What to use for downstream switch?

[c4vette]

Hi all, just starting to understand what blades can do for us so yes, another newbie question. I have trouble to choose in what type of interconnect to use for the network connection. Suppose I want to use the HP 1/10 VC ethernet module. What would you use for a downstream switch capable of handling the 10Gb connection. And if I were to implement a second module for redundancy, should I connect this module to the same switch? Ed

[chopper3]

It depends on what switches you already have, how many blade enclosures you'll be getting etc. In many ways the 'perfect' mix is Cisco Nexus 7000's with the Flex-10 VC modules but you can very easily integrate the 'normal' VC inters with Cat 6x00's using XFPs or over CX4. Oh and I would personally always have a second inter/switch combo for resilience.

[c4vette]

Thanks for the reply chopper3, we have no switch yet; it is a new to built network in a new building. There will only be one enclosure, probably a c7000. This one will be too large for now but will give room for future growth of the company. A Cisco Nexus 7000 will be 'too much' for our needs and budget. Our company has less then 100 employees and will grow no bigger then 200 in the next 10 years. So it will probably better to use a 1G-switch and use the 8 1Gb ports to link to a 3560 we were thinking of as an aggregate-switch to connect to several 2960's on the other (4) floors. The only drawback I can think of is that the 'backbone' will also be no faster than 1Gb. We will seek advise locally because this is beyond my expertise.