MS125 switching performance compared to MS225 or MS250

[ElGreco23]

Hi,

I am struggling with a decision on whether to purchase MS125-24P or MS225-24P (or even MS250s) switches. The decision is between these models for sure. They would be used solely as L2 switches. We do router on a stick. 

I am basing this strictly in terms of switch performance/capacity/speed/horsepower.  Basically, can the MS125 handle the load, and is it as fast as the MS225. I’m running several high density WiFi APs on them, with basic guest WiFi (2-5 Mbps per guest) and some Square POS. Nothing too taxing. No datacenter. All cloud.

Meraki’s product page comparison has MS125 switch performance stats that are identical to the much more expensive MS250!  The switching capacity is the same. The forwarding rate is the same. The MAC entries allowed is the same. It can also do 10Gb SFPs.

These are going into IDFs (only one per IDF, so I won’t be stacking).  I don’t need advanced features like dual PSUs, Layer 3, stacking, management port and broadcast storm control.

Meraki’s documentation makes it sound like they are identical performance-wise, so long as you don’t care about all those other features. But then they go on to say that MS125 is recommended for “SMBs” while the MS225 is for “branch and small campus deployments”. MS250s are for “medium campus deployments”.

Am I missing something? Is there a difference in CPU, memory, backplane, etc. that I’m not considering? I don’t want to buy these MS125s and have them underperform (or worse, fail). It's important to mote that we do have MS225s and MS250s deployed already, and they handle our WiFi needs just fine. So the MS2xx series works fine. Will this?

Thanks

[KarstenI]

I think you are getting it quite right here. For your use case, the MS125 should be a "good enough" switch. Personally I always like to push the decision to a 2xx switch as there are some features (some that you listed) that are quite nice to have or needed to be there.

If you are low on budget, take the MS-125. If you want more flexibility for the future (if that is important in your use case), go at least for the MS225.

[GIdenJoe]

If you’re talking forwarding speed you won’t see a difference.

But you miss on stacking. I have a preference to use stackable switches if there is even a remote chance a certain closet will need more ports.

Also most advanced features like per protocol/port QoS, storm control, Filter-id and some more will never be supported on those switches.

Finally for some odd reason the MS120/125 series are longer switches than MS210/225.

[PhilipDAth]

I will further add to @KarstenI and say that the MS125-24P is the best choice given what you say.  There are no performance differences.

The main benefit of the MS225 is the ability to stack switches together and basic L3.  You don't need that.

The MS250 adds the ability to have redundant power supplies, L3 and OSPF.  You don't need that.

Buy the MS125-24P.

[ElGreco23]

Thank you all. One vendor I have been dealing with wrote back saying "the forwarding and switching capacity are the same as you pointed, however, the ASIC and CPU architecture is different. I believe this is why the price is lower, apart from the feature/hardware differences (L3, stacking)...". "as I understand, it will be a medium-high deployment in terms of size, with high-density wireless, therefore, I would avoid the small-medium business product line"

That's what got me thinking that there may be performance difference that they don't publish on the product page.  But why wouldn't they list that CPU spec for both, so the consumer knows there is a clear difference. I also think those classifications ("small business"..."medium campus") are suggested based on feature set and that they don'tt mean anything"