Question about capability of Cat 4948 vs. Cat 3560

olighec · ‎11-06-2007

I currently have a 3560G-48TS-E as my core/datacenter switch. We have over 30 servers in the datacenter now and we are running into network slowness issues after our recent addition of two new very high-load SQL servers and a Cisco Callmanager 6.0.

I am looking at replacing the core with a 4948 (1GB model) and had some questions about the capabilities of the switch:

- I currently use the 3560 for server connections, Intra-VLAN routing, and have a few static routes in there as well (I don't run any routing protocols as of now). I noticed that the 4948 can support RIPv1, RIPv2, and static routing in the standard software image. If that is all I am doing (the switch is the default gateway for 20 VLANs and connects only about 10 disparate networks with static routes), would I have to upgrade the image, or could I stick with the standard?

- Can I use the same configuration commands with the 4948 that I did with the 3560? I am assuming the 4948 is an IOS switch just like the 3560, just with a much higher traffic capacity, correct?

thanks,

Chris

ankbhasi · ‎11-06-2007

Hi Chris,

Yes 4948 is one of the best choices for data center switches with 96 Gbps switching fabric and 72 Mpps forwarding rate in hardware for Layer 2-4 traffic.

You need not upgrade the image if your requirement is not to run some advance routing protocols and can leave the box running standard image. Also it runs IOS image so most of the commands which work in 3560 should also work in 4948 switch. Not necessarily all commands may match but most basic IOS commands should be same on both the switches.

You can also look at the data sheet of 4948 switch to know more about its performance

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/ps6021/products_data_sheet0900aecd8017a72e.html

HTH

Ankur

*Pls rate all helpfull post

olighec · ‎11-06-2007

Thanks! Now I will talk to the boss about the budget. :)

Joseph W. Doherty · ‎11-07-2007

You might also want to look at the 3560-E model.

johnnylingo · ‎11-07-2007

How would the 3750 compare to the 4948? I know both the 3750 and 3560-E support jumbo frames. I don't know much about the 4948.

Joseph W. Doherty · ‎11-07-2007

For performance, no comparison between 48 port 3560/3750 and 4948. However, the newer -E versions, on paper, offer about the same level of performance as the 4948. The 3750-E also has the stack bus that's not available on the 4948. Otherwise you would need to very carefully comb through the features provided between the 3xx0-E and the 4948.

rajatsetia · ‎11-08-2007

one more thing in favour of 4948 along with all the performance metrics is that it has hot swappable 1+1 power supply and fan tray.

so meant to work as core and give you maximum uptime ..

HTH