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Why do we use Catalyst 4500E ?

eigrpy
Level 4
Level 4

Hi, In data center, why do we use 4500E instead of 6500 ? Maybe 6500 is more expensive ? Thank you

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Accepted Solutions

 Cisco catalyst 6500 & Cisco 4500 Series: Everything depends on how much load/throughput you’re pushing through the core now. The 4500 can act as a downsized core switch, and with SupV you can even get 10Gb links.

The 4500 replaced the 4000 model product line, expect it to be around for a while. The 6500 has been around for a while already, but it has been re-newed with new 6500-E chassis, and soon a 6500-NEB-E (vertical blade positioning, front-to-back cooling, more of a telco type chassis) will be released. The 6500 is the biggest switch Cisco makes now. Expect it to be around for a while as well.

The 6500 can support a lot more functions with special feature blades, like firewall, content load balancing, FlexWAN, etc. Both support PoE. The blades between 4500 and 6500 are NOT compatible or inter-changeable.

You should check out Cisco’s site for that, but 6500 is the core datacenter switch, whereas the 4500 is positioned for more wiring closet or server aggregation.

In real world, I use 4507Rs and 4510Rs as my wiring closet/server aggregation switches, as well as 3750Gs for server aggregation, and I use 6500s for core and distribution (I also recommend not looking at 6513, unless it’s 6513-E, which I don’t think is out yet). The environment is gig to the desktop (with PoE) and gig to the server (sometimes bonded 2gig to database servers).

In addition QoS support on the 6500 and 6500 line cards is far superior to the 4500. The newer blades on the 6500 are fabric-enabled, and have a 40-Gbit connection to the backplane, which connects the blade to a Supervisor module. Internally within those blades that have DFCs (Distributed Forwarding Card), the throughput on the card itself (say going from one port on the card to another) is 64-Gbit.

Cisco Catalyst 6500 Switches2. General overview on Cisco Catalyst 6500 Switches and 4500 Switches:Generally 4500′s are used in the Access Layer (TR) in lieu of a fixed switch. They can also be used in the Distribution Layer as well. Typically 6500′s are used in the Distribution and Core Layers, as they are a more robust layer 3 switch. Each slot on a 4500 is limited to only 6Gbps total.

The Cisco Catalyst 4500 Series includes four chassis options: Cisco Catalyst 4510R-E (10 slots), Cisco Catalyst 4507R-E (7 slots), Cisco Catalyst 4506-E (6 slots), and Cisco Catalyst 4503-E (3 slots). The Cisco Catalyst 6500 includes the 3 slot, 6 slot, 9 slot and 13 slot versions.

I believe the supervisor engine in the 6500 is also more powerful, and you have a wider range of card options for the 6500.

3. Cisco 6500 and 4500 Switches User’s Experience: “There are indeed many many differences. And many of the difference will come in the supervisors. I use both 6500 and 4500 switches.  Both do layer 3, voice vlans, QOS.   However, if you need functions such as nbar or netflow, the 6500 is the way to go.  4500′s either have limited or no support of these functions, because of their supervisors.  A supe IV for a 4500 can support netflow if you buy the netflow daughter card.  Same is true with a Supe V.  A Supe V 10 Gig supports netflow without an extra purchase.  The newer supe 6′s don’t support it at all.”

4. Cisco Upgraded Catalyst 4500 and 6500 Switches in 2007. The new improvements on Cisco 4500 and Catalyst 6500 Series are designed to better support peer-to-peer and real-time applications. They are the Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series Virtual Switching System 1440, which combines multiple Catalyst 6500 switches into one and scales system bandwidth capacity to 1.44 terabits per second; and the Cisco Catalyst 4500 E-Series with CenterFlex technology, which the company says it provides high network performance for rich applications.

The Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series Virtual Switching System 1440 is enabled by the Virtual Switching Supervisor Engine 720 with 10 Gigabit Ethernet, hardware module that can make two 6500 switches behave and appear to administrators as one.

The Cisco Catalyst 4500 E-Series with CenterFlex technology now delivers 320 gigabits per second and a fourfold increase in per-slot bandwidth using its unique centralized and flexible architecture. It provides 250 mpps (million packets per second) centralized performance and is based on Cisco’s new CenterFlex technology which resulted in the filing of 19 new technology patents enhancing security, quality of service (QoS) and performance, the company claims.

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7 Replies 7

Reza Sharifi
Hall of Fame
Hall of Fame

That is not always the case. Both 4500 and 6500 series are designed for campus LAN and not so much for the data center.  Most newer data centers use Nexus series.

HTH
 

Thank you so much for your reply. For what main reason we use 6500 or 4500 ? 

Usually you use 4500 or 6500 when you don't want to use stacks of switches in the closets.  Also, they usually have larger back planes and higher throughput and since they are modular you have the flexibility of combining multiple services (firewall, wireless, etc..) together (6500 only). They also give you the option of using copper and fiber in the same chassis vs smaller switches are usually fixed and are not as flexible.

