Replace old Cat4506E / RE

[David Kondicz]

Hi all,

after a years of rock solid switching we are looking for to replace our old Cat 4506E, 4506RE, 4503E switches.

The main problem is that we are running out from 10 gig ports. And the 10G ports are aggregated (3 port per 12G group) that is problem for us. 

We are looking for some secondhand solution.

Catalyst 9400 doesnt make us any sence becouse it doesnt support 40/100 gig linecards.

9500 is new and very very expresive. (Huawei have solutions for less than a half of money)

Minium requirements:

48x 1 gig metalic rj45 (ideal 96)

48x 1 gig sfp

48x 10 gig (ideal 96)

reserve for linecard with 40/100 gig int

for future usage minimal 8x40/100gig

BGP for 100k+ routes. IPv4 and IPv6

y#show ip route summary
IP routing table name is default (0x0)
IP routing table maximum-paths is 8
Route Source Networks Subnets Replicates Overhead Memory (bytes)
application 0 0 0 0 0
connected 0 38 0 2736 6840
static 0 18 0 1296 3240
External: 0 Internal: 107405 Local: 0
internal 1991 4626460
Total 32045 77407 0 7737192 23969440

L3 static routing, Policy speed limiting for vlans

LACL, Spanning tree, protected ports / private vlan mode.

Dual Sup Active/Active ideal. 

I am thinking about Nexus switches too, but noone was able to tell me reall difference between catalyst and nexus. I just receiving an info that nexus is for datacenter switching and it doesnt support several features as Catalyst... but which?

Thanx for help guys

[marce1000]

 - This thread is a rather good summary concerning differences : https://community.cisco.com/t5/switching/cisco-catalyst-vs-nexus-switches/td-p/2519675 , for product overview or considerations you can use https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/switches/switch-selector.html

 M.

[Joseph W. Doherty]

". . . noone was able to tell me reall difference between catalyst and nexus."

Nexus offers capacity (bandwidth/pps/buffering) beyond what Catalyst switches offer, but they give up "features".  This is why they are recommended for data centers, as servers often are much more bandwidth demanding than user hosts.  As to what features they give up, that would need a comparison between particular platforms.  (Cisco used to offer a feature comparison tool, don't know if they still do.)

Regarding you request for hardware replacement suggestions - if I get a bit more time I'll see if I can look into that too, but others might make good suggestions before I can or do.

[Joseph W. Doherty]

"We are looking for some secondhand solution."

Assuming you've been happy with your Catalyst 4Ks, for second hand, you might want to look-over/investigate the Catalyst 6800 series.  These only went end-of-sale, April this year, and are supported until April '27.

One feature you desire, that Cisco appears to never have offered for them (although the switch's hardware was capable) was 100g ports.

"The main problem is that we are running out from 10 gig ports."

Possibly, depending on your topology and where the 10g ports are needed, a second hand 4500-X (I see a 32 x10g port model [w/o uplink module] for $9k) might satisfy that need, while still using your other Catalyst 4Ks.  The 4500-X is on the same support "clock" as other 4500s.

PS:

BTW, 4500-X doesn't provide redundant sups but a pair, I believe, can run in a VSS config.

[Leo Laohoo]

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@David Kondicz wrote:
reserve for linecard with 40/100 gig int

---

100 Gbps line card will be the exclusive domain of the 9600 with Sup 2 supervisor card.  

Just a reminder: 

1. All Catalyst 9k, including the 9600, comes with Cisco Enhanced Limited Lifetime Hardware Warranty for free and at the time of purchase.  
2. All Catalyst 9k, including the 9600, no longer requires a Service Contract to download firmware:  Cisco Catalyst IOS Software Update Program for Cisco Catalyst 9200/X, 9300/X, 9400/X, 9500/X and 9600/X Series Switches

Free critical updates:

◦    Free critical updates are available to the original customer for up to 1 year after announced end-of- support. These critical updates maintain the compliance of the Software with published specifications, release notes and industry wide compliance.
◦    Free vulnerability and security updates are available to the original customer for up to 3 years after announced end-of-sale.
◦    No support contract is required to obtain these software updates.

Free major and minor releases:

◦    Free major and minor release updates are available to an original customer moving from one release to another within the same perpetual license level (i.e. Cisco Network Advantage or Cisco Network Essentials).
◦    No support contract is required to obtain these releases.

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[divadko]

Hi all... what do you think about Nexus 9504 ?

There are quite good prices on ebay and if you can live with 4506 today, it should be anough for another 10 years foy you

Guys, what do you think? N9K-C9504

[Joseph W. Doherty]

Depends on usage role.

Nexus series has a different orientation than the Catalyst series.

[divadko]

What can cat4k better than n9k?

I think n9k is better in any point.Bugger interface buffers, better performance, BGP, L3 functionality, and 100 gig ports...

[Leo Laohoo]

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@divadko wrote:
What can cat4k better than n9k?

---

Because the 4506 is a layer 2 switch, developed in the early 2000, has an 8/16 Gbps of backplane and a Nexus, developed almost 10 years later, is a specially designed switch for DC job. 

[Joseph W. Doherty]

"What can cat4k better than n9k?"

To answer that question, perhaps Cisco's Feature Navigator might be used.  Likely you'll need to know exact physical configuration of each platform and the exact IOS version/release being used, along with any relevant licenses.  As the Cat4K is EoL, it might not still be found in the Feature Navigator.

However, as the OP wanted to replace their 4Ks, unclear what's the relevance of comparing it to a N9K regarding "better".  Certainly, though, worthwhile comparing existing platforms with any candidate replacements to determine if whatever is "required" by the candidate platform, is provided.

"I think n9k is better in any point.Bugger interface buffers, better performance, BGP, L3 functionality, and 100 gig ports..."

Likely all true, I believe, but perhaps also all true with more powerful and/or later Catalyst series L3 switches too.

In general, I believe the Catalyst series has a wider range of features, more suitable for generic Enterprise usage, while the Nexus series is more about "raw" bit pushing performance.  The latter, why, the Nexus is generally more targeted for DC usage.