S5300 vs S5600 access switch, which one to choose？

The QT S5300 and S5600 series access switches have various models and different port configurations that can be applied to different application scenarios and industries. So, how should you choose the access layer switches that are suitable for you when making a purchase? In the following text, we will provide you with a detailed introduction to the various parameters and features of the S5300 and S5600 series switches, to help you better choose the suitable access switches.

Comparison of S5300/S5600 access switch parameters

 

S5300 and S5600 Hardware Comparison

By comparing the table above, I believe you have a preliminary understanding of the S5300 and S5600 series access switches. Next, we will make a detailed comparison of their hardware aspects to help you deepen the differences between the two hardware and choose the appropriate layer 2 or layer 3 switches.

S5300 vs S5600 Access Switch Ports 

The S5300 access switch has several main port options, including 8/16/24/48 ports, while the S5600 access switch has only two port options, 24 or 48 ports. The S5600 switch ports support 10/100/1000BASE-T ports and 10G SFP+ uplinks, while the S5300 ports support 10/100/1000BASE-T, 1G RJ45, 1G SFP, and PoE ports, as well as 1G SFP and 10G SFP+ uplinks. In terms of ports, the S5300 access switch has more diverse options.

Switching Capacity and Forwarding Rate

Compared to the S5600, the S5300 access switch has more choices in Switching Capacity and Forwarding Rate. You can choose the suitable l2 switch or l3 switch based on the size of your network. S5600 access switches have two specifications and are more suitable for more extensive networks. In terms of flexibility, choosing the S5300 series access switch is undoubtedly a better choice.

Power Consumption and Supply

Power consumption and power supply vary by product model. As shown in the above table, the S5300 series switches have PoE and non-PoE switches, so the power consumption is divided into two parts. The power consumption of the S5600 series is between 43W and 70W. The S5300 series is equipped with an AC power supply, and some models support hot swapping. The S5600-48T4X is equipped with 1+1 redundant power supplies. You can choose a switch based on its power consumption and power supply.

Fans of the S5300 and S5600

The S5600 series access switch has three built-in intelligent fans, while the S5300 series access switch has different fan configurations, such as no fans, two built-in intelligent fans, and three built-in intelligent fans. Intelligent fans can adjust the fan speed according to the temperature of the switch, which can save energy and reduce emissions. Fanless design can be used in sound-sensitive environments such as hotels, schools, and offices.

S5300 and S5600 Software Comparison

After introducing the differences in hardware between S5300 and S5600 series access switches, this section will introduce the differences in software between the two series, which will help you choose the appropriate switch by comparing the differences in software.

Management

The S5300 series access switches support CLI, WEB, Telnet, FTP, SSH, SSL and SNMP for easy management. You can choose to control the switch through CLI or manage it through our provided web interface, which greatly saves you time in managing and maintaining the switch. The S5600 series access switches have mostly the same management methods as the S5300 but additionally support SNMP v1/v2/v3, OAM and SSH2.0. You can choose a switch with a suitable management method according to your needs.

Security

The S5300 series supports IEEE 802.1x, QoS, Radius, Tacacs+, DDoS, DHCP Snooping, and IP+MAC+port binding, which can protect your data security from various aspects, for example, by providing identity authentication and preventing unauthorized device access. The S5600 series supports QoS, ACL, and DHCP. ACL can filter traffic based on conditions to prevent unwanted traffic and improve network security. With these features, you can choose the appropriate access switch according to your business needs.

Stacking Capacity

S5300 series access layer switches support the stacking function, through which you can manage stacked switches as one switch, reducing your maintenance cost. The number of stacks supported varies according to the model. For example, S5300-24P4TS is a PoE switch that does not support the stacking function. S5300-48T4X supports up to two switches stacking, while S5300-48T6X supports up to eight switches stacking. The S5600 series layer 2 switch does not support stacking. You can choose whether you need a switch with a stacking function according to your needs.

Difference between Layer 2 and Layer 3

The S5300 series access switch is a Layer 2 switch that operates at the data link layer of the OSI model. It mainly achieves communication within the same LAN by exchanging MAC addresses. The S5600 Layer 3 switch, on the other hand, works at the network layer of the OSI model. It mainly achieves communication between different networks by exchanging IP addresses. This means that Layer 2 switches can only achieve communication within the same network, while Layer 3 switches can achieve communication between different networks. Additionally, Layer 2 switches do not have routing functions, while Layer 3 switches have routing functions.

Layer 2 QoS vs Layer 3 QoS

S5300 has layer 2 QoS, while S5600 has layer 3 QoS. Although their design requirements are the same, they handle different levels of data packets, so their implementation methods and application scenarios are also different. 

 

In layer 2, QoS is achieved through VLAN tagging based on 802.1p marking, which can allocate different priority traffic to different virtual LANs, thus achieving differentiated services for different traffic. Layer 2 QoS is mainly used for traffic control within the local area network, such as traffic control for storage and computing traffic in data centers. 

 

In layer 3, QoS is achieved through IP tagging based on DSCP marking, which can allocate different priority traffic to different queues to achieve differentiated services for different traffic. Layer 3 QoS is mainly used for traffic control on wide area networks and the Internet, such as classifying and controlling different types of traffic such as video and voice. 

 

Therefore, the difference between layer 2 QoS and layer 3 QoS lies in the different levels of data packets they handle, different implementation methods, and different application scenarios.

Application in Layer 2 Networking

The S5300 series PoE switches are designed with a fanless feature, which can be used in sound-sensitive environments, such as hotels and offices. It provides data transmission while also supplying power via copper cables, enabling devices located far from power sources to be used, and making deployment more convenient.

S5600 series supports MLAG, which is a method of forming link aggregation groups (LAG) between multiple devices to achieve redundancy. When one of the switches fails, the system can still function, greatly improving network reliability and reducing losses caused by equipment failures.

The S5300 series can also be used as an access layer switches in a Tier 3 network architecture by connecting other terminal devices and using uplink connections to connect to aggregation layer switches. This three-layer network architecture can flexibly expand the network scale to meet the growing business needs. It can also improve network reliability and performance, avoiding problems such as broadcast storms and expanded collision domains.

Application in Layer 3 Networking

The S5600 series Layer 3 switches support VXLAN technology, which provides a transparent virtual network in network architecture. VXLAN decouples the isolation between the underlying physical network and virtual machines, thus achieving flexibility and scalability. While providing flexible scalability, it also isolates the network, enhancing the security and privacy of the virtual environment. Moreover, VXLAN provides a modular design, making the virtualization environment more flexible, easy to deploy, and maintain. With more powerful chips, the S5600 can be used as an access or aggregation layer switch and supports data center features such as MLAG, EVPN, VARP, PFC, and the unique RDMA technology.

Conclusion

 

The S5300 series access switches and the S5600 series switches have their own advantages, and this article introduces the differences between the two in terms of hardware and software and provides some application scenarios. You can choose the access layer switches that suit you based on these, and if you have any questions, please feel free to contact QSFPTEK's CCIE/HCIE engineer via support@qsfptek.com.