LAB switch 200e or 4100? 6.2.2e or 6.4.2b?

[rprudent]

Hey All,

I am going to buy some second hand switches soon for my lab. The lab is mainly for virtualization as I only use iSCSI atm form block based protocols.

I am looking at either the 200e or 4100.  I may buy two if the price is right to look at HA fabric or just one for standalone.  Would like to at hard and soft zoning etc

The firmware support on the 200e is up to 6.2.2e and on the 4100 is 6.4.2b. They are both 4GB FC. The 200e is cheaper though.

I know these two switches are EOL but still want to make the best  investment out of the situation even though it's for labs as they are  not cheap if you know what I mean

Questions

Is the 4100 justifyably better to get or more specifically, is the 6.4.2b FOS patched and has more features to make it justifyably better to go with as opposed to the 200e and 6.2.2e?

Becuse I am buying the switches second hand, I confirmed they are coming with licenses I need, but regarding FOS upgrades, I won't have support contract with Brocade, would have serials obviously though, how would I get the firmwares to do my upgrades? OEM or Brocade?

Appreciated advice

[Antonio Bongiorno T…]

Brocae 200 and 4100 in details are absolutely different plattform.

200E is base on Goldeye ASIC, 4100 is Based on Condor ASIC.

200E Support / can be set in Access Gateway Mode, 4100 not support this Feature.

Summary, both switch have own characteristics, you should refet 200E and 4100 Datasheet for details.

[SAN-AB]

Check if you can download FOS codes on the OEM web sites.  ;-)

Someone told me that IBM or HP is one big OEM.

I guess you should be sucessful...

Regards,

Andreas

[rprudent]

Hey,

I will go with the 200e because I have the option to look at Gateway Mode which I don't have with the 4100. Besides this, I mentioned I am only looking at zoning hard and soft out of the switches atm and both switches do this. Thanks anyway.

[SAN-AB]

Hi,

an AccessGateway is only usefull if you have a second switch where you can connect the AG.

My opinion.

Andreas

[rprudent]

Yes Andreas you right.  I can get this in the future to look at NPIV functionality which the 4100 does not support. I think my best bet is the 200e atm pricing and functionality.  It is for lab only. Thanks