Support for 10Gb interface switch support for Server

[Laukik]

Hi,

We are looking for Cisco Meraki switch(s) where it supports 10Gb traffic speed on interface port(s) without the use of SFP/SFP+ modules, is there any such switch available ?

Also does there exist 10Base-T (RJ45 cable) interface port(s) support on Meraki switch ? If yes, does meraki has such 10Base-T SFP ?

If not, how can we support 10Gb speed between switch and Server ?

If there is any solution, do let us know.

Thanks in advance.

[KarstenI]

There are a couple of switches with MGIG interfaces available like the MS350 and above. These are good candidates for 10G server connections.

[Mloraditch]

Cisco did recently release SFP-10G-T-X= for their regular products. I've heard it's supposed to work in Catalyst 9Ks soon. So that should mean something will be available for MS390s eventually. Lots of speculation but it is a logical path.

[GreenMan · Accepted solution]

The following Meraki switches currently support MultiGig, in a variety of formats:

Note the limited Mgig datarates on a couple of the MS390 models.   Note too that the multigig ports do not support 10GBase-T.    Gigabit ethernet ports, on currently shipping Meraki MS switches, all support 10/100/1000.

All of these switches are really designed for the access layer, rather than server aggregation.   They, as with other access switches, do not have very deep buffers, ultra-low-latency etc. that some server deployments rely on.  In general, Cisco Nexus switches should be considered in Data Centres.

MS350	MGig copper	Gig copper
MS350-24X	8 @ 100 Mbps - 10Gbps	16
MS355
MS355-24X	8 @ 100 Mbps - 10Gbps	16
MS355-24X2	24 @ 100 Mbps - 10Gbps	NA
MS355-48X	16 @ 100 Mbps - 10Gbps	32
MS355-48X2	24 @ 100 Mbps - 10Gbps	24
MS390
MS390-24UX	24 @ 100 Mbps - 10Gbps	NA
MS390-48UX	36 @ 100 Mbps - 2.5Gbps 12 @ 100 Mbps - 10Gbps	NA
MS390-48UX2	48 @ 100 Mbps - 5 Gbps	NA

[PhilipDAth]

>Note too that the multigig ports do not support 10GBase-T.

I will disagree with @GreenMan here.  Any MGig port that supports the data rate of 10Gbes WILL work with 10GBaseT.

I have used MS350-24X switches in this exact configuration - plugging in 10GBaseT NAS and server devices.

[Bruce]

>Note too that the multigig ports do not support 10GBase-T.

Yep, this isn't quite correct. Agreeing with Philip, the MS350-24X will do 10GBase-T, and it does state 10Gbps on the datasheet, although not 10GBase-T specifically (although I've deployed them for 10GBase-T and they work). I would expect the MS355 with the mGig ports to behave the same way.

The MS390 switches are different (aren't they always 🙂) - you need to check the datasheet carefully on these - depending on the model some of the ports will only go to 2.5Gbps, some to 5Gbps, and some will go right to 10Gbps (assuming they work the same as the MS350-24X and Catalyst 9300, then I expect this would support 10GBase-T).

Would be good to get clarity on this, as this would trip up a number of people.

[GreenMan]

Apologies all - a plain typo;  I meant that Mgig ports don’t support 10Base-T.  They do support 10GBase-T, except some of the MS390 models, as pointed out.  I think the ready-reckoner table I included got the details more accurate than my written summary 🙄

[BOlds04]

What are the buffer specs on the MS425??  

[PhilipDAth]

I don't recall specifically now.  All I remember is they have a shared buffer pool.  If you reach out to a Meraki rep they can request this information for you.

If you 10Gbe connect all the high data flow devices you don't generally have issues.  If you have a 10Gbe connected SAN with SSD going to a 1Gbe connected server you will have problems.

If you have a high oversubscription rate (such as 10 x 10Gbe servers all writing to a 10Gbe connected SAN) then you might have issues as well.

If you have a half dozen or fewer servers that are 10Gbe connected talking to a 10Gbe connected SAN you are usually fine.