Cisco Catalyst 3650 IP Base versus IP Services OR 9300 series

[sysnet_striver]

Hello fellow Cisco techs, this is my first post, I would really appreciate some expert/experienced insight as I am transitioning from Juniper/JunosOS.

I am about to make a decision on obtaining a Cisco catalyst 3650. Here are the important details:

Company Network portfolio: ML/AI start-up with ~30 employees, rapidly scaling up. Data scientists, software engineers, and cybersecurity data payloads . We are a private business that contracts with DoD.

I am deciding if I should get IP Base or IP service for catalyst 3650, non-PoE+, model WS-C3650-48TS.

Or just propose to my superiors to go with the Catalyst 9300 Series. My superiors do not want to overdo it for our use-case. Neither do I. Is IP Services (OSPF) unnecessary until you get to enterprise scale with wan site-to-site complex inter-networks?

Perhaps catalyst 3650 IP Base should suffice for us for a long time? Or will the 9300 series supplant the 3600 series within a couple of years?

Thank you. 

[balaji.bandi]

For economic solution, 36XX should be as per your description. ( ipbase have basic features, IpService get more features) again if the cost not much difference i would go ip services. - depends on requirements.

If you looking Long term - Cat 9300 good investment and have long Life.

[Scott Hodgdon · Accepted solution]

SysnetStriver,

You should look at the 9300L as an evolution of the 3650. This is a newer platform with more functionality and longer lifespan than the 3650.

The 9300L with Network Essentials and DNA Essentials license for 3 years gives you IP Base functionality at what used to be LAN Base pricing (so you are getting more features for less $$$). If you need full routing (or other features like AVC, Full Flexible NetFlow, Encrypted Traffic Analytics, etc), then you would get Network Advantage and DNA Advantage for 3 years which is the same price as IP Services used to be (again, more features for less money).

I recommend you have a look at the  Cisco DNA Software Subscription Matrix for Switching at https://www.cisco.com/c/m/en_us/products/software/dna-subscription-switching/en-sw-sub-matrix-switching.html?OID=otren019471 and the DNA Licensing FAQ at https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/collateral/software/one-wireless-subscription/nb-06-dna-acces-wl-sw-faq-ctp-en.html .

As part of your DNA License rights, you would also have access to DNA Center Cloud (see https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/collateral/cloud-systems-management/dna-center-cloud/nb-06-dna-center-cloud-aag-cte-en.html). This cloud-based orchestration and assurance platform is not available with 3650, and for now it is only available in North America (with more markets to be added soon).

Cheers,
Scott Hodgdon

Senior Technical Marketing Engineer

Enterprise Networking and Cloud Group

[Richard Burts]

We do not know much about this company and what they want their network to be like. We are told that they are currently pretty small but expect to scale up rapidly. It sounds like they have some pretty sophisticated users and I would think that their expectations of the network will not settle for a small/simple network. We do not know if the switch they are thinking about is the only network equipment or whether there are plans for router? or firewall? which could change what the switch needs to do. If there is to be more than one vlan in the network there will be a requirement for routing. Especially if the routing is to be done on the switch then I would think that the Network Advantage and DNA Advantage would be the better choice. And I certainly agree with the suggestion to look at 9300L rather than at 3650. 

[sysnet_striver]

Just for more details:

Multiple VLANS

Current network appliance stack: Meraki MX 84, MS 225, MR 46. 

En route: Cisco Firepower 1120

Undecided: Cisco switch 3650 or 9300??

[Leo Laohoo]

I would not be touching the 3650/3850.
For marketing reasons, the "shelf life" of the 3650/3850 is over. EoS/EoL has already been announced for the hardware and software (up to 16.9.X).
Technically, the hardware design for the 3650/3850 is very, very, very "conservative" with not enough CPU and FPGA sizes dictating the short "life" in production.

[balaji.bandi]

Based on the informaton, Personally go with  Cat 9300 (Stack)