DELL V 3COM Switches

looking at upgrading the main backbone cabinet and I was thinking about sticking with 3com, but its has been suggested I give Dell switches ago. Call me stuck in my ways but I have never been a fan of Dell gear.

3com switches is significantly more expensive than Dell. would I be getting the same level of quality with Dell as I would with 3com or run the risk of possibly compromising the network stabability especially when its our main cabinet that the rest of the network and server connect to.

We can't afford to replace all the switches around the school this year so if I was to go with DELL would it have a negative effect mixing two brands or would it not make any diffrence?

any suggestions or comments?

Cheers

Would you consider netgear? We've got those all over the school, not too expensive and tey don't seem to break, crosses fingers.
Netgear ProSafe GS724TS Gigabit Stackable Smart Switch **CLAIM A FREE GIFT** - Ebuyer
How good are Dell switches though? With them not being a network specialist company.

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Originally Posted by Potato-Peeler

Would you consider netgear? We've got those all over the school, not too expensive and tey don't seem to break, crosses fingers.
Netgear ProSafe GS724TS Gigabit Stackable Smart Switch **CLAIM A FREE GIFT** - Ebuyer
How good are Dell switches though? With them not being a network specialist company.

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I think Dell networking kit is rebadged Netgear.

Get some procurves in there. dabs.com - HP ProCurve Switch 2510-24G (J9279A)

Would the support come from dell or netgear though? As im not sure i would like Dell giving my network support for a netgear switch?
I've heard good things about HP, is there a lot of difference between them?

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Originally Posted by Potato-Peeler

Would the support come from dell or netgear though? As im not sure i would like Dell giving my network support for a netgear switch?
I've heard good things about HP, is there a lot of difference between them?

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If you get searching there are loads of threads about switches. The general consensus is cisco (proper cisco not linksys) is the best you can buy, but Procurves are easier to configure and pretty much as good.

We've got loads of Procurve here, it doesn't go wrong ever.

I guess it depends very much on your budget.

Personally, I'd save up and go Cisco (also well worth saving up a little bit more and getting the extended warrenty). However, a choice between Dell and 3com, I'd certainly go 3com. I used to run a LAN Gaming event in Scotland and we used a couple of 3com SuperStacks and they didn't half get some hammer. Still working to this day. They coped with everything we threw at them. Very impressed.

I wouldn't even consider getting Dell switches. They may be cheaper, but if you pay peanuts...

I've always heard really good things about HP switches, but admittedly never used any myself.

Hope thats of some help.

HP Procurve. :cool:

Butuz

Personally, Netgear all the way - I've never seen any of them (apart from a little 5 port switch that to be fair had been trodden on:rolleyes:) fail :)

Cisco probably are the best out there, but HP comparatively offer excellent switches which have most Cisco features at a fraction of the price. Most HP's come with a lifetime warranty too.

Given the choice out of Dell and 3com, I would use 3com switches. Seeing as you network infrastructure is made up of 3com switches, I would stick to the same brand. Different makes can create lots of problems in my experience.
If you think about it logically, when HP create/develop a new switch, the first thing they'll check is compatibility with their own products. Any good manufacturer would also adhere to this procedure.

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Originally Posted by tdibb

I guess it depends very much on your budget.

Personally, I'd save up and go Cisco (also well worth saving up a little bit more and getting the extended warrenty). However, a choice between Dell and 3com, I'd certainly go 3com. I used to run a LAN Gaming event in Scotland and we used a couple of 3com SuperStacks and they didn't half get some hammer. Still working to this day.

I wouldn't even consider getting Dell switches. They may be cheaper, but if you pay peanuts...

I've always heard really good things about HP switches, but admittedly never used any myself.

Hope thats of some help.

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Why Cisco? Why *save* for warranty when you can buy switches from other people that already have one, and support.

Cisco is good equipment crippled by some of the worst software and support restrictions.

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Originally Posted by DMcCoy

Why Cisco? Why *save* for warranty when you can buy switches from other people that already have one, and support.

Cisco is good equipment crippled by some of the worst software and support restrictions.

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For core, I'd go with the best. As as school, we were lucky enough to get funding which allowed us to kit out the whole school with Cisco. Complete overkill, but that's the joy of a ringfenced budget.

I purely said save, as I wasn't sure on what sort of budget we were talking about.

We normally go hp procurve if the budget is there or if its a big deployment, and Netgear if the budget is tight. Can get some pretty good education discounts on the hp kit.

If forced to choose between 3com and dell i'd go 3com.

Steve

thank you for all the comments, I now have three companys working on a solution and at present only one has come back with a very positive responce and are very pasionate about what they do... not just about the sales. the setup been suggested all depends on if the older 3com gear around the school can be supported with the new gear.

we shall see what happens.

Keep you all posted on development