Replacement options for 6509 VSS setup

[gp1200x]

I am leaving in a year and our group wants options as to what to do in the future with our current pair of 6509s setup in VSS. We currently use a Sup 720 10G in each chassis and I know that going to 40Gb interfaces requires the 2T sup at least and want to use them with our 3850 stacks to the core 6500s and not just between or stacks. (We also have another single 6509 at another site with a sup 720 10G pair.) Most of our connections to our larger sites are via 10Gb fiber connections set in etherchannels (20 and 40Gb) from the 6500s to stacks of 3750s and 3850s. We will probably keep installing or add 3850 stacks as we replace or upgrade sites with older 3750X/E E models.  Our main concern is that the 6500s will have an end of life soon and we really don't want to pump a lot of money into new sups and 40Gb interfaces since the boxes themselves are older and have limitations (like channel slot limits of 80G) compared to the speeds of some of the newer equipment out there. Since 80Gb etherchannels (pair of 40Gb links) is probably what we will standardize on due to costs, we want our core 6509s and 6509 to be replaced with something that can handle a lot of mainly 10/40Gb interfaces and maybe a few single Gb. 

I don't see any direct info for a 6500 VSS replacement so I suspect a single box like a 9000 Cat would have to do with redundancy in it. 

Any recommendations as to the best options out there?  We will remain using Cisco equipment since people I work with are at least  familiar with some of it and the 6509 VSS setup has worked out well even when I had SUP failures on one side and lost a box (due to the redundant portchannels configured between the boxes.)   We will also probably remain using 3850s (I know there are 3950s) just to keep consistency in our network for replacement parts. We probably have 150+ switches total in our network (data and Voice). Thanks 

[mdieken011]

I don't think there are 3950 switches that you reference at the end.  The replacement of the 3850 I believe is the Catalyst 9300.  You may want to look into the Catalyst 9400 as a replacement for your 6500 switch.  If you need more bells and whistles you should consider a Nexus switch.

[Mark Malone · Accepted solution]

Hi
9500 and 9600 using SVL are the replacements for 68s and 65s series
94s are the replacements for 4ks , 93s for 3k series and 92s for 2k series

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/switches/switch-selector.html

check this link too
https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/collateral/switches/catalyst-9600-series-switches/nb-06-cat9600-series-data-sheet-cte-en.html

[gp1200x]

Thanks,

That pretty much sums it up once i understood your notations.

Disappointed in that the SVLs kinda drops the ball speed wise compared to the stacking backplane speeds of the 9300 and 3850s. It would have been much better if the 9500 series allowed a physical high speed connection between two switches for redundancy in addition to this virtual connection link which requires wasted ports to get the same speeds as the 3850/9300 backplanes. A single 1U high speed switch is never an option anymore for todays networks and physical redundancy options should be included in the hardware.

[Mark Malone]

Hi
SVL can run over a 100GB link in terms of speed

Dependingon the switch model,SVL is supportedon all 10G interfacesand 40G interfacesof the CiscoCatalyst9500 Series switchesand on all the 100G, 40G, 25G and 10G interfacesof the Cisco Catalyst9500Series High Performanceswitches.However, a combinationof different interfacespeedsis not supported

[Leo Laohoo]

The Catalyst 9500/9600 are positioned to replace the 6500.
The 9500 is a 1RU switch that can support VSS and is ideal for 10- and 40 Gbps ports.
The 9600 is a chassis-based system and ideal for 100 Gbps operation.

[jamshaid.rauf]

Catalyst 9600 switch can support VSS/SVL via 25G AOC cable or with 25G SFP transcievers.