Cisco Nexus 9500 vs Cisco Catalyst 6500

1/10GbE
INTRO
As the Nexus 9500 is a pure Data Center switch,
there are 1/10Gbase-T and 1/10GbE SFP+ linecards
The Nexus 9500 and Catalyst 6500 are both highly
available. The Catalyst 6500 platform, which is
reliable core switches but serve a different purpose.
aimed for the campus, still focusses on pure gigabit
Catalyst 6500 Switching platform is a perfect fit for
interfaces but also has 10GbE linecards for connecting
the campus core/backbone, where the Nexus 9500
the aggregation/access switches.
Switching Series is aimed for the Data Center core/
aggregation. The Nexus 9500 can run in both classic
But for 10GbE, the Nexus 9500 has a number of
NX-OS or ACI mode; Cisco‘s next generation Application
high-density 10GbE options available that the
Centric Infrastructure.
Catalyst 6500 does not, such as a 48-port SFP+ as well
as a 48 port 10GBase-T line cards. The Catalyst 6500
ARCHITECTURE
only has 4-, 8-, or 16-port 10GbE line cards available.
The Catalyst 6500 supports both centralized forwarding,
where the supervisor makes the forwarding decision, or
FEATURES
distributed forwarding, where the line card makes the
Both the Nexus 9500 and Catalyst 6500 share a
forwarding decision. Cisco Nexus 9500 Series performs
common set of high-end L3 switching features,
all data plane processing on the I/O modules and
such as full routing protocol support and QoS
fabric modules. This frees up the supervisor to focus
capabilities. However, each platform has unique
exclusively on scaling the control plane, which is
capabilities that often influence which platform to
important in large scale Data Centers.
use. Below are some platform-specific features:
SWITCH FABRIC
VSS (Virtual Switching System)
Virtual Switching System (VSS) mode is a Cisco
The Nexus 9500 has the switch fabric or fabric modules
clustering technology that join two Catalyst 6500
located in a separate part of the chassis, independent
Series Switches into a single virtual switch with a
of other cards. Due to this architecture, the Nexus 9500
unified control plane. The advantage of this design
supervisors are only managing the control plane.
is a multi-chassis link aggregation and high availability
The linecards on the the Catalyst 6500 are integrated in
without Spanning Tree concerns. VSS members are
the switch fabric onto the supervisor itself.
connected by virtual switch links (VSLs) using standard
INTERFACES Gigabit or 10 Gigabit Ethernet connections between
the VSS members.
100GbE
VSS simplifies network configuration and operation
The Nexus 9500 platform has a 8-port 100 Gigabit
by providing a loop-free Layer 2 topology using two
Ethernet CFP2 line card, designed for use in an
Catalyst 6500 switches acting as one big Virtual
aggregation switch role.
switch.
40GbE
vPC (Virtual Port-Channel)
The modern Data Centers are going from a 10GbE to a
A virtual PortChannel (vPC) allows links that are
40GbE transition and the Nexus 9500 support different
physically connected to two different Cisco Nexus
40GbE QSFP+ line cards. The Catalyst 6500 now also
devices to appear as a single PortChannel to a third
has the possibility to add a 40GbE line card.
device. The third device can be a switch, server, or any is an innovative architecture that radically simplifies,
other networking device that supports EtherChannel. optimizes, and accelerates the entire application
A vPC provides Layer 2 multipathing, eliminates deployment lifecycle.
Spanning Tree Protocol blocked ports, allows you to
create redundancy by increasing bandwidth, enabling Cisco ACI uses a holistic systems-based approach,
multiple parallel paths between nodes and traffic load with tight integration between physical and virtual
balancing in cases in which alternative paths exist. vPC, elements, an open ecosystem model, and innovation-
compared to VSS, doens’t rely on a unified control spanning application-specific integrated circuits
plane so they operate independently. (ASICs), hardware, and software. This unique approach
uses a common policy-based operating model across
Service Modules ACI-ready network, and security elements (computing,
The Catalyst 6500 platform has the capability to add a storage in future), overcoming IT silos and drastically
number of service module line cards that can extend reducing costs and complexity.
the capabilities of the system. Some examples of
service modules are the ASA-SM card, which provides Cisco ACI redefines the power of IT, enabling IT
high throughput firewall capabilities, ACE cards that to be more responsive to changing business and
provide load-balancing or Wireless Service Controllers, application needs, enhancing agility, and adding
that are able to manage up to 1000 Access Points. business value.

WAN and Services Interfaces SOFTWARE AND LICENSING

Through the use of the Shared Port Adapter Interface
Processor (SIP) Modules, the Catalyst 6500 can support IOS is running on the Catalyst 6500 plaform, providing
a wide range of WAN interfaces, allowing great the same CLI command set as any other Catalyst
flexibility in how the switch can be used. For applications Switch. The licensing is based on the software
that demand fine-grained QoS or additional Ethernet version you buy (Advanced Enterprise vs Advanced IP
services, some of the 7600 Ethernet Services cards are services, …).
also supported.
The Nexus 9500 runs NX-OS, a full-featured, modular,
Fabric Extenders and scalable network operating system has a easy
The Nexus 9500 supports the use of the Nexus licensing scheme. The 9500 platform has only two
2200/2300 Series Fabric Extenders to expand the licenses available in NX-OS mode: L3 enterprise
system ports and provide a large-scale virtual chassis license (OSFP, BGP, L3 IS-IS, PIM, GRE, VXLAN, EIGRP,
in the data center. Fabric Extenders can be seen as a BGP eVPN,…) and the Network Services license which
remote linecard and are managed by the Nexus 9500, enables Intelligent Traffic Director (ITD), a layer 4 load
which simplifies administration/management. balancing mechanism.

VXLAN and ACI MORE INFO

The Nexus 9500 has support for Virtual Extensible LAN
(VXLAN; an overlay network protocol) bridging and For more information about Data Center Solutions,
routing, supporting and accelerating communication contact your local Comstor Account Manager.
between virtual and physical servers across multiple
data centers. http://www.leapintodatacenter.com

The Nexus 9000 series support both the classic NX-OS Wouter De Prins
mode and the ACI (Application Centric Infrastrucure) Product Manager DC&V EMEA
mode. Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI) Email: [email protected]