NEXUS 5000 Vs Catalyst 4900

[mile.ljepojevic]

I need to add more 10Gb ports for iSCSI for my server farm.

The client is leaning towards Catalyst 4900, while I would like to go with Nexus with 32x 10Gb ports.

Current setup is that we are having two fully populated 6500 in core (NOT VSS - SUP is 720B) with one 8x 10Gb line card; and we need to create small DC core for some number of servers. I do not need L3 capability, since moset of the server traffic will be in one VLAN.

So, my idea is to use VPC on pair of Nexus 5000 (bundle with 32x10Gb ports) to connect them to 10Gb ports on 6500 and then to connect all the servers to Nexus5000. I think it will have better performance that using Catalyst 4900, especialy that we cannot use VSS in the core, so I couldn't configure multichassis etherchannel..

I need to know if there is some flaw in my design before I make official recommendation to a client.

Thanks.

[mile.ljepojevic]

Just to correct myself,

I will use VPC but the idea is to have etherchannels between servers and Nexus, while I will have "regular" trunk links between Nexus and 6500 (since there is no VSS).

[Leo Laohoo]

In terms of Nexus 5K vs 4900 I don't know HOW to compare them.  Nexus 5K, when paired with the 2K, is very beneficial to data centre.  If you need to grow, then add a few more 2K to the cabinet and connect them to the 5K.