Cisco Switches: Key Features and Buying Tips

Cisco is undoubtedly one of the biggest IT solution providers today. The company is known for being a leader in modern computing and networking, especially in the Cisco switch market. Cisco’s relevance is evident in the vast number of Cisco switches and services they offer.

The Basics of Cisco Switches

Cisco offers different switches based on the needs of the users. Two main categories of Cisco switches are Catalyst and Nexus. Nexus switches target data centers, while Catalyst switches cater to campus networks. In this article, we will focus on campus network switches and discuss the Nexus line of switches.

Campus Network Switches

Cisco uses two types of switches: switches with fixed configurations and switches with modular configurations. Below is a description of the differences between these two types:

• Fixed Configuration Switches: These switches do not allow for the addition of extra modules or the swapping out of parts.
• Modular Switches: These switches enable you to swap out and add additional modules.

It is important to understand that the cisco switch you will encounter in a network environment is determined by the network requirements. Below is a list of some of the most common Cisco campus switches. We’ll limit our discussion for now to just the top switches.

You’re more likely to see the Cisco Catalyst series 6500 and 6800 at the core layer. Switches like the Cisco Catalyst 6500 or Catalyst 6800 series can be used at the distribution layer for high-traffic networks.

Managed Switches

A number of switches can be classified as managed. Managed switches let the user configure the IP address of the device. Managed switches include the 2960-X switch, as well as the 3850-X and 4500-X. These switches have the advantage that you can connect to Secure Shell (SSH) or Telnet using your managed IP address.

Cisco Catalyst Series 3850-X (Modular Switches)

The Cisco Catalyst 3850-X switch series allows you to choose between Ethernet or fiber optic network modules and power supply modules. This series can be used in small or large organizations. If they do not have a distribution layer, smaller organizations can install the switch on the Core layer. In larger enterprise networks, the switch is placed at the Access Layer.

Programmable Switches

Cisco’s programmable switch range, found in its Catalyst 9000 line, is one of the latest types of switches. Cisco has used programmable switches to implement intent-based networking. These switches are equipped with a custom ASIC that is compatible with future technologies.

These switches are compatible with a platform that uses intent-based networking. They allow administrators to program network infrastructure to match the services and experiences they want to offer. For example, if a team needs to host a call with a customer, the video application will shape the network to meet the client’s requirements.

Intent-based networking combines the efforts of administrators and developers in a synergistic manner. It aims to provide better services to end users. Additionally, programmable switches offer network administrators the chance to automate routine tasks in network administration.

Cisco Switching Methods

Cisco IOS routers can forward packets in three different ways. The three methods are:

1. Process Switching: Router processor software is used to route packets and rewrite them. This method is the slowest because it’s not scalable.
2. Fast Switching (or Route Caching): In this method, the packets of a packet stream are routed by a route processor, and the packets following it are handled by hardware.
3. Cisco Express Forwarding (CEF): CEF utilizes hardware forwarding tables to handle the most common flows. The route processor can then focus on other tasks.

Cisco routers prioritize Cisco Express Forwarding when possible. Process switching can be used if fast switching or CEF is not possible. Process switching is not supported by most Cisco switches because their route processors are not designed for it. Most of the time, you will be using Cisco Express Forwarding and Fast Switching.

Switch LED Indicators for Performance Monitoring

Cisco Catalyst switch users will be familiar with the LED indicators that serve as performance indicators. The LEDs vary depending on the switch model. In this section, we’ve listed the most important LED indicators for the Cisco 2960 switch.

1. System LED

The System LED appears at the top of the LED lights. It indicates that the switch has been connected to an electrical source and is working correctly. A green light indicates the switch is working correctly, while amber means there is a problem with the connection. The LED light will be off when the switch is not connected correctly.

