Need Suggestions on a 2920 -24G / 48G replacement reccomendation

[DSheppard]

Need some suggestions / reccomendations...

We have used many of the 2920 24G / 48G switches with option J9731A 10G SFP+ modules for use as 10G NIC ports and 10G trunk ports. Along with the external backup power supply. There has been no need of POE support.

I have been looking at the 2930F but due to a single power supply it is lower on my list for use.

The 2930M with redundant Power Supplies is promising. My concern is that the 2930M appears to only support 1 stacking module (JL325A) and 1 uplink module JL078/JL081A/JL083A.

For most of our designs with the 2920 we would use 2 J9731A option modules for the uplink and as 10G port to servers. This reduced the single point of failure with the uplink ports and 10G port to the servers. The trunks/uplinks are to existing customer networks and other 2920 hardware in our deployed network. There could be from 2 - 6 deployed 2920's in the system.

If I understand the 2930M archtecture I only see the availability for a single 4 port module as an option, if correct this appears to be a single point of failure that we will need to consider. Though in all of the deployed 2920 networks I'm not aware of a single J9731A failure.

My current thinking is to use the 2930M -24G JL319A or -48G JL321A with JL083A 4 port 10G SFP+ module, my problem is confirming the the JL083A is a valid option for these switches. I chated with Aruba sales and told they were not...

Also are there any other Aruba hardware options that I should be considering?

Thanks Dana

[parnassus · Accepted solution]

Hello Dana,

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DSheppard wrote: My current thinking is to use the 2930M -24G JL319A or -48G JL321A with JL083A 4 port 10G SFP+ module, my problem is confirming the the JL083A is a valid option for these switches. I chated with Aruba sales and told they were not...

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Why the JL083A (aka Aruba 3810M/2930M 4-port 100M/1G/10G SFP+ MACsec Module) shouldn't be considered a valid option (generally speaking) if it is clearly supported by Aruba 2930M Switch series [*] as per its QuickSpecs?

As you already verified, the Aruba 2930M Switch series, as a replacement of Aruba 2920 Switch series (and despite it offers up 2 removeable Power Supply units) is limited with regard to optional modules slots on the backplane: you have just one free slot for uplink module (choice between JL078A, JL081A or JL083A) and one free slot entirely dedicated to stacking module (the JL325A: 2 stacking ports)...so you're stuck [**] with these configuration capabilities (the single uplink module slot, as you wrote, can be a limit especially if you want to avoid SPoF at uplink module level by using two of them on the same chassis to distribute their links making them more resilient against an uplink module failure).

[*] and also by Aruba 3810M Switch series.

[**] and that configuration is quite similar if you look at bigger Aruba 3810M (2 PS, 1 stacking module slot, 1 uplink module slot) with a specific exception: the Aruba 3810M 16 SFP+ plus 2 Slots Switch (JL075A) which provides up to 2 slots for uplink modules, the "downside" is that it offers expressly 16 SFP+ ports frontplane. On the stacking side the Aruba 3810M uses a 4 ports stacking module (Aruba 2930M instead uses a 2 ports stacking modules).

Last minute edit: please note that JL083A is supported by Aruba 2930M running WC.16.04.0004 (released March, 2017 as the initial WC.16.04 software branch version) as minimum software version; as of today WC.16.04.0010 is available.