Network design/hardware question

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Hi all,

Wondering if anyone can give me some recommendations, or point me in the right direction for more info.

Got a 3 tier design to do, to support 3200 users on various floors and rooms at the access layer with 1gb minimum to the desktop. I was thinking of using all 2960s for the access switches.
CISCO WS-C2960S-48TD-L - Cisco Catalyst 2960S-48TD-L - switch - 48 ports - Managed - rack-mountable

These support 10gbe uplinks, 2x10gb sfp+ and flextstack. Am I right in saying the 2x sfp+ are just two empty slots? And ill need to buy one or two transceivers for this single switch depending on how many I need? So this would provide two separate 10Gbe uplinks on this one switch?

Flexstack has a max support for 4 switches, so in cabinets where I have 9 switches I would need to have two stacks and a single unit? Can stacks be linked together? My original plan was using stackwise (as it supports 9 max) and having one 10Gbe uplink on the bottom of the stack and one on the top connecting to a distribution switch. Not sure how I can do this now with flexstack. Any ideas?

Thanks for any info

 

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With so many switches would you perhaps not be better going down the Catalyst 6500 route? I am not a networking person myself but it seems to me that it may be something to look in to.

 

I was thinking of those or the nexus for the core and distribution as they will be able to take all the 10ge uplinks. Deciding on the 2960s for access because of the cost (budget to stick to) otherwise I would of went for the 3750s as they support 9 switches in a stack. A 6500 would be to big for each cabinet I think as some areas only need 2 x48 port switches for access.

 

Not sure if you've considered it yet and what your business' plans are, but you may also want to bear in mind IPV6 features and compatibility. May not be an issue for you, but obviously lots of companies at the moment are migrating so worth a thought, even if it's something you can go back to the money men with to get a better budget for better equipment and so on.

 

For that type of network I would look at deploying Juniper EX switches.

Get them linked up in a Virtual Chasis, they are by far designed for corporate enterprise performance, however will cost more money in the long. I believe we had a few spec'd up at our place, came to just under 5G each for the Ex4200 model.