2950, 2924, 2912 differences 1

[dublklik]

What (if any) cli command differences are there between the various 29XX switches? I have some 1900 switches and from what I have seen the 2950 is much more router-like in its' commands. What I am looking for is the cheapest option to get the same commands as the 2950 for CCNA training. Some of the 2924's seem to be ok regarding price but they would need to have identical command syntax as the 2950 for them to be any use to me. One of the CCNA modules seems to be 'Commands for the 2950 switch'.

I need to physically do something for me to learn anything!

Any help appreciated.

 

[ADB100]

There are also 2 different types of 2950 as well.... Ones that have the EI features and ones that only have the SI features. The SI don't support extended VLAN's and the QoS features are limited to trusting 802.1p CoS, so no DSCP rewriting or plicy maps etc.

The 2900XL series have similar commands to the 2950 but don't have any configurably QoS features (CoS support only and no policy-maps etc). The 2900XL supports ISL trunking as well as 802.1q whereas the 2950 supports only 802.1q. The 2950 supports Rapid Spanning Tree and MST as well as PVST, the 2900XL only supports PVST. The 2950 (EI)supports ACL's on the interfaces so can block traffic, the 2900XL doesn't.

There are probably a few more. I would recommend you get hold of a 2950G (so that it enabled the EI Features) if you want to study for CCNA.

Andy

 

[dublklik]

Thanks Andy,
The 2950G is still a little too far outside my price range at the moment. The 2950's are going for 1000+ and a 2924 can be had for ~200 (AUD). Will I be missing a lot with the 2924/12 (with enterprise version)?

Any I should definately avoid? I got stung with a 1900 that must be an earlier version and could not be upgraded to the 1900 enterprise version. I'd rather not do the same thing with a 2900 series

Or if the 2950 is the only way to go I will have to beg, borrow and steal until I can afford one. Standard or enterprise is not an issue. However it must be upgradeable to Enterprise.

 

[ADB100]

All the newer 2900XL's should be able to run the Enterprise image (the older 4MB ones can't so check). With the 2900XL (and the 3500XL) you are missing all the new STP enhancements (Rapid STP etc), plus the QoS elements.

To be honest if I was buying for deployment in a live network I would go for the 2970 (or 3560/3750 depending on budget) but if you are just buying to study for CCNA then I think a 2950 is wiser (G version that runs the EI features).

Andy

 

[dublklik]

I'm not really pushing for a 2924 Just a thought, if I get a 2950 and a 2924 I can use isl between the 1900 and the 2924 and then 802.1q between the 2924 and 2950 and trunk between them all? I can still practice commands on the 2950 even though they will have no real effect (the QoS etc). ............... or just a fat waste of money?