questions for you here:

The 3850 Series as its in the Conception phase of its product life Cycle, and I believe its one of the tremendous achievment that Cisco has made during the past period to introduce it.

Would you confirm the Product include the following and integrated features:

1- The Product has a Wireless LAN Controller built-in that supports Voice & Video over WLAN?

2- The Switch has Two redundant Power Supplies and Supervisor Engines?

3- The Switch is a PoE Capable and the Line Cards Are Gig Speed? and whats the Total Speed Per Line Card that the Sup supports? and what type of Supervsor Engine is it?

4- The Switch is Stackable Switch and how many Switches Can be stacked in a cluster?

5- The Switch Can be integrated with the Cisco ISE Product and supports port tagging feature, this feature enables the Switch to encrypt the packet at the ingress port,thus preventing packet capturing/sniffer, Would you please elaborate more in a detailed explanation about this feature?

Thanks,

Mohamed

[Reza Sharifi]

Hi Mohamed,

I let Dan elaborate more in answering your questions, but looking at the data sheet I found a few answers that maybe helpful to you.

1- The Product has a Wireless LAN Controller built-in that supports Voice & Video over WLAN?

From the data sheet:

High-performance video over wireless integrates  Cisco VideoStream technology to optimize the delivery of video  applications across the WLAN.

2- The Switch has Two redundant Power Supplies and Supervisor Engines?

Yes, 2 redundant power supplies.  I am not sure what you mean by Sup Engines here.  Theses are 1RU fixed switches that come mainly with 24 10/100/1000 ports or 48 10/100/1000 ports. These are not chassis based switches i.e. 4500, 6500, etc...

See table-1 in the data sheet:

https://www.cisco.com/en/US/prod/collateral/switches/ps5718/ps12686/data_sheet_c78-720918.html

3- The Switch is a PoE Capable and the Line Cards Are Gig Speed? and  whats the Total Speed Per Line Card that the Sup supports? and what type  of Supervsor Engine is it?

Again no sup here or line card here. The switching capacity is 176Gbps for 48 ports and 88 for 24 ports. See table-7 in this link:

https://www.cisco.com/en/US/prod/collateral/switches/ps5718/ps12686/data_sheet_c78-720918.html

4- The Switch is Stackable Switch and how many Switches Can be stacked in a cluster?

According to the data sheet that number is 4

from the data sheet:

StackWise-480 creates a highly resilient single  unified system of up to four switches, providing simplified management  using a single IP address, single Telnet session, single CLI,  auto-version checking, auto-upgrading, auto-configuration, and more.  StackWise-480 also enables local switching in Cisco Catalyst 3850 Series  Switches.

To me, this is very disapointing.  The current 3750 switches support up to 9 switches per stack.  Why would Cisco decrase the number to 4.

Dan

Can you elaborate on the reason for this?

HTH

Reza

[Leo Laohoo]

To me, this is very disapointing.  The current 3750 switches support up to 9 switches per stack.  Why would Cisco decrase the number to 4.

Hi Reza,

I know the answer to this.  CURRENTLY, the 3850 stack will support up to 4 switches in a stack.  Future IOS release will increase this to 9 switches in a stack. 

[Reza Sharifi]

Thanks Leo!!

I also see, they are using IOS XE for this series.

Reza

[Leo Laohoo]

Forgot one more thing:  3850 prices are EQUAL to 3750X.   *WINK*, *WINK*, *WINK*

I'll let y'all draw your own conclusions ... but make sure you do so in 5 to 8 months (personal opinion expressed).

[Reza Sharifi]

Of course. They want to sell the new products. I have been trying to get a couple of them for the lab to play with.

[Leo Laohoo]

They want to sell the new products.

Errrr ... that's not what I meant as to why the price for the 3850 is exactly the same as the 3750X (if you catch my drift).

[dschnour]

Hi- just to elaborate on the 4 switch per stack limitation. This will be removed in a few months (via a SW update) and we will be supporting 9 member stacks.