network design suggestions

[neilrmessick]

I'm starting to get a headache....

I'm the IT manager for a small business. Our primary location has 120 people, about half are "power users". We have a complicated enviroment for the number of peopel we have. I tend to buy cisco stuff thats not terribly old, but just comming off support so that we can buy quality stuff with our "netgear" budget. I have a 4507 with (4) 48 port blades at the core, and 4948-10GE at the edges. My hang up right now is where to switch iSCSI traffic.I have plenty of ports to just switch it all on the 4507, but I'm hung up on the recomendation that you split the two iscsi ports on two on different switches. The 4507 has duel power supplies and redundant supervisors. I'm kinda leaning towards just splittng the traffic over two blades on a single chasis. I have an extra 4948-10GE that I'd like to sell as my budget is very over taxed right now. Am I being dumb? Should I be using the 4948 for iScsi?

[Leo Laohoo]

Am I being dumb? Should I be using the 4948 for iScsi?

If you're iSCSI is as good as I hope it would be, then this server will blow chunks.  The throughput of a iSCSI server can't be matched by a legacy 4500.

However, this does not mean that it can't work.  It will work but you'll need to spend hours configuring and checking to make sure you're not getting any "output drops" from the switch interfaces.

In regards to the iSCSI ports splitting to two different blades, good idea.  But your single point of failure is your chassis' single supervisor card.  If your supervisor card fails ... you're toast. 

[neilrmessick]

I do have two supervisors in the 4507.

Both the 4948 and 4507 list the same switching throughput.

My for iScsi I run dell 3220i and 3000i, the 3000i only have 2 GE ports, there are 8 on the 3220.. but I've not seen it above 300-400 meg\sec.

is there another economical suggestion you would make. am I dumb trying to run cisco?

[Leo Laohoo]

Sorry for being pedantic, but are you talking about a 4507R or 4507R+E? 

[neilrmessick]

No E. 4507R. and its the older v5-10GE supervisor.

[Leo Laohoo]

Ok, the "R" only series have a 6 Gbps backplane (per slot).  So this means that you're over-subscribing your 48 ports.   Spreading the ports to two blades makes sense.

[neilrmessick]

the 4948 is not oversubscribed. i have an extra. so wouldn't that be my better choice?

[Leo Laohoo]

the 4948 is not oversubscribed. i have an extra.

I meant the chassis has a backplane speed of 6 Gbps.