existing Cisco UCS Fabric switch and new servers

[Dieselboy]

I have a 6248UP fabric interconnect switch. It runs the management console for itself and the UCS server chassis as well as 10GB connectivity between them and the storage appliance. This Cisco kit is going EOL with last date of hardware support being 2024 for the Fabric switch and 2021 for the UCS chassis.

I want to phase out this kit and replace with new kit. I'm arranging replacement server hardware at this point. I'll go standalone servers instead of a chassis.

I recently bought 2 x Cisco C220 M5 servers with 10GB copper nics. If I do the same again whats the best way to connect the server nics into the UCS Fabric switch (which only has SFP slots)? I'm thinking if the new server has only 10GB Copper ports then I'll get a 10GB Copper SFP for the UCS switch. If the server comes with SFP slots then I'll use twinax. My concern is whether I have to use Cisco SFPs - or whether non-Cisco branded ones will work.

[deanwebb]

I've seen non-Cisco branded SFPs work on Cisco gear, so I'd *guess* that they'd work here, too.

But I'm just a security guy, what do I know? Heck, if they don't work and you can't get on the network, I get to tick off a box that the CUCM is now airgapped and secure!

[Otanx]

As far as I know Cisco does not make 10G Copper SFPs. My understanding is that copper 10G requires more power than the SFP+ standard supports. There are some out there by third parties, but they have limitations on range which may not be a problem for switch to server.

-Otanx

[Dieselboy]

Thanks for the insight!

I may have to go fibre then, which is no real problem either

[Nerm]

FS.com modules will work fine and way cheaper than official Cisco branded ones.

[Dieselboy]

Thank you Nerm!

[Dieselboy]

Looking at this again, since the server chassis is going, the only things left plugged into the fabric switches are the 4x 10gb uplinks to the core and also 4x 10GB links to the SAN.

I may as well just buy a couple of nexus core switches and connect the servers and SAN in directly. Nexus 3k are doing 2.5TB switching throughput (the fabric switches have <1TB for comparisson!).

I've asked my distributor to suggest / give some pre-sales support. I checked the Cisco products page on cisco.com and there are a ton of variations everywhere so it's a bit of a minefield. Cisco should just make one switch and make it modular

[deanwebb]

Modular always sounds like a good idea, but there are engineering challenges of their own.