Product Review: Edge-Core ECS4610-50T
Edge-Core ECS4610-50T
Edge-Core ECS4610-50T
IWNetworks, the US distributor of Edge-Core switches provided Router Analysis with a ECS4610-50T Gigabit Aggregation switch to test in our Gigabit Aggregation Switch Shootout. While we were unpacking and setting the switch up for testing we decided to do a quick review.
Product Description
The Edge-Core ECS4610 series is a stackable Gigabit Ethernet routing switch with a choice of 24 or 48 Gigabit 10/100/1000BASE-T ports, four combo Gigabit Ethernet SFP slots, two optional 10 Gigabit Ethernet slots and two stacking ports on the rear panel.
The ECS4600 series is ideal for service provider edge aggregation, Enterprise wiring closets, data center aggregation and network core deployment. It provides high performance, resilient stacking, wire speed L2 switching and L3 routing, comprehensive QoS and advanced security.
Core-Edge 10GbE Adapter Card
Comparable Specifications
Like its competitors, the ECS4610-50T claims all of the features necessary to live happily as a aggregation switch in both the Enterprise and Service Provider spaces. Here are the publicized specs of the ECS4610-50T compared to the Dell Force10 S50N and Cisco 3750-E:
| Feature | ECS4610-50T | Force10 S50N | Cisco 3750-E |
|---|---|---|---|
| Switching Capacity | 176Gbps | 288Gbps | 128Gbps |
| Forwarding | 131Mpps | 144Mpps | 101Mpps |
| QoS | 8 Queues per port | 4 Queues per port | 8 Queues per port |
| L3 Routing | OSPF BGP RIP | OSPF BGP RIP | OSPF BGP EIGRP |
Comparing directly from their spec sheets, the ECS4610-50T and Dell Force10 S50N both offer line-rate forwarding of packets along with QoS, L3 routing and a host of other features matching with those from Cisco. When you compare prices with the Cisco 3750-E and Force10 S50N the ECS4610-50T offers exceptional value for the money.
Unpacking and Setup
The product arrived sturdily packed in its original shipping box. The packaging appears to have been designed to protect the switch while minimizing the amount of packaging and waste.
ECS4610-50T as it arrived from IWNetworks
Included in the box were the following items:
The ECS4610-50T Switch, a power cable, a console cable, a documentation cd and a quick setup guide. The 10GbE modules were in a separate box.
Comparing the ECS4610-50T to a Cisco 3750-E shows that the 3750-E is quite a bit deeper.
Depth of ECS4610-50T (top) vs Cisco 3560
Installing the 10GbE modules was simple, requiring 4 screws and 2 metal covers to be removed before the modules were easily slid in and secured.
10GbE XFPs Installed and Cabled
On power-on the switch went through it’s POST using a small LCD to display a number letting me know the stage it was in.
ECS4610-50T Display
We were able to console into the switch without issue by setting our console speed to 115,200. Once in, we found that the CLI is standard, like Brocade and Cisco.
Configuration is simple and straightforward. If you get lost a ? will help you along the way.
Console(config)#router ? bgp BGP information ipv6 Configure ipv6 property ospf OSPF information pim Enables PIM protocol pim6 IPv6 PIM information rip Configures Routing Information Protocol (RIP)Console#show int br Interface Name Status PVID Pri Speed/Duplex Type Trunk --------- ----------------- --------- ---- --- ------------- ------------ ----- Eth 1/ 1 to IXIA G1_1 Up 2 0 Auto-1000full 1000BASE-T None Eth 1/ 2 to IXIA G1_2 Up 3 0 Auto-1000full 1000BASE-T None Eth 1/ 3 to IXIA G1_3 Up 4 0 Auto-1000full 1000BASE-T None Eth 1/ 4 to IXIA G1_4 Up 5 0 Auto-1000full 1000BASE-T None
We hooked the switch up to a IXIA Tester and ran a few simple tests to make sure everything was setup properly:
Quick result summary:
Switch Latency: 4.4 microseconds at 64 bytes
Line Rate Forwarding of 64 byte packets on all ports: Yes – Unidirectional Numbers: 101Mpps/51Gbps
Line Rate Forwarding of 1518 byte packets on all ports: Yes – Unidirectional Numbers: 5.5Mpps/67Gbps
Summary
The Edge-Core ECS4610-50T is a capable switch that fits well in the service provider and enterprise networks. With more than enough forwarding bandwidth and processing power it fits right in with the other 1GbE aggregation switches on the market. The feature set is comparable to Cisco, Dell Force 10 and other leaders in the space.
Look for our upcoming Gigabit Aggregation Switch Testing Report which will be released in September for in-depth testing of this and many other switches.
For more information on this and other Edge-Core products contact IwNetworks at www.iwnetworks.com.
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