Opinions on Cisco WS-C4948-E

1

101001101

Weaksauce
Joined
Aug 8, 2013
Messages
69
Hi guys

I'm in the process of (trying) to put together a pretty beefy lab at home primarily for VMware certification, Cisco and general abuse and self-education around various technologies and topologies and I am in need of a decent switch that I can also use for iSCSI.

I've heard good things about the aforementioned switch but its quite expensive (naturally) but I am looking for a decent piece kit here so don't mind spending the dollar (eBay).

I *believe* that this switch supports some L3 features including intervlan routing? (clearly not for iSCSI though) - my requirement is:

1. I can use the switch for intervlan routing (nothing complex) and iSCSI traffic.
2. QoS (VoIP / SIP)
3. ACLs

What do you think? is it worthy of an early xmas present to me from me? :D

Thanks

EDIT: To add there is also the WS-C4948-10GE-S which runs in cheaper, but best forwarding rate and decent buffer for iSCSI is paramount.
 
Last edited:
a cisco 3560X or 3750X would easily handle anything you could throw at it in a home lab, and has all the features you'd want/need from it(could even go POE if you wanted)
a C49xx would be massive overkill IMO.
 
Your wallet would also thank you. A 3750G would be sufficient. Why the need for 10GbE in the home lab?
 
Last edited:
If you have the cash and are more than happy to spend it, go with the 4948. If budgeting is a concern, go with a 3560 or 3750.
 
shade91 said:
If you have the cash and are more than happy to spend it, go with the 4948. If budgeting is a concern, go with a 3560 or 3750.
Click to expand...

i can see your point, but a lab is meant as proof of concept and testing. the environment doesnt necessarily need to be the most high end equipment just to prove an idea or config. also, the lab doesnt need to have longevity considered into it either. since most of the times a testing environment at work(or home) will change drastically from it's inception to "end of life/usefulness"

PERSONALLY, even if budget wasnt a concern i'm still going with a 3560 and calling it a day.
 
Hi guys

I realize that my wallet would thank me if I didn't go for a 4900 series switch, it would also thank me if I went for a Dell PC 5324 or a Dell 5524 or a Dell 6224 but that was not the question, if I throw 10+ SSD's in the mix and use gigabit iSCSI as the main target initiator transport protocol then I'm going to destroy the performance of most switches, I'm just looking for the best that gigabit iSCSI has to offer, with a little research I realize I need to be aiming at the 4948-E family - so that is what I will do.

I already have a 4Gbps fibre based SAN switch (8Gbps is a little expensive unfortunately) and I'm currently in the market for a QDR Infiniband switch with built in Subnet Manager, I just want the best of all bases so I can emulate any environment.

True labs become out dated and defunct eventually but so do most IT budgets and the 4900 series is hardly new (2005).

I also have my eye on a Dell M1000e Blade Chassis, the awesome thing about eBay is that there is always someone trying to sell an I.T object that in the standard world of eBay is worthless but outside of that in the I.T world is worth thousands, for example I can pickup a M600blade for £69 with dual quad core procs and 16GB of RAM yet to buy 16GB for a desktop system brand new would cost at least £100 let alone the motherboard and procs.
 
Just to add that I more than appreciate your replies, of course, so budget aside and the main counter being performance is the C4948-E the best option?
 
101001101 said:
Just to add that I more than appreciate your replies, of course, so budget aside and the main counter being performance is the C4948-E the best option?
Click to expand...

Yes. The 4948 has a huge port buffer so you won't ever drop iSCSI packets on it like you would something else (i.e. Dell/Netgear, basically anything SoHo).
 
Awesome - thanks - but of the two I listed, which one? the enhanced image model or the standard? does it matter in the context I have stated?

Thanks very much for your info
 
101001101 said:
Awesome - thanks - but of the two I listed, which one? the enhanced image model or the standard? does it matter in the context I have stated?

Thanks very much for your info
Click to expand...

Standard. Keep in mind the Enhanced is often just an IOS with more features.
 
Can you load the enhanced image on the standard switch like you can with a 3550? cheers
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top