Cisco switch uplink

[amclane]

I want to connect our main Cisco catalyst 4500 switch with a Cisco Catalyst 3560 Series PoE 24 Port Switch that is on another floor in our building. Do you use the SFP port on the 3560 and connect it to the GBIC port on my 4500 or can I just use a CAT6 cable to connect the 2 switches together using the RJ-45 ports?

It is a flat network, the 4500 supervisor engine is running CatOS and the 3560 is IOS, is that any issue?

I haven't purchased this 3560 yet, I just found a refurb. one for $380.

We are currently remodeling an area in our building that sits literally under our server room, so rather than running 20 drops directly to the server room, I figured connecting 2 switches would be the easier solution.

[Reza Sharifi]

If the distance between the 2 switches is up to 100 meters, you can use copper.  If the distance is more than 100 Meters, than you need to use the fiber ports.

Usually copper ports are for end device connectivity (workstations, printers, etc..) and fiber ports are for uplinks

HTH

[devils_advocate]

You can use either but as Reza mentioned, if the distance is >100m then you need to use Fibre.

To be honest, Fibre is used in most modern networks to up/down link switches.

The downside to fibre is that it tends to cost more to use then copper but it can be used over longer distances and prevent you having to use an existing RJ45 port on each switch.