Selecting metro switches

[Jonn cos]

Hi all,

I was looking at the following configuration guide for ME3400E

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/switches/metro/me3400e/software/release/12.2_44_ey/configuration/guide/swintro.html

Almost all the features listed are present in 3850/3560x switches also, so instead of ME3400E, can i use 3850/3560x switches for metro ethernet ?

Also i am trying to understand what differenties these 2 product lines -> Metro ethernet switches and non-metro ethernet switches ?

[geir.jensen]

Have you considered the new ME2600X series?
On the 2600x a vlan tag is local to a physical interface, and it's not related to the same vlan tag on another interface. This gives you more flexibility in how you connect your customers. On the me3400 vlans are global, and apart from the UNI/NNI interface config they are basically office switches in my opinion.
The 2600x implements the EVC features and are more suited for carrier ethernet products.

Geir Jensen


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[daniel.dib]

I wouldn't put a regular Catalyst for Metro deployment. You will surely run into some limitations, like not doing MPLS.

As Geir suggested the ME2600 is suitable for layer 2 deployments and if you want to do more advanced deployments look at ME3600/3800. They are very capable switches.

Daniel Dib
CCIE #37149

[Joseph W. Doherty]

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Posting

The primary differences between "LAN" switches and Metro Ethernet switches is feature support and/or some hardware differences.  For example, on the latter, some of the Metro Ethernet switches have larger interface buffers than the "comparative" series of LAN switches (making them more suitable for heavier usage).  Or, for example, some LAN switches support stacking and/or VSS, I don't recall any Metro Ethernet switches having those features.