On Thu, Oct 27, 2016 at 08:21:54AM -0500, Mike Horwath wrote:
> On Thu, Oct 27, 2016 at 08:06:45AM -0500, Jason Hanke wrote:
> > There aren't enough ports on the 4550 to swap it in we would need
> > two. We are due for a fabric upgrade.

Correct, while one could be brought in with additional cards in both,
that would barely cover us with zero future growth without adding
in a 2nd one. The U of MN expressed interest in a 40Gbps connection,
and doing just one switch would knock that out of contention, (or 
we keep the EX4500 and run it knowing that it is EOL, and software will
probably stop being available within 14 months). 
 
> EX4550 is 32 ports base, 48 ports with addon cards.

It is 32 + 8 ports if you want to use the back expansion slot to house
a VC card instead. The 4550 doesn't have built-in VC (unlike the 4200/4500)
(technically the VC card is slotted into the 4500, but I've never seen one
bought without it there). So the EX4500 can do more ports than a EX4550. 

So, the back slot on a 4550 could be another 8x10G, but that loses the
VC port, which means we then have to take multiples of 10G ports on
both switches to devote to VC instead, probably at least 4 x 10GB on
both switches, which is a losing of 8 ports either way.
 
Effectively making the stacked EX4550 only 40 ports instead of the 48 ports
on the 4500. 

> Is the current EX4500 running with 40 ports or 48?

It has 48 ports, with 47 ports plugged in. (didn't count how many as lit, 
but we just did an inventory and I know how few empty ports we have). 

The EX4550 is the direct replacement for the EX4500. I've run multiple
stacks of them myself, and they are solid boxes. 

Juniper also has newer switches at higher price points (and not as
easy upgrade path). The EX4600 can do 72 x 10GB in 1U. It has 40 fixed
10G, 4 x 40G. BUT no VC ports. You use the 40G ports for VC
functions. To get the 72 port density, you'd add in a 14 x 40G card,
and any and each 40G port can be broken out to 4 x 10G port with breakout
cables. So, stacking the EX4600's typically takes out the fixed 4x40G
ports with the QSFP+ DAC cabling up and down, but adding on the 14 x 40G card
brings back many ports and capabilities. 
The EX4600 won't VC with the EX4550 so it becomes another stack connected in.

The QFX5200-32C can get into newer technologies like adding 25G/50G
and 100G capable ports. Again using breakout cables to breakout ports 
into the "slower" speeds we are running, and can get into the range of 
128 x 10GB ports with breakout cables in 1U. 

The QFX10002-36Q is much like the above, and can get into 144 x 10G
ports with breakout cables, but I know the price on this switch pushes
now into 6 figures. 


 

-- 
Doug McIntyre                            <[log in to unmask]>
                    ~.~ ipHouse ~.~
       Network Engineer/Provisioning/Jack of all Trades