Solved: Is it worth moving a 6506 vs. buying newer switch?

GRANT GATHAGAN · ‎01-28-2009

Back in 2001, we moved to VoIP and bought a completely new Cisco infrastructure for our 3-story main campus.

At that time, the recommended design used a 6506 with a SUP1A-2GE engine. The 6506 also houses four 48-port POE modules. The other two floors of the building were populated with CAT3524XL's and the other two floors were tied to the SUP1A with Gb fiber.

All 300+ users at this campus are on the same data VLAN and the same phone VLAN.

We supply VoIP service to three remote campuses with the same call managers and Unity system via T1 lines. Those sites tie into our campus via 3640 or 1760 routers.

The original plan involved using a PIX 515 firewall pair to limit the vulnerability of the call managers and voice gateways.

The engineers never got the PIX to work for that purpose, so it was taken out of play.

We are now looking at moving around 60 users, the call managers, the Unity voicemail and some of our servers to a different location.

No matter what, we will need to purchase new switches.

My basic question:

Given the lack of complexity in our design, is there any advantage in moving the 6506 to the new location as opposed to buying a couple of 3750's with POE?

Leo Laohoo · ‎01-28-2009

3750 is a stackable switch (up to nine switches per stack) and has a 32Gb backplane. The 3750-E is also a stackable switch (up to nine switches per stack) and has a 64 Gb backplane. While your Sup1A-2GE will only do 1Gb.

One of the things that you should consider about the 3750-E as compared to your current setup is that it can do Enhanced PoE (up to 20 watts per port) and can also support 10Gb Fiber Ethernet.

Being a medical establishment with alot of data running back and forth, it's really worth your RoI to invest in the new 3750-E series.

In the advent of Greenhouse Gas (GhG), EnergyWise will be supporting the 3750/3750-E family of switches.

In my humble opinion ...

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Joseph W. Doherty · ‎01-29-2009

From what you've described, 3750s with POE would likely be fine. Just as you tie the current 3524XLs back to the 6506, it's likely you could do likewise with the 3750s.

The advantage of moving the 6506 would be avoiding the new switch purchase cost, but that's ofset by the hardware migration cost.

If you never plan to take advantage of the 3750 stacking capability, you might want to use 3560s instead since they're a little less expensive.

Since you also mention moving servers, you might want to insure the new switches can provide them gig Ethernet ports and might want to provide gig Ethernet channel between them and the 6506. (If you do Etherchannel, keep in mind you might want to channel across cards and 3750 stack members to avoid some single points of failures.)

Leo makes a good point about the better perfomance of the 3750-E. However, it's also often much more expensive. (Cisco did have a special pricing on 3750-E POE switches which was very attractive. Don't know what current pricing is.) You might consider obtaining any new switches with 10/100/1000 ports for similar reasons as Leo mentions. You can also mix a 3750-E into a 3750 stack, although you lose some of the performance advantages of a pure 3750-E stack.

PS:

BTW: a 3750 stack is of somewhat similar performance as a non-fabric 6500. An individual 3560/3750 offers somewhat better performance vs. a non-fabric 6500.

View solution in original post

Leo Laohoo · ‎01-28-2009

3750 is a stackable switch (up to nine switches per stack) and has a 32Gb backplane. The 3750-E is also a stackable switch (up to nine switches per stack) and has a 64 Gb backplane. While your Sup1A-2GE will only do 1Gb.

One of the things that you should consider about the 3750-E as compared to your current setup is that it can do Enhanced PoE (up to 20 watts per port) and can also support 10Gb Fiber Ethernet.

Being a medical establishment with alot of data running back and forth, it's really worth your RoI to invest in the new 3750-E series.

In the advent of Greenhouse Gas (GhG), EnergyWise will be supporting the 3750/3750-E family of switches.

In my humble opinion ...

Joseph W. Doherty · ‎01-29-2009

From what you've described, 3750s with POE would likely be fine. Just as you tie the current 3524XLs back to the 6506, it's likely you could do likewise with the 3750s.

The advantage of moving the 6506 would be avoiding the new switch purchase cost, but that's ofset by the hardware migration cost.

If you never plan to take advantage of the 3750 stacking capability, you might want to use 3560s instead since they're a little less expensive.

Since you also mention moving servers, you might want to insure the new switches can provide them gig Ethernet ports and might want to provide gig Ethernet channel between them and the 6506. (If you do Etherchannel, keep in mind you might want to channel across cards and 3750 stack members to avoid some single points of failures.)

Leo makes a good point about the better perfomance of the 3750-E. However, it's also often much more expensive. (Cisco did have a special pricing on 3750-E POE switches which was very attractive. Don't know what current pricing is.) You might consider obtaining any new switches with 10/100/1000 ports for similar reasons as Leo mentions. You can also mix a 3750-E into a 3750 stack, although you lose some of the performance advantages of a pure 3750-E stack.

PS:

BTW: a 3750 stack is of somewhat similar performance as a non-fabric 6500. An individual 3560/3750 offers somewhat better performance vs. a non-fabric 6500.

GRANT GATHAGAN · ‎01-29-2009

Well, I'll have to buy new switches no matter what. I still need switchgear at the current location, even though the majority of servers and the VoIP components would be relocated.

All the people on that floor will be staying.

I guess my question should have been worded:

"Is it worth relocating the 6506 along with the components of my VoIP system and most of my servers and buying 3750's for the existing location, or should I leave the 6506 where it is and buy the 3750's for the new location?"

I have 3 3750's stacked at one of my remote campuses, so I'm familiar with their capabilities (even though the ones I have are non-G) and am very happy with their performance.

I had pretty much decided that if the 3750's were to be put in the new locale, then I would be going with the G versions. You gotta have perks, ya' know :)

I was not aware of the E series having a 64Gb backplane.

Thanks for the input on that leolaohoo.

They look to be about $4K more than the non-E version of the POE 48 port G switch and about $2k more for the 24-port version.

My servers are all currently etherchanneled to the 6506, so I would do the same with the 3750's.

Most of the servers are using built-in dual 100Mb NIC's so I wouldn't be getting Gb out of them no matter what.

Looks like my answer is "The new switches go with me".

Thank you both for you input.

Joseph W. Doherty · ‎01-29-2009

BTW:

There are other advantages to the 3750-E vs. 3750 besides doubling of its stack ring bandwidth. For the 48 port gig versions, the -E is about wirespeed, supports two 10 gig ports (10 gig version of 3750 EOS), performs local switching (i.e. doesn't always flood the stack ring), uses the stack ring "smarter" (destination removes packets vs. source).

Besides additional purchase cost of the -Es, the -Es don't come with lifetime hardware and software. I.e., you'll probably also want to budget for a support contract.

Leo Laohoo · ‎01-29-2009

For future profing, do you want to consider putting wireless access points for Wireless VoIP (aside from Wireless LAN access)?

Also know that the 3750 has a particular model with the Wirless LAN Controller (WLC) built-in to it.

Here's a link to the Data Sheet:

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/prod/collateral/wireless/ps6302/ps7185/ps6915/product_data_sheet0900aecd804b0879.html