2. Redundant Power System (RPS) LED

This LED indicates the status of your Redundant Power System (RPS). Cisco uses the RPS to protect its switch against power outages that may damage it. The RPS will be running if the LED is green. If the RPS is not on, then the switch to the backup power source is not connected. A flashing green light indicates that the RPS has been connected but is powering another device. The amber LED indicates that the device is on standby. If this light blinks, it means that the device is not working, and the RPS will be providing backup power.

3. Port Status LED

The port status LED indicates when the Port Status mode is selected. The LED will be green when the port status mode is active, which is the default setting of the switch. Green LED lights indicate that data is being sent or received by the port. The LED will be completely off and inactive if the port is not active. If the LED alternates between green and amber, there is a fault. If the port is blocked, you will see an amber signal.

4. Port Duplex LED

The Port Duplex LED indicates when Port Duplex Mode is activated. A green light indicates that all ports are in half-duplex mode. A green LED indicates that the port has been set to full duplex.

5. Port Speed LED

The port speed LED indicates how fast your switch performs. If there is no LED light, the port operates at 10 Mb/s. Green LED lights indicate that a port is running at 100 Mb/s. Blinking green LED lights indicate that the port is running at 1000 Mb/s.

6. Power over Ethernet (PoE), Mode

The LED will light up when PoE mode is selected. If there is no LED, then PoE mode is not selected. Green LEDs indicate that PoE mode is active. Additional display colors will be shown on port LEDs with more information. The LED will alternate between amber and green if PoE is denied, meaning the switch cannot provide enough power to the device. If the amber LED blinks, PoE is not available due to a problem.

Cisco Catalyst Switches

Cisco Catalyst switches are designed specifically for enterprise networks. Cisco offers a wide range of campus network switches. Below are some of the most popular switches:

Cisco Catalyst 9000 Series

The Cisco Catalyst 9000 Series is Cisco’s new generation of switches. These switches were designed with the Cisco Unified Data Plane (UADP) and Application-Specific Integrated Circuits (ASIC). This results in switches that support Software-Defined Access (SD-Access), allowing users to quickly create and provision new services.

Cisco Catalyst 9500 Series

These campus switches have fixed-core platforms designed for IoT and cloud. They support MPLS, MVPN, and Layer 2/3 virtual networks. They also feature SD-Access capabilities and virtualized Cisco StackWise Virtual Technology.

Cisco Catalyst 9400 Series

The Cisco Catalyst 9400 Series offers modular enterprise switching. These switches can support up to 9 Tbps in system bandwidth and scale to up to 384 ports. This series offers Cisco DNA, SD-Access, and secure switching, providing scalability for larger organizations.

Cisco Catalyst 9300 Series

The Cisco Catalyst 9300 switches are stackable enterprise switch platforms supporting 802.11ax Wave 2 and 802.11ac. They feature StackWise Virtual Technology, supporting NSF/SSO Architecture, and are unique in supporting both front and rear-panel stacking.

Cisco Catalyst 6800 Series

The Cisco Catalyst 6800 Series is optimized for secure services at 1, 10, and 40 Gbps. These switches support Cisco’s DNA and SD-Access and are compatible with the Cisco Catalyst 6500-E chassis, making them ideal for scalable and secure solutions.

Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series

The Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series is considered a backbone switch known for its high performance and scalability. This series offers 44 ports, 40 GE, and 534 GE and supports Cisco DNA and SD-Access.

Cisco Catalyst 3650 and 3850 Series

The Cisco Catalyst 3650 and 3850 Series are stackable switches that can be used for wired and wireless data, voice, and video performance. They integrate wireless controllers with Layer 2 and 3 Access and fully support Cisco DNA and SD-Access. Multigigabit Ethernet maintains high performance.

Cisco Catalyst 2960-X/XR Series

The Cisco Catalyst 2960-X/XR Series are scalable switches for voice, data, and video. This series offers Layer 2 and 3 stacking, Layer 2 and 3 Access, and 10 Gbps uplinks SFP+. Dual redundant power supplies and built-in fans maintain the service.

