Cisco 2950, please help me make a buying decesion.

singh8281singh8281 Member Posts: 126
I am wanting to throw in a Cisco 2950 into my CCNP lab so I’ve started reading about those and discovered that there are three different hardware platforms, which are as follows.

Cisco Catalyst 2950 24 Switch
Cisco Catalyst 2950 12 Switch
Cisco Catalyst 2950C 24 Switch
Cisco Catalyst 2950G 24 EI DC Switch
Cisco Catalyst 2950SX 48 SI Switch
Cisco Catalyst 2950SX 24 Switch

These are all EOS models and both standard and enhanced IOS are available for free from Cisco. The documentation available on Cisco site doesn’t explain the key differences between them. I was wondering if I bought the 2950 12 port and upgrade the image to enhanced, since it comes preloaded with standard, would the functionality be the same as 2950c or 2950G DC with the exception of gigabit port.

Comments

  • tierstentiersten Member Posts: 4,505
    You can't upgrade a 2950 to EMI from SMI. The old firmware had separate SMI and EMI versions but it will refuse to boot an EMI image on a SMI switch. The newer firmware is combined and it will know what featureset to enable. The 3550 series will let you upgrade from SMI to EMI however.

    For the CCNP you'll want the 2950 with EMI.
  • singh8281singh8281 Member Posts: 126
    2950 is a layer 2 switch and EMI, SMI has no significance here. I think you're geting confused with 3550 series.
  • GT-RobGT-Rob Member Posts: 1,090
    Just get the basic Cisco 2950 12port switch for a lab.
  • tierstentiersten Member Posts: 4,505
    singh8281 wrote:
    2950 is a layer 2 switch and EMI, SMI has no significance here. I think you're geting confused with 3550 series.
    Ah. Yeah. Wrote EMI instead of EI. The 2950 has SI and EI versions. You have to buy it with the correct type. You can't upgrade it once you've bought it.
  • singh8281singh8281 Member Posts: 126
    Are you sure about that?. I have yet to see a cisco device where you can't upgrade the IOS, or you meant the flash chip itself
  • tierstentiersten Member Posts: 4,505
    You can upgrade the IOS version like normal. However you can't change the feature set that is enabled like you can with the routers for example.
    I was wondering if I bought the 2950 12 port and upgrade the image to enhanced, since it comes preloaded with standard
    You can't do this basically. You can't make a standard image 2950 into an enhanced image 2950 yourself. If you want the EI version then you must buy it already with EI.

    From the link above:
    The Cisco Catalyst® 2950 Series switches include two software image versions that support different degrees of functionality—the Standard Image (SI) and the Enhanced Image (EI) Software. The version of software depends solely on the model of switch selected, with no upgrade capabilities.
  • singh8281singh8281 Member Posts: 126
    You maybe right since both EI and SI images are combined into 1 file and depending on the switch fabric the most appropriate gets chosen.
  • keenonkeenon Member Posts: 1,922 ■■■■□□□□□□
    take the 2950G, it has a fuller set of the switch qos functions
    Become the stainless steel sharp knife in a drawer full of rusty spoons
  • tomsettomset Member Posts: 79 ■■□□□□□□□□
    I just received 2 Cisco 2950s (Standard Image) for my BCMSN labs. Based on what I'm reading in this thread, do I need to return these switches for the Enhanced Images? Or can I use what I got and get through the labs?

    What would you guys do in my position?
    Next up:
    CCIP
  • NetwurkNetwurk Member Posts: 1,155 ■■■■■□□□□□
    The 2950's you have are fine - you're not going to see much of an upgrade with the enhanced image.

    To truly "upgrade", you need a switch that can do layer 3. For that you need a 3550 or better.

    The 3550 is the model you need to worry about when it comes to enhanced vs. standard. But that's a not a big concern, as it's just an IOS upgrade.
  • tomsettomset Member Posts: 79 ■■□□□□□□□□
    Got my 3550 :)

    So with my 2 2950 SIs and my 3550, I should be good to go for all of the BCMSN labs?
    Next up:
    CCIP
  • NetwurkNetwurk Member Posts: 1,155 ■■■■■□□□□□
    That should do it. Technically, Cisco recommends 3560's and 2960's. But those would cost thousands. You should be in good shape with what you have.

    My lab has a 3550, a 2950, and a 2924 - so you're a notch above mine.

    Good luck with it.
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