Cisco Catalyst 2960-X Series: Small-Size Campus Switches

Cisco Catalyst 2960-X series switches are the lay 2 and lay 3 access switches. They can support advantages like dual core, Gigabit Ethernet access, FlexStack-Plus and easy-deployment for enterprises. They are also energy-saving devices which consume a few energy power.

Cisco FlexStack-Plus is supported by the Cisco Catalyst 2960-X Series and allows the stacking of up to eight switches, with a throughput of 80 gigabits per second. We can manage only one switch instead of doing the same work on every switch. It saves our precious time much, doesn’t it?

Compare to similar 2960 series

Just talking about 2960X is the best series of 2960 family or giving many praises may not persuade you. Let’s compare directly.

Cisco 2960-X Switch Compare Models

Cisco Catalyst 2960X series supports many models. We can view next table to learn.

Cisco Catalyst 2960-X Series Configurations

Cisco FlexStack-Plus

Cisco FlexStack-Plus is a hot-swappable, modular stacking solution that provides a true stacking capability, with all switches acting as a single switching unit with a unified data plane, using a single IP address. Next figure shows the feature of this technology.

“Mix & match series” means that 2960-X switches can stack with 2960-S or 2960-SF switches, up to 4 switches. Only the same feature set can stack together. LAN Base switches must stack with LAN base switches when LAN Base switches can’t stack with IP Services switches.

FlexStack-Plus are supported by the Cisco Catalyst 2960-X Series while 2960S series support FlexStack. FlexStack-Plus is more powerful than FlexStack. Next table shows the comparison.

Cisco Catalyst 2960X Product Code Rule

Last, we should learn how to read the product code. What on earth do those figures mean? Let’s take WS-C2960X-24TS-L for example.

According to this figure, we can know WS-C2960X-24TS-L is a Cisco Catalyst 2960X series Ethernet LAN base switch with 2 or 4 SFP uplinks. Other Cisco Catalyst switches’ product codes follow this rule.

Summary

Switch is the device for us to connect our various devices in our company. For our PC, IP phones...connecting the network, we need a switch with good quality. Without doubt that Cisco Catalyst 2960X series switches are the true selection. The series makes small-size campus deploy network more flexible.

Reference

1. Cisco Catalyst 2960-X Series Switches Overview
2. Cisco Catalyst 2960-X Series Switches- Compare to models
3. Cisco Catalyst 2960-X Series Switches Datasheet