[c-nsp] Catalyst vs. Nexus

[Todd, Douglas M.]

A few other thoughts on the Nexus difference from a 6500 based on my experience
since I am still learning the 7K platform:


1) MPLS the 7K is VRF Light syle
2) Application of an access-list by doing a tftp->run (with out removing the acl
which is applied to the interface) is extremely taxing in the system and very
slow. The Nexus seems to recompile the ACL after each line there are work
arounds vs have the acl upload completely and recompile once.
3) Nexus STP is RSTP not pvst+
4) The TACACS implimentation of this platform seems incomplete. 
	TACACS is useable, but local-admin accounts must be configured and used
for configuration.
5) The layout of the configuration is different (as someone mentioned)
	Features must be enabled (ie., ospf,tacacs must be enabled by using
'feature ???') if ospf feature is not enabled, it can't be used until it's
enabled (not configured).
	OSPF is configured mostly under the interface (passive-interface,
process # vs globally)
	HSRP is configured like an interface where you enable the hsrp #, then
you are in a config-hsrp# mode where you then finish the hsrp config. HSRP is
not just configured under "router(conf-if)#"
6) QoS you specify the queueing structure (ie., 1P2q4T) and not the queueing or
scheduling or thresholds.  Obviously there is the ability to tweak the QoS, but
the base config viewing is much simpler
7) Obviously there are many hardware differences (Resilient Sups which are
better than the dual-sup on the 6500),  transfering the configuration from a
6500 to a 7K (ie., replacing a 6500 with a 7K) is pretty challenging. Think of
it from going from CatOS to CATIOS and having to create a script to migrate your
config (trunk, vrf) to the 7K.

Just some thoughts...

DMT
	
-----Original Message-----
From: cisco-nsp-bounces at puck.nether.net
[mailto:cisco-nsp-bounces at puck.nether.net] On Behalf Of Nick Hilliard
Sent: Wednesday, September 09, 2009 6:12 AM
To: cisco-nsp at puck.nether.net
Subject: Re: [c-nsp] Catalyst vs. Nexus

On 09/09/2009 09:08, Arie Vayner (avayner) wrote:
> There are a few differences between Catalyst switches and Nexus 
> switches.

The nexus n5k / n2k switches are a completely different architecture which use
different software.  I haven't played with them, but they show promise.

> Another major difference is the integration of Nexus 2000 Fabric 
> Extenders with Nexus 5000 switches. The Nexus 2000 switches basically 
> act as remote (over 10Gig fiber) "linecards" of the Nexus 5000. This 
> allows deploying top of the rack switches without the additional 
> management overhead:

The N2K only support 1000 connections, not 10/100.  So if you have slower speed
kit like console servers or tiny boxes or whatever, you will need to cope with
these separately.  This is noted obliquely in the documentation:

> http://www.cisco.com/en/US/prod/collateral/switches/ps9441/ps10110/dat
> a_sheet_c78-507093.html

> Layer 2 Features
[...]
> * Autonegotiation to 1000BASE-T; full duplex on host interfaces

Nick
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