Which switch can I use as a core switch

[hhakimi]

can some help me I have these switches. which one I should use as a core switch or recommend another better model.

1. Cisco Catalyst 3560G

2. Cisco Catalyst 2960x

3. Cisco Catalyst 3650

In my network I have 40 switches with around 500 clients connected. I want use 20 VALN, there should to be no communication between VLANs but they should access to Shared drive server, DHCP Server which has scopes for each VLAN, and have access to internet.

Thanks

Hakimi

[Sandeep Choudhary]

3560G is alredy EoS

2960X is a typical layer 2 device

3650/3850 you can use as layer3 (core) 

*** I will recommand to go with 3850

other products are 9300/9400.. if you want more powerful then go with 9500 series.

Regards

Dont forget to rate helpful posts

[hhakimi]

Thanks for recommandations, if I 3650 layer 3 and core shall I use this one as core in my Network.

thanks

Hakimi

[Sandeep Choudhary]

yes you can use 3650. here is the comparision :

http://www.fiber-optical-networking.com/cisco-3650-vs-3850-catalyst-switches.html

Rergards

Dont forget to rate helpful posts

[marce1000]

 - An advisory starting point : 

https://www.cisco.com/c/dam/assets/prod/switches/cisco-switch-selector-how-to/index.html

M.

[Joseph W. Doherty]

As other poster have already noted, the 2960X is mostly a L2 switch, so unless you have some other device to support your routing, it wouldn't be a choice.

The 3560G or 3650 are both L3 switches, so either might be used. The 3650 is the "next gen" after the 3560G, so it would generally be a better choice. (BTW, the 3560G cannot guarantee wirespeed. In that gen, the later 3560E or 3560X would be better choices.) However, also generally, the Catalyst 3K switches are a bit light for any heavy core usage. Much will also depend on how you connect your other 40 switches to your core. Lastly, you might want to consider redundancy for your core, because if it dies, so does your whole network. The 3560G cannot stack (its sibling the 3750G can). The 3650 can stack.

For other switch choices, you might looks at something "small"in the Catalyst 4K or 6K series. These also cannot stack, but some support VSS.

Lastly, the latest Catalyst 9K series offers suitable devices too.

[hhakimi]

Thanks for information. I could not assign IP address to interfaces of 3560 and 3650. Are these not supporting to set UP Address to interface. If not supporting than I should use a router as well. And how about 9k.
Thanks.

[Joseph W. Doherty]

Did you configure the interface as a "routed" port (i.e. non switch port)?

[hhakimi]

No. Just I want to use Vlan and DHCP relay agent. All vlan should have access to internet and same share resource. But should not communicate with each other.

Thanks

Hakimi

[Joseph W. Doherty]

For a relay agent, you need to attach a helper to a gateway IP.