Cisco SG 500 vs. Cisco 2960 – SMB collection vs Cisco Catalyst collection
If you are on the Market for a managed switch that offers a great foundation for your business network, then Cisco switches are a good place to start. Take a look at our Cisco SG 500 vs. Cisco 2960: a beginner friendly comparison and review for simple switching solutions for your business. Enjoy.
Running a small to midsized enterprise network is pretty taxing considering all the moving parts involved this operation. Cisco carries various networking solutions, all of which are specifically made to match the high demand needs of a growing operation.
Both the SG 500 and 2960 offer reasonable features for simple operation, management and performance within your network. The hard part is choosing which one is a better solution. Take a look as we review the product highlights from each feature, and compare both series in a bid to determine which of these Switching solution Series is better for your enterprise class needs.
Table of Contents
What are the differences between Cisco SG 500 and Cisco 2960?
Cisco SG 500 |
Cisco 2960 |
|
Layer Switching |
Layer2 and Layer 3 |
Layer 2 |
Application |
Growing businesses |
Growing businesses- demanding business environments |
Primary management tools |
Textview CLI with web based management tools |
CLI, CNA, Cisco Works |
Cisco IOS |
– |
Available as LAN Base and LAN Lite |
Cisco SG 500 vs. Cisco 2960- How these two compare
Scalability
A scalable network is one which allows growth within said network. Many features have the ability to grow a network: including stacking features. Stacking switches is not only a convenience feature, but it allows users to control Switches on a stack as one unit. The Cisco SG 500 collection is capable of Stacking, which allows their respective users to benefit from the use of stacking capabilities. This is not the case for the original 2960 collection which is a standalone collection of devices.
Management tools
Among the key features to look out for on Switch reviews is the manageability/ ease of management conferred to these devices. For instance, the Cisco 2960 features CLI, Command Line Interface as a major management tool on the devices. This is not the case with the Cisco SG 500 that features TextView CLI which is allows even easier deployment. The Cisco SG 500 offers a friendlier interface to manage your Cisco switch with, making it better in this respect. Additionally, the primary managing tools are web based
Cisco SG 500 vs. Cisco 2960-A comparison review
Cisco SG 500
It is difficult to talk about the Cisco SG 500 models without discussing the entire series first. The series is part of Cisco’s Small to Midsized Businesses and is tailored to meet the growing and high demand needs of the business network environment. There are many inclusions made to ensure the models within this collection suit high bandwidth application needs.
Features
Technically, this is a Stackable Managed series of devices designed for easing network complexity while improving availability, performance and security. This series is designed for easy installation and management. In fact, set up is so simple, it doesn’t require a trained IT member to deploy the SG 500 models.
Speaking of deployment, this series features a graphic interface which is easy to use. This in combination with deployment tools such as the SNMPs for remote set up and managing: ensure the set up process is straightforward. There are different types of connectivity ports available on this host of models. These include Fast Ethernet and Gigabit Ethernet connectivity ports wish range between 24- 52 ports for Gigabit Ethernet connectivity, with an optional 10GbE uplink for expansion purposes.
Reliability and resiliency are great contingency features that ensure the network stays running no matter what. Various features working together on this collection ensure that connection stays up no matter what. If a switch within the operation fails, then another can take over swiftly.
Many security features working together on this line deliver advanced security within the operation. Various encryption tool, and integrated protocols help support advanced network control.
Cisco SG500-28P
- Total Number of network Ports: 24
- Layer supported: 2
The Cisco SG500-28P switch features 24 POE ports and 4 options for uplink modules. It offers bandwidth performance of 72 Gbps and a forwarding rate of 41.2 Mpps. The model is designed to be very easy to use, featuring perks such as a simplified interface to help streamline troubleshooting and other services. It supports both Text View and a full command interface to meet different customization needs.
Additionally, this model is designed for easy integration and streamlining, featuring autonegotiation, auto SmartPoint and Smart Install for simplified setup. With its plug and play switch capabilities with true stacking it is very easy to connect this to other compatible switches. Moreover, this model can work as a dynamic master and recipient in your network, allowing increased control and operation even when one switch fails. It also offers an advanced security system with port augmentation and IPv4 and IPv6 support. The unit is also designed to control power consumption levels for efficient operation.
Cisco 2960
Anyone familiar with the Cisco Catalyst collection is aware of the 2960 line. This is one of Cisco’s well received liens of Switches that offers a wide variety of features suitable for entry level enterprise networks, mid market and even branch office networks. Many benefits accompany the use of the Cisco 2960 collection including great security with various intelligence services at the network edge.
Features
Technically speaking, you can describe the 2960 collection as a series of Fixed configuration standalone gadgets. These gadgets are designed with both Fast Ethernet and Gigabit Ethernet connectivity ports. These Layer 2 edge devices are dependable for their ability to deliver operational excellence with improvements in scalability and an overall better network experience.
The 2960 series is an easy to configure, upgrade, troubleshoot and manage collection. This is possible due to the extensive tools and features dedicated to make your work very easy. For instance different Quality of Service intelligence services allow for simple configuration and data packet classification. Moreover, Cisco’s Network Assistant is responsible for the ease with which you can upgrade and troubleshoot these devices. Speaking of software, these models are available in Cisco’s LAN image software. They are equipped with either LAN Base or LAN Lite.
Among the greatest benefits that accompanies these models is the improved availability and scalability, enhanced security features with easy to use and deploy systems. Security on these models ensures important information remains protected, unauthorized access denial and seamless operations without interruptions.
You may power your Cisco 2960 with the provided internal power supply system which is an auto-ranging unit supplying AC power to the Switch. Alternatively, users can connect to the Cisco RPS power system which offers a 675W redundancy system and contributes to the superior redundancy capabilities on these models.
Cisco WS-C2960L-24PS
- ETHERNET PORT CONFIGURATION: 24 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet ports, 4 1G SFP uplink ports
- POWER: Power budget of 195W with Perpetual PoE+ support for uninterrupted power to PoE devices, even in...
The fan-less Cisco Systems WS-C2960L-24PS is a 24 port model which offers POE and UPOE support. It offers a forwarding rate of 38.7 Mpps and 16 Gbps bandwidth performance. The model is available over fast Ethernet connection with POE support for up to 15.4W per port. It also features an enhanced troubleshooting protocol to help address problems quickly.
Backwards compatibility on this model ensures it works with other switches, and can act as either the master or recipient. You can use a single IP address to manage 16 switches in your setup. Integrated 10/100/1000 configuration features autonegation, AutoInstall and SmartPoint and more help to reconfigure your plug and play switch with new connections. It is very easy to use, and it offers DTP, SDM, ARP and CER protocols alongside other initiatives for a better user experience. It also supports built in intelligent network management options to help troubleshoot and solve problems experienced with use.
Now lets compare the Cisco SG500-28P to the Cisco WS-C2960L-24PS
Cisco SG500-28P |
WS-C2960L-24PS |
|
Forwarding rate |
41.2 Mpps |
38.7 Mpps |
Bandwidth performance |
72 Gbps |
16 Gbps |
Number of ports |
24 |
24 |
Integrated security and easy to use management features |
√ |
√ |
Conclusion
The Cisco SG 500 and Cisco Catalyst 2960 are wildly different Switches, both of which are designed for great performance over business networking operations. While the Cisco 2960 doesn’t have the kind of software support on the SG 500, it is designed with better hardware capabilities which make up for this.
