Need a new switch, recommendations?

[Geoff]

One of our main switches is on it's last legs. It's a 3com SuperStack 3 4900.

 

http://www.3com.com/products/en_US/detail.jsp?tab=features&pathtype=purchase&sku=3C17700-US

 

So I need something equivalent. Any ideas? I'd prefer a HP ProCurve solution as we're buying a lot of 2650's to replace our aging 3com SuperStack 3 3300XM/SM's.

[paul]

How about a HP ProCurve 2824

[Uraken]

what tells you its on its last legs (i'm curious so that i can spot the signs)

[CyberNerd]

we upgraded our 4900 to 5500 3CR17259-91

http://www.3com.com/products/en_US/detail.jsp?tab=support&pathtype=support&sku=3CR17259-91

 

its good because every port is SFP so its easy to interchange fibre/copper.

[greenfieldsupport]

The 3com superstacks come with lifetime warrentys...

 

send it back for free (make sure they dont lose it :|)

 

although as the fans break in them ALL the time, you could upgrade to procurvs... just get nice unmanaged ones

[greenfieldsupport]

we upgraded our 4900 to 5500 3CR17259-91

http://www.3com.com/products/en_US/detail.jsp?tab=support&pathtype=support&sku=3CR17259-91

 

its good because every port is SFP so its easy to interchange fibre/copper.

 

for the cheap cost of a £300 transceiver ... each port....

[forcryingoutloud]

We went for Procurves as well, extremely good value (although our concil has expressed a desire for Ciso switches for its VOIP)

[Geoff]

How about a HP ProCurve 2824

 

I need 6 fibre ports as a minimum.

 

what tells you its on its last legs (i'm curious so that i can spot the signs)

 

Locks up about once a month. Requiring a full power cycle to fix.

 

The 3com superstacks come with lifetime warrentys...

 

send it back for free (make sure they dont lose it :|)

 

As I said, this is a core switch. It's absence would result in the network being down. Additionally as the fault is intermittent 3com have said there is no guarantee they would be able to successfully find and fix it.

[greenfieldsupport]

I'd bet on the fan's, they stop, the switches overheat and mess up... we have that problem here.

 

I would recommend the procurv's

[CyberNerd]

we upgraded our 4900 to 5500 3CR17259-91

http://www.3com.com/products/en_US/detail.jsp?tab=support&pathtype=support&sku=3CR17259-91

 

its good because every port is SFP so its easy to interchange fibre/copper.

 

for the cheap cost of a £300 transceiver ... each port....

 

the fibre ones were about £180 last time I looked and the copper are much cheaper. Still it's a nice switch, we keep the old 4900 fibre as a spare

[localzuk]

The question is, will you want all those fibre's to be upgradable to 10Gb-E?

I'd be going with something like a 6200yl or a 6400cl.

 

http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/uk/en/sm/WF06b/23591-23599-23599-23599-12086666-12388340-71606871.html

http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/uk/en/sm/WF25a/23591-23599-23599-23599-12086666-12157754.html?jumpid=in_r2515_procss/psc

 

But if you want full flexibility in one chasis, I'd go with a 5400zl and the suitable modules.

 

http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/uk/en/sm/WF25a/23591-23599-23599-23599-1789289-12388280.html?jumpid=in_r2515_procss/psc

[kylewilliamson]

we've got a 5406zl - its great

[Geoff]

I don't care about 10Gbit. It'd require new fibre.

[localzuk]

I don't care about 10Gbit. It'd require new fibre.

 

I'd go for the 6200yl then. Upto 24 SFP slots. You should be able to get one for about £3k + £150 each (or so) for the Mini-GBIC's.

[Geoff]

That's a little overkill? I don't think I'd ever need 24 SFP slots!

[IanM4657]

I've swapped a 4900 for the ProCurve 2900 48 port. We have had no problems so far

 

IanM