Buying a Converged/FCoE Switch?

I felt the urge to write this article after receiving several inquiries about buying used Cisco Nexus 5010 and Nexus 5020 switches because they are available on some third-party site at large discounts – at least compared to the new Cisco Nexus switches. First, let me mention that both of these switches are EOL. Second, as I always say, whether the switch will work for you or not will depend on your network requirements. Let me mention a few things here to take into consideration when looking at some of these old EOL switches when the thought of saving some $$$$ overwhelm you.

USED EOL SWITCHES – NOT RECOMMENDED

Cisco Nexus 5010:

– 1 RU
– 20 x fixed linerate 10 GbE ports
– supports DCB and FCoE
– one expansion module (supports FC, Ethernet, and FCoE ports)
– only the first 8 ports can be used for both 1 GbE and 10 GbE

Cisco Nexus 5020:

– 2 RU
– 40 x fixed linerate 10 GbE ports
– supports DCB and FCoE
– one expansion module (supports FC, Ethernet, and FCoE ports)
– only the first 8 ports can be used for both 1 GbE and 10 GbE

Shortcomings on Cisco Nexus 5010 and 5020 switches:

– No layer 3 module available
– No FabricPath/TRILL technology
– No Adapter-FEX
– No VM-FEX
– No reversible airflow

If you’re looking for a cheap used solution or just looking for something to get your hands wet with while playing with Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE), you can give the EOL switches a try as long as you’re okay with no or limited technical support if issues arise.

If you’re looking for a robust converged switch with more features, I would consider one of the below. I’ve tried listing a switch from each of the major vendors.

All of the below provide FCoE-FC bridging capabilities. There will be differences of course in port-count, other features, and licensing. For example, the new Dell S5000 converged switch is the only switch that provides a completely modular design where Ethernet/FC supported modules (12 ports each) can be inserted in up to four bays. 4 x 40 GbE fixed ports which can each be broken out into 4 x 10 GbE are also provided.

BETTER RECOMMENDED OPTIONS:

1. Dell S5000
2. Cisco Nexus 5548UP or 5596UP
3. Brocade VDX 6720 or 6730
4. Juniper QFX3500