Cisco Catalyst 4500E Series

The Cisco Catalyst 4500E Series are modular switches with a fixed core, designed for companies looking to scale. These switches are designed for services at 1 Gbps or 10 Gbps and fully support Cisco DNA and SD-Access.

Cisco Catalyst 2960-CX and 3560-CX Series

The Cisco Catalyst 2960-CX and 3560-CX Series have a fixed configuration aimed at enterprise users. These switches support 8 Gbps and 12 Gbps services and are capable of supporting Cisco FlexStack Plus. They can connect computers, IP phones, wireless access points, and surveillance cameras.

Cisco Catalyst 2960-L Series

The Cisco Catalyst 2960-L Series are fixed-configuration switches known for their reliability. This series comes in 8 ports up to 48 port configurations. The 8-port, 16-port, and 24-port versions are fanless. All versions are compatible with Power Over Ethernet (PoE).

Cisco Catalyst Digital Building Series

The Cisco Catalyst Digital Building switches have a fixed configuration designed for easy installation and network management. This series is fanless and operates silently, similar to the Cisco Catalyst 2960-L Series.

Nexus Data Center Switches

The Nexus series, as mentioned in the introduction of this article, was created with data centers at heart. This section will look at the best data center switches Cisco offers.

Cisco Nexus 9000 Series

The Cisco Nexus 9000 Series was designed to provide data centers with high performance and low latencies. These switches can be operated in two different modes: Cisco NX-OS Software and Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI). Cisco ACI is similar to an SDN solution, placing the application at the center. The result is a switch that is transparent, accessible, and secure.

Cisco Nexus 9200 Series

The Nexus 9200 platform is built with switches that have a fixed configuration to support different connectivities. These switches support connectivity at speeds of 1, 10, 25, 40, and 50 Gbps. Cisco’s Nexus 9200 Series also runs the Cisco NX-OS software operating system.

Cisco Nexus 9300, 9300-EX, 9300-FX, and 9300-F2 Series

The Cisco Nexus 9300 series uses ASIC and was created with the sole purpose of cloud-based deployments. The architecture is highly scalable and supports both Cisco NX-OS and Cisco ACI.

Cisco Nexus 9500 Series

The Cisco Nexus 9500 Series is one of Cisco’s most versatile switch series. Three modular options are available:

• Cisco Nexus 9504 switch includes four slots
• Cisco Nexus 9508 switch includes eight slots
• Cisco Nexus 9516 switch includes 16 slots

These switches support 1, 10, 25, 40, and 50 gigabit Ethernet interfaces.

Cisco Nexus 7000 Series

The Cisco Nexus 7000 Series includes modular switches with Cisco NX-OS. What makes this series unique is the open-source tools which can be structured and programmed according to a software platform’s needs. This series has the advantage of being one of the most scalable switches available on the market thanks to its distributed fabric architecture.

Cisco Nexus 5000 Series

These switches are designed to deliver 10/40 Gigabit Ethernet at Layers 2 and 3. This series comes with Cisco NX-OS and offers a scalable environment. The Cisco Nexus 5600 and 5500 platforms are included in the 5000 series. This series is capable of supporting up to 2304 ports via a single domain.

Cisco Nexus 3000 Series

The Cisco Nexus 3000 Series is known for its low-latency service. These switches are designed to deliver a reliable experience for Layers 2 and 3. They are ideal for cloud services and scalable data centers.

Cisco Catalyst Switches

This concludes our Cisco switch guide. As you can see, there are many options in the Catalyst series and Nexus series. You can find out more about Cisco switches by clicking this link.

You can select from the following Cisco switches:

• LAN Access (LAN Digital Building)
• LAN Core and Distribution (LAN Core and Distribution)
• Data Center (Cloud-Scale Data Center)
• Industrial Ethernet
• Small Business

These switches are similar in some ways, but we recommend the Catalyst series if you work in an office or enterprise environment. These switches were designed specifically for these settings and are not too complicated.

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