Cisco Vs. Enterasys Switches

Discussion in 'Routing & Switching' started by jpblock82, Mar 9, 2006.

  1. jpblock82

    jpblock82 New Member

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    Ok, so at work I have to figure out the differences between Cisco switches and others (Enterasys, Stomp, etc) switches.

    I've been able to find plenty of info, but my main question is...

    the company asking about the enterasys products are currently running a HP 4000M.

    What sort of change-over am I looking at here? Going from a HP switch to a Enterasys? Will replacing the 4000M mean replacing the core of the network as well, to gain all the benefits of the Enterasys gear?

    I just need a brakedown of what the differences are between different manufacturers, cisco vs. enterasys vs. snort, etc....any info-filled links you guys can lead me to would be super helpful!!

    Thanks!
     
  2. Bluerinse
    Honorary Member

    Bluerinse Exabyte Poster

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    Sob, I don't get to play with these cool toys :cry:

    Bump - anyone else got any answers for jpblock82?
     
    Certifications: C&G Electronics - MCSA (W2K) MCSE (W2K)
  3. simongrahamuk
    Honorary Member

    simongrahamuk Hmmmmmmm?

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    I think that it depends on what you are going to be doing with the switches? What type of LAN are they going to be implemented on? is it subnetted, do you use managed switch facilities?

    I don't get to play with these things much either, but they are questions that you should be asking when considering upgrading your infrastructure.

    8)
     
  4. Pete01

    Pete01 Kilobyte Poster

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    I don't get to play with this stuff either but what occurs to me is the whole issue of how the different gear talks to each other.

    I learnt a fair amount about how STP and VLAN info gets communicated around a network of switches and that all Cisco switches will be better off using a Cisco proprietry 'hello protocol' whereas if you've got a mixed environment you need to use a universal one.

    If you're comparing 2 non Cisco products to each other I don't really know. If they're using their own proprietary encapsulation protocols to communicate VLAN and STP info you'll need to plan for that , get back ups of your configs and really not get it wrong.

    I only really learnt about Cisco and non Cisco issues when getting different devices to talk to each other, I'd probably apply the same way of thinking to a network moving over from 1 manufacturer to another..

    Sorry can't be much more help than that.
     
    Certifications: MCP (NT4) CCNA
    WIP: 70-669, Learning MSI packaging
  5. jpblock82

    jpblock82 New Member

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    Ok, that's perfect. That's the help I need, the questions to ask. example, one company has 2 HP 4000M, with 100 10/100MB ports each. They want to match that, but with a better product, (ie, cisco, or enterasys). They state that some security is being met, but on the low side. I guess my questions seem a little redundent, since I don't have all the info, but I have a conferance call with them tommarrow and need help with...those CORE questions every IT guy needs to ask a potential client.

    Sorry to seem like an amature, I'm in section 3 of my CCNA, and now at work they want me to get familier with a totally different product, I'm just scattered with questions, what's the diff between them? I know cisco has lots of their own proriertary stuff, ie, the IOS they use, certain protocols, igrp, eigrp, etc...blah blah....

    So to clarify my Q...what are the biggest best questions to ask these companies that are considering new products?

    Thanks again!
     
  6. hbroomhall

    hbroomhall Petabyte Poster Gold Member

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    My first comeback is :

    In what way 'better'? What are the deficiencies that you have identified that are lacking?
    (Translation - in managementspeak - what do you think that others have that is sexy - even though you have no clue - that you want to change)

    What security concerns are not being met? (I was told by a guy in the pole-dancing club about some problem, but nobody has heard of this (possibly because he was drunk)).

    Harry the cynical.
     
    Certifications: ECDL A+ Network+ i-Net+
    WIP: Server+
  7. Bluerinse
    Honorary Member

    Bluerinse Exabyte Poster

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    Certifications: C&G Electronics - MCSA (W2K) MCSE (W2K)
  8. jpblock82

    jpblock82 New Member

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    To hbroomhall, awesome. I guess being offered a position in networking after only being in school for 1.5 semesters has me scatterbrained. I was wondering the same, why do these companies feel that their current infrastructure isnt good enough, what do they expect to gain, money to spend, etc...

    thanks for getting my brain working.....

    Bluerinse:

    Sweet! Thats gonna help alot, thanks!
     
  9. hbroomhall

    hbroomhall Petabyte Poster Gold Member

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    Glad to have helped there!

    I often find it useful to go back to the beginning and ask "What are we trying to do here". It frequently helps you come up with alternatives.

    Harry.
     
    Certifications: ECDL A+ Network+ i-Net+
    WIP: Server+
  10. jpblock82

    jpblock82 New Member

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    really stupid question..

    Considering Enterasys Dragon IDS/IPS, it utilizes a unix-based os, ie solaris 10.

    How would this affect a network using win advanced server? Is there a certain way to put these o/s's together within a network.
     
  11. Bluerinse
    Honorary Member

    Bluerinse Exabyte Poster

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    I don't think it matters, they will interoperate using the parameters set down by any given network protocol, say TCP/IP for example. The network protocol acts as a kind of translator, so they will speak the same language.
     
    Certifications: C&G Electronics - MCSA (W2K) MCSE (W2K)
  12. Phoenix
    Honorary Member

    Phoenix 53656e696f7220 4d6f64

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    The reason the majority of cisco gear has the option to use proprietary protocols is because Cisco generally leads the way with developments, what starts off as a cisco protocol generally gets adjusted and ratified as an RFC

    take ISL for instance, the IEEE altered it slightly and created 802.1q

    The cisco product however supports both, you dont need to use the cisco proprietary protocols generally
     
    Certifications: MCSE, MCITP, VCP
    WIP: > 0

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