HTH

Sorry, I did not say it clearly. I would like to know for what main reason we use 6500 instead of 4500 or use 4500 instead of 6500 ? Thank you

 Cisco catalyst 6500 & Cisco 4500 Series: Everything depends on how much load/throughput you’re pushing through the core now. The 4500 can act as a downsized core switch, and with SupV you can even get 10Gb links.

The 4500 replaced the 4000 model product line, expect it to be around for a while. The 6500 has been around for a while already, but it has been re-newed with new 6500-E chassis, and soon a 6500-NEB-E (vertical blade positioning, front-to-back cooling, more of a telco type chassis) will be released. The 6500 is the biggest switch Cisco makes now. Expect it to be around for a while as well.

The 6500 can support a lot more functions with special feature blades, like firewall, content load balancing, FlexWAN, etc. Both support PoE. The blades between 4500 and 6500 are NOT compatible or inter-changeable.

You should check out Cisco’s site for that, but 6500 is the core datacenter switch, whereas the 4500 is positioned for more wiring closet or server aggregation.

In real world, I use 4507Rs and 4510Rs as my wiring closet/server aggregation switches, as well as 3750Gs for server aggregation, and I use 6500s for core and distribution (I also recommend not looking at 6513, unless it’s 6513-E, which I don’t think is out yet). The environment is gig to the desktop (with PoE) and gig to the server (sometimes bonded 2gig to database servers).

In addition QoS support on the 6500 and 6500 line cards is far superior to the 4500. The newer blades on the 6500 are fabric-enabled, and have a 40-Gbit connection to the backplane, which connects the blade to a Supervisor module. Internally within those blades that have DFCs (Distributed Forwarding Card), the throughput on the card itself (say going from one port on the card to another) is 64-Gbit.

Cisco Catalyst 6500 Switches2. General overview on Cisco Catalyst 6500 Switches and 4500 Switches:Generally 4500′s are used in the Access Layer (TR) in lieu of a fixed switch. They can also be used in the Distribution Layer as well. Typically 6500′s are used in the Distribution and Core Layers, as they are a more robust layer 3 switch. Each slot on a 4500 is limited to only 6Gbps total.

The Cisco Catalyst 4500 Series includes four chassis options: Cisco Catalyst 4510R-E (10 slots), Cisco Catalyst 4507R-E (7 slots), Cisco Catalyst 4506-E (6 slots), and Cisco Catalyst 4503-E (3 slots). The Cisco Catalyst 6500 includes the 3 slot, 6 slot, 9 slot and 13 slot versions.

I believe the supervisor engine in the 6500 is also more powerful, and you have a wider range of card options for the 6500.

3. Cisco 6500 and 4500 Switches User’s Experience: “There are indeed many many differences. And many of the difference will come in the supervisors. I use both 6500 and 4500 switches.  Both do layer 3, voice vlans, QOS.   However, if you need functions such as nbar or netflow, the 6500 is the way to go.  4500′s either have limited or no support of these functions, because of their supervisors.  A supe IV for a 4500 can support netflow if you buy the netflow daughter card.  Same is true with a Supe V.  A Supe V 10 Gig supports netflow without an extra purchase.  The newer supe 6′s don’t support it at all.”

4. Cisco Upgraded Catalyst 4500 and 6500 Switches in 2007. The new improvements on Cisco 4500 and Catalyst 6500 Series are designed to better support peer-to-peer and real-time applications. They are the Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series Virtual Switching System 1440, which combines multiple Catalyst 6500 switches into one and scales system bandwidth capacity to 1.44 terabits per second; and the Cisco Catalyst 4500 E-Series with CenterFlex technology, which the company says it provides high network performance for rich applications.

The Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series Virtual Switching System 1440 is enabled by the Virtual Switching Supervisor Engine 720 with 10 Gigabit Ethernet, hardware module that can make two 6500 switches behave and appear to administrators as one.

The Cisco Catalyst 4500 E-Series with CenterFlex technology now delivers 320 gigabits per second and a fourfold increase in per-slot bandwidth using its unique centralized and flexible architecture. It provides 250 mpps (million packets per second) centralized performance and is based on Cisco’s new CenterFlex technology which resulted in the filing of 19 new technology patents enhancing security, quality of service (QoS) and performance, the company claims.

Showipospf,

It all depends on customer requirement. 6500 provides more features than 4500...secondly the use of additional modules which cannot be placed on 4500 ( eg: NAM/ACE/FWSM) were in your 6500 can act as switch/firewall/load balancing features added on one single box.

You have higher slot numbers on the 6500 chasis. Now you have Sup2T with advance features with high capacity on the software features. etc it will go on and on....

 

HTH

 

For what main reason we use 6500 or 4500 

Some people prefer or still recommend 4500/6500 because they are familiar with the "quirks" with this models.  

 

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