With so many options available, choosing the right Cisco switch for your business can be tricky!
To help narrow your choices down a bit, we've put together an updated Cisco switch selector. This quick guide should give you a good idea what your options are in the Cisco line, and suggest which product families to investigate further.
Cisco Switch Selector: Finding Your Best Cisco Options
Cisco 2960X
The Cisco 2960X may be among the most affordable of Cisco switches, but that doesn't mean it skimps on quality. This Layer 2 / Layer 3 switch has static routing, 24 or 48 ports, your choice of either four 1-Gigabit or two 10-Gigabit uplinks, and optional PoE/PoE+ support.
A 2960X can be an excellent starter switch for a small business, or a flexible go-anywhere unit for larger businesses. FlexStack support means scalability is simple.
Cisco 2960XR
There are only two significant differences between the 2960X and the 2960XR lines: Cisco 2960XR brings support for the IP Lite IOS software set, with dynamic routing, and it allows for hot-swappable battery replacement. This makes the XR better-suited for larger or more mission-critical environments.
Cisco 2960CX
The Cisco 2960CX series is the smallest, lightest, and most quiet. These self-contained fanless units are designed to go anywhere, and are particularly well-suited for portable use, such as at trade shows and conferences. They include four Gigabit uplinks, and eight Ethernet ports, and are also a good choice for small startups.
Cisco 3650
The Cisco 3650 is one of their most popular lines, boasting a good balance of speed, options, and affordability. With up to forty-eight Ethernet ports and four 10-Gigabit uplinks, they provide plenty of bandwidth, with FlexStack stacking options. Support for Cisco's Unified Access Data Plane and Cisco ONE give it superior integration potential.
Each 3650 also includes a software WiFi controller, making them effective as the top-rack solution for a growing SMB which can also move into secondary roles as your business expands.
Cisco 3560CX
An upgraded version of the 2960CX, the Cisco 3560CX line packs surprising speed into portable, silent packages. They include up to two 10-Gigabit uplinks, as well as twelve Ethernet ports, with options for PoE as well as static or dynamic routing.
As such, they're great for a range of implementations in small offices, portable applications, or ad-hoc devices that move around a business as needed.
Cisco 3850
The Cisco 3850 is a powerful switch line intended for medium-to-large scale organizations. You get up to 40Gbps of backplane per unit, with support for StackWise-480 stacking of up to twelve units at once. Uplinks are modular, to allow a wide variety of copper and fiber options. Superior software support brings easy systems integration and granular packet control.
Two model variations even allow for 24 SFP+ ports, making this an effective aggregation solution for fiber-focused operations. Additionally, all models include a WiFi controller capable of managing up to 50 access points.
Cisco 4500
As the most widely-deployed modular access chassis in the industry, the Cisco 4500 is the go-to choice for global businesses, universities, government bodies, and other organizations in need of the best combination of speed, scalability, and the capacity for thousands of users. Switching capacity goes up to 928Gbps, and robust software options allow for a true Cisco Borderless Network across large geographic areas.
The modular design helps keep costs down, while focusing each unit on your specific needs.
Need More Help?
If you need more information than this Cisco switch selector can provide, just contact Hummingbird Networks and receive a free future-focused consultation on your options, direct from our fully-certified Cisco specialists.
