Deploying UC: Choosing the right switches for IP GE phones?

pcce5w2hlh · ‎12-27-2009

Hi everyone,

I’m looking at deploying UC, which involves mainly IP phones. The IP phones to be used will be GE phones. These IP phones will need to be connected to POE switches.

However, I’m looking at the list of POE switches available (looking at the C2960 series switches). There is no GE switches with POE on the C2960 series.

I understand that most PC/laptop NIC is running GE speed nowadays too.

Which range of access switches should I be deploying? Can I deploy FE access switches on the GE phones? Will there be bottleneck?

WS-C2960-48PST-L Catalyst 2960 48 10/100 PoE + 2 1000BT +2 SFP LAN Base Image
WS-C2960-24PC-L Catalyst 2960 24 10/100 PoE + 2 T/SFP LAN Base Image

Or should I go with C3560G POE switches?
WS-C3560G-48PS-S Catalyst 3560 48 10/100/1000T PoE + 4 SFP + IPB Image

Rob Huffman · ‎12-28-2009

Hi Tan,

To truly leverage the "Gig" phones you are going to want to use

a 10/100/1000 switch as you nicely noted

Be careful when planning as most 48 port switches cannot

power 48 phones with PoE.

This tool "The Cisco Power Calculator" is really great and will take

all the guesswork out of determining these type of requirements;

http://tools.cisco.com/cpc/launch.jsp

Hope this helps!

Rob