[1]

I've got a MM fiber run between two labs at work, and I need a switch/GBIC for either end.

I'm torn between these two.

2960: Cisco Catalyst 2960 Series Switches Models Comparison - Cisco Systems

3560: Cisco Catalyst 3560-X Series Switches Models Comparison - Cisco Systems

I don't need QOS or routing, and am on the fence about basic VLAN capabilities. (might be nice down the road, don't need it right away).

This is the 2960 (24 port):

Amazon.com: Cisco Catalyst 2960S-24TS-S - Switch - 24 ports - Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, Gigabit Ethernet - 10Base-T…

This is the 3560:

Amazon.com: Cisco Syst. Catalyst 3560 24-Port Sw. ( WS-C3560-24PS-E ): Electronics

I'm thinking I might go cheap. I can get two 2960's for under 5k (5k is the cap with the government where it becomes a capital purchase. Under 5k, I can whip it on my Visa).

Any bored geeks care to toss their 2c in?

 

[Max]

looks like you could get 3 of the 2960 for under 5k. :lol:

Are you likely to need a vlan down the road? You say it might be nice, but how nice. Might be kinda handyish? or could totally make your life significantly easier?

id say the answers to those 2 questions are what id make the decision on

 

[1]

I do a lot of multicast, and it would be nice to be able to split it out on it's own VLAN, but it's not to the point where I really am going to run out of bandwidth.

That is the magic question, though, eh?

 

[Max]

id say so. How likely are the extra features to be useful, and just how useful. (im not asking, just saying ask yourself)

 

[zepp]

When is the end of the fiscal year and how much budget do you have left? Blow that shit like everyone does! :lol:

 

[1]

^ :lol: This project can't do that - it's small, and needs to save where it can.

I'm looking at a pair of these now.

GovConnection - Catalyst 2960 24-Port 10 100 Switch + 2 SFP, 1U Rackmount

Base image, $1500/ea. No PoN, but I don't really care about that.

Edit: And I believe these are the correct GBICs:

http://www.govconnection.com/IPA/Shop/Product/Detail.htm?sku=5180231&cac=FeaturedSearch

SX = Singlemode, right? :lol:

 

[Max]

SX = Singlemode, right? :lol:

Yes, No, Maybe so? No clue :lol:
Gigabit Ethernet - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

edit, youre talking single mode fiber?
No, cx runs multimode, LX does too but LX is used to run on singlemode (whatever this all fucking means :lol

 

[Max]

Gigabit Ethernet - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

table is good.

Hey im trying ok? :lol:

 

[Kim]

No PRoN, but I don't really care about that.

Liar :wub:

 

[stuh84]

When you say about VLANs, the 2960s would be able to do VLANs I would have thought, just not things like private VLANs and interVLAN routing. The 2950s can do all that, and I don't think they reduced the capabilities past that.

You could simply use some form of access list so that only MAC addresses which start 0100.5e would be pointed that way, which is the default multicast MAC address prefix, and then chuck them out the VLAN you want to use for that.

Anyway, I'll return off the tangent, the only real advantages I could see with going for the 3560s would be interVLAN routing, CEF if you would want to use that, and private VLANs. Given all but the last two could be achieved by chucking a bog standard 800 series Cisco on each end, the difference in cost is a bit futile.

Edit: As mentioned, SX isn't single mode, its multimode, if you want Single Mode, you want LX, LH or ZX depending on distance. If you are running the full cable length between two far away sites, then you want ZX. If you are just going to a carriers handoff, you'll want LX/LH

 

[Kagami]

Yes, No, Maybe so? No clue :lol:
Gigabit Ethernet - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

edit, youre talking single mode fiber?
No, cx runs multimode, LX does too but LX is used to run on singlemode (whatever this all fucking means :lol

multimode means there are more "beams" going through the fiber...or something essentially like that :lol:

Anyway unless you need L3 I'd save the money and get an L2 switch. But first thing I would do is talk to an actual cisco rep, those guys are sometimes pretty helpful :lol: