Logic in switch product names?

[RicN]

Perhaps a stupid question, but is there any logic in the names of the Procurve switches?

On some switches the last two numbers seems to indicate the number of ethernet ports and in others the number of module slots, but is that always correct?

Does the first two digits in the name has any meaning? Like 25xx, 26xx, 53xx and so on?

What is the difference between switches with ZL, YL, XL, VL in the product names?

[Matt Hobbs]

There is some logic to it, but who knows how long it will be before that logic changes again and a new naming convention is invented. The ZL, YL, etc, just indicate what type of modules are suitable for that type of switch.

If we look at the current product range:

Stackables:
1400 un managed
1700 web managed
1800 web managed
2600 fully managed lite L3
2610 fully managed lite L3
2800 fully managed lite L3
2810 fully managed
2900 fully managed, lite L3 + RIP
3400 fully mangaged, full L3
3500 fully managed, full L3 (with license)
6400 fully managed, full L3 (with license)
6200 fully managed, full L3 (with license)

Chassis:
5300 fully managed, full L3, chassis
5400 fully managed, full L3, (license) chassis
8212 fully managed, full L3, chassis

The newer products generally do the 3500yl-48G type of format, 3500 indicating the model, yl the expansion slot type, and 48G indicating the ports (48) and speed (Gig).

Older products like the 2626, or the 2848, indicated the series and port numbers only.

The older chassis were 5304XL, series (53), number of slots (04), type of modules (XL)

[RicN]

Thank you for a good answer!

I now have some more questions:

Some switches (26xx, 2800, 2900) you have written "Lite L3", and I am interested in the difference from the "full L3". Is it the support for routing protocols like RIP and OSPF, or is it a matter of L3 throughput, or other things?

On the 3500, 6200 and 6400 you have noted full L3 with license, how does that work? What is included and what do you have to obtain a license to use?

[Matt Hobbs]

Lite L3 is just static routing. (Only a handful of them too depending on which model).

Full L3 is static, RIP, OSPF, XRRP/VRRP and PIM

With the 3500/5400, you get static and RIP standard, but need the premium edge license for OSPF, VRRP, PIM.

[RicN]

>With the 3500/5400, you get static and RIP
>standard, but need the premium edge license
>for OSPF, VRRP, PIM.

Ok! On other switch models that do support OSPF and VRRP, can you use these protocols without extra license?

[Matt Hobbs]

Noticed a couple of errors in my first list, I'll try again:

Stackables:
1400 un managed
1700 web managed
1800 web managed
2600 fully managed lite L3
2610 fully managed lite L3
2800 fully managed lite L3
2810 fully managed
2900 fully managed, lite L3 + RIP
3400 fully mangaged, full L3
3500 fully managed, full L3 (with license)
6400 fully managed, full L3
6200 fully managed, full L3

Chassis:
5300 fully managed, full L3, chassis
5400 fully managed, full L3, (license) chassis
8212 fully managed, full L3, chassis

The 8212/5400/6200/3500 run the exact same software image, but the 8212 and the 6200 come with the premium edge license pre-installed.

The older 5300/3400/6400 all come standard with RIP, OSPF, PIM-DM and XRRP (similar to VRRP but not compatible, (HP propriety)).

[RicN]

Thank you Matt for the answers!

>2810 fully managed

I noticed that this switch has neither Lite or Full L3 routing in your list, does that mean that is has no routing support at all?

When speaking of L3 routing performance, can I look at the same throughput parameters on a switch as L2 forwarding, or is there other parameters that defines the performance of L3 routing?

And finaly one more question on the switch names, if you bare with me.. :)

Does the name (first two numbers) give any clue to the age of the switch model? That is, is newer switches always higher than older (say 5400 is newer than 2800?)

[Matt Hobbs]

2810 is L2 only which was a bit a surprise for me too when it came out considering that the original 2800 supported at least a few static routes.

L2-L3 routing performance, is meant to be the same with all ProCurve routing-switches since this is performed in hardware within the ASIC.

For the age question, it does hold true in the family type of sense: e.g. 2600>2610, 2800>2810, 5300>5400.

[RicN]

Thanks again for your answers!

>For the age question, it does hold true in
>the family type of sense: e.g. 2600>2610,
>2800>2810, 5300>5400.

But you could not be sure that, for example, the 5400 model is newer than the 2610?

Do you know if there is any "time line" available somewhere with the switchmodels and the year of release?

(I am trying to get a overview of the Procurve products and it is interesting to know approximatly which models are the oldest / newest.)

[Matt Hobbs]

2610 is actually newer than the 5400, but it's in a different class of switch so newer doesn't mean better!

I agree a good time line of product release would help. Good idea for the ProCurve wiki... Apart from that you can only guy by the numbers within the switch class.

e.g.
2600 is older than the 2610
2800 is older than the 2810
3400 is older than the 3500
5300 is older than the 5400