Recommend me a 10GbE switch

[adamholt1]

Out of curiosity @localzuk - not entirely linked to the 10Gbe switch talk but....

 

Your MTA...

 

Have you always been employed through this trust or is it a recent thing? Did your job change at all?

 

Similar things on the horizon so just wondering how it works?

[localzuk]

Out of curiosity @localzuk - not entirely linked to the 10Gbe switch talk but....

 

Your MTA...

 

Have you always been employed through this trust or is it a recent thing? Did your job change at all?

 

Similar things on the horizon so just wondering how it works?

 

This school academised about 5 years ago. The MAT is starting up now really - final "formation" will be in a couple of months. Our existing company will change into the new one basically (same company number). So for me, the only real thing that changes is the name of the employer. Everything else is the same.

 

In terms of things changing - they haven't yet, beyond planning and advice, but they will be doing - none of the other schools have their own IT support, and it would be somewhat absurd to do different things in each school. So, it is likely to end up with MAT level IT support, with each school's needs being catered for via that. It won't end up being a lot more staff though - it won't be a huge MAT and most of the kids are primary age.

[njc235]

I've been looking at this a little more, and its actually more likely we'll only need a single switch/pair of switches (depending on the level of resilience we opt for), as we're likely going to look at hyper-converged Storage Spaces Direct setup on the server side instead. That way the Hyper-V nodes would be the storage nodes also. The only data going back and forth on the storage side would be replication traffic.

 

Has anyone looked at the HP Aruba 3810M?

 

The 3810M, a replacement for the 3800, supports chain, ring and fully meshed stacking but not IRF. There is a 4 unit stacking limit. Going back to the comware IRF, these can have up to 9 members.

 

HTH

[woody]

The 3810M, a replacement for the 3800, supports chain, ring and fully meshed stacking but not IRF. There is a 4 unit stacking limit. Going back to the comware IRF, these can have up to 9 members.

 

HTH

 

This is lifted from the datasheet on the Aruba 3810M: 'supports up to a 10-member ring or chain and 5-member fully meshed stacks'. I think the 2920s do have a limit of 4.

[Kmcgarvey]

Hello,

 

May be late to joining the thread but have you considered 10GE switches from Huawei? In comparison to Cisco and HP, Huawei offers all the same benefits along with comparable and in a lot of cases better performance metrics all at a better price point.

 

Best regards

[andyire]

Dell n2048 switches are good. Can have 10Gbps spf. You can stack 12 and manage from 1 IP as far as I remember. The CLI is very similar to Cisco IOS. Replaced a load of catalyst Cisco stuff with dell and have been very happy. Also offer 5 year 4 hour support etc.

[chazzy2501]

I was looking at edge switches (L2 managed) and was looking at the Unifi (I have the APs and the free software controller already) so the US-48-500W is a 48 port POE+ switch but it also has 2x SFP+ 10GBit ports. These are only £550 each offer POE and can be centrally managed with no licensing.

 

Also am I right in thinking that SFP+ ports can be copper connected to each other with a specific but simple and inexpensive patch cable?

[andyire]

Just realised you were after more 8 sfps. Have got 2 x dell force 10 s4810 at the core here stacked as one. Very happy with them. One of the great things is you can firmware upgrade with the stack live- bring one down at a time.

[Asad_Symitry]

Take a look at Mellanox, so much cheaper than the likes of HP/Cisco

[MYK-IT]

You may want to look at Dell's N-Series Networking Switches Dell Networking N-Series Switches | Dell

 

I attended a seminar last week where these were being demonstrated, as they have been recommended and specified for our own 10GbE Network Upgrade.

 

The entire Dell N-Series use Dell Network OS 6 (DNOS Dell Networking OS 6 | Dell), but Dell will also supply them without an OS so that you can install and use a 3rd Party OS of your own choice (USP!).

 

Additionally, all Dell N-Series come with a lifetime next-business day warranty, FOC. Although other manufacturers state similar (although in reality, it's ~5 years after product has gone EOL) it is for life* (*Dell Rep stated it's 99 years on their system).

 

They will also be compatible with 25GbE & 50GbE (in addition to 10GbE & 40GbE) and have built-in stacking capability (up to 8 units with some models!) using stacking cables (no additional modules required).

 

The Dell W-Series Wi-Fi Access Points are also being included within the N-Series Networking Switches, such that they too benefit from the same lifetime NBD Warranty.

 

Video: Dell N-Series

Dell Networking N-Series Switches | Dell

 

We have been recommended the Dell N4032F Dell Networking N4000 Series 10GbE Layer 3 Switches | Dell UK for our Core Switches and Dell N1548P Dell Networking N1500 Series Switches | Dell UK for our Edge Switches

Edited March 3, 2016 by MYK-IT

[mrbios]

Cisco SG500XG-8F8T?

 

I don't generally recommend the small business switches, but i was looking for something with a similar requirement last year and found these to be the best value based on my port requirements. I've got two in a stack for my iSCSI network, they do a fantastic job.

[Michael]

I think there are two issues here -

 

In terms of a core switch, that's very much a decision for you to decide. You're managing/maintaining it after all and it's good to future proof.

 

In terms of server structure, virtualising everything and have all schools (presumably) getting everything from your centralised/virtualised structure... I would still (at the very least), have one physical server at each physical site. Logons will always be quicker, traffic will be reduced and it means (worse case scenario), everyone can continue working if the link goes down for whatever reason.

 

If I've mis-understood then I apologise, but if I'm right, then from large businesses, MATs or whatever, this is typically how its done. I don't think (top of my head) I've ever come across something of this nature all centralised.

[localzuk]

I think there are two issues here -

 

In terms of a core switch, that's very much a decision for you to decide. You're managing/maintaining it after all and it's good to future proof.

 

In terms of server structure, virtualising everything and have all schools (presumably) getting everything from your centralised/virtualised structure... I would still (at the very least), have one physical server at each physical site. Logons will always be quicker, traffic will be reduced and it means (worse case scenario), everyone can continue working if the link goes down for whatever reason.

 

If I've mis-understood then I apologise, but if I'm right, then from large businesses, MATs or whatever, this is typically how its done. I don't think (top of my head) I've ever come across something of this nature all centralised.

 

Indeed. I will be putting in a single server in each school, running a few VMs - AD/DHCP/DNS/NPS, File caching/print server, SCCM DP, and a local internet cache.

 

The plan is to centralise as much as possible. SIMS, finance, VLE's, wireless controller, deployment etc...

[Michael]

Indeed. I will be putting in a single server in each school, running a few VMs - AD/DHCP/DNS/NPS, File caching/print server, SCCM DP, and a local internet cache.

 

The plan is to centralise as much as possible. SIMS, finance, VLE's, wireless controller, deployment etc...

 

Makes sense - how will you centralise SIMS? Do you host all SIMS databases in one location, presumably each on its own VM?