Dreaded core switch upgrade

[Olliedawg]

The time has come to look at replacing our core switch.. Looking for recommendations.. We have a HP 5406ZL with the following modules

 

 

• x2 24 port 1GB ethernet
  
• x1 6 port 10Gb ethernet
  
• x2 8 port SFP 1Gb
  
• Management module
  
• Redundant power supply
  

 

I know if we go to our service supplier we will be charged the earth for something similar spec which we don't actually need.

 

I could easily lose one of the 24 port 1GBe modules. the 16 SFP modules are a must as 14 of these are in use currently up linking switches around site

[Davit2005]

The obvious choice would be a 5406r. We've put in 6-7 in the last 6 years, 3 of them I put in in 2017, no issues with any of them. You can stack them or you can get even get dual management modules for them.

 

We only use them for top of rack switches currently but I should imagine they would be fine for core.

 

The only issue is they might go end of life soon (if not already).

 

We do use stacked 2930f's in some places but the SPFs are limited and once you stack you could lose 2 of the 4 10Gb SFPs. 6300F might be a substitute.

Edited November 21, 2023 by Davit2005

[synaesthesia]

Check with suppliers first - still looking at lead times of up to a year for the Procurve series switches. The chassis and some modules may differ. You may find you get better performance and expandability looking at stackables like 6300s.

[mrbios]

Just wondering, besides age, what's the reason to change? I ask that for my own benefit too from those more educated in current network hardware. As I consider it each year, then each year put it off. Is there anything from newer offerings that makes the move that worthwhile (besides the concerning age of the devices in use)?

 

I'm still running a 13 year old, maybe 14 now, hp 8206zl (granted, i have spares upon spares if anything goes wrong)

[Olliedawg]

Just wondering, besides age, what's the reason to change? I ask that for my own benefit too from those more educated in current network hardware. As I consider it each year, then each year put it off. Is there anything from newer offerings that makes the move that worthwhile (besides the concerning age of the devices in use)?

 

I'm still running a 13 year old, maybe 14 now, hp 8206zl (granted, i have spares upon spares if anything goes wrong)

 

I’m just conscious of the fact that it is the oldest bit of kit we have in the server room by a long shot & we have nothing to replace it with on site if it goes kerput. So looking to swap out for a new one of similar spec & keep the 5406 as a spare.

[Aprice]

5406ZL is our go to model, virtually every secondary we go to has had one already or we've fitted one. They just tick all the boxes.

[Olliedawg]

5406ZL is our go to model, virtually every secondary we go to has had one already or we've fitted one. They just tick all the boxes.

 

Honestly I’m more than happy with it, it’s easy to use, has all the features we need. It’s just the age. I was considering just buying another, but I’m sure that they are EOL now?

[3s-gtech]

Honestly I’m more than happy with it, it’s easy to use, has all the features we need. It’s just the age. I was considering just buying another, but I’m sure that they are EOL now?

 

Buy a used one. Plus modules. Cheap. Win.

[Olliedawg]

Buy a used one. Plus modules. Cheap. Win.

 

 

Debating! Best of just looking on eBay?

[3s-gtech]

Debating! Best of just looking on eBay?

 

I’ve done really well on Ebay with switches.

 

I bought two modules for our 5406zl2 on Ebay. One was faulty, but wasn’t registered with HP so I got it replaced directly under warranty.

 

They cost 10% of their new price.

[Olliedawg]

I’ve done really well on Ebay with switches.

 

I bought two modules for our 5406zl2 on Ebay. One was faulty, but wasn’t registered with HP so I got it replaced directly under warranty.

 

They cost 10% of their new price.

 

Just had a quick look, some good deals on there! Seen one for £600 with all the modules i need (bar the 10GB ethernet module)

[3s-gtech]

I think the 10Gb modules make healthy money because they allow you to keep an old switch at the core of a modern network. You may be able to do without that, if you can swap to 1Gb at the other end if your old switch dies as a temp replacement.

[DrCheese]

Honestly I’m more than happy with it, it’s easy to use, has all the features we need. It’s just the age. I was considering just buying another, but I’m sure that they are EOL now?

 

The 5406R (or 12) ZL2 isn't - We installed two last year & they're still sold. The newer version (6400) is completely insane pricing at this point

[mrbios]

Buy a used one. Plus modules. Cheap. Win.

 

This is what i did with my 8206zl, i've got 1 chassis with 4 modules, 2 psus and 2 management modules in my rack. An identically specced unit with all the same modules sat in storage, and then a third chassis with everything bar the 10GB SFP+ modules again also in storage.

 

In all i've got 2 replacement 10gb sfp+ modules, 4 replacement 24 port modules, 4 replacement power supplies and 3 replacement management modules on top of what i have live in the rack .... I started putting together a spare chassis from the likes of ebay, then bought a fully populated one from a local college (thanks azc!) when they replaced theirs. The only thing i haven't done that i could do, is setup a second unit in live redundancy, but it's so quick to replace (and i do regular config backups) that i don't see any value in having a second one powered on, so tucked in a corner they go.

 

Glad to hear from others here that there isn't really much call for replacing from a security or performance standpoint. (thank you for letting me piggyback your thread a bit there for some learnings Olliedawg lol)

[synaesthesia]

Just be sure that if you're not running a pair of them, to have redundant management modules. Being fair, the only reason the 5406 series might start becoming an issue is if you're really heavily leaning towards 10gbit to each edge (and have a lot of them) plus fast SAN storage; they're not the quickest on the backplane. Might even find a 5612 or two floating around which, and please correct me if wrong, I believe have faster backplanes due to the extra capacity? And then of course modules are just straight swaps

[Disease]

We are upgrading our core soon (connect the Classroom) going from a central single 5406 to Merraki utilizing 12 x MS355 split over 3 locations in a Tri-Core format for redundancy.

[Davit2005]

5406r supports muliple MGMT modules I'm sure.

[PotNoodleTech]

Yeh was forced to upgrade my beloved 5412ZL to Aruba 6300m stacked and to be honest it wasn't really an upgrade at all.

 

If no ones gonna force you to upgrade to something new for the sake of it I would keep what you got and maybe as others have said get an entire spare chassis with modules and get that ready on standby.

 

There's literally zero performance improvement to all this new kit as the penny pinchers have been out in force in all these companies in the last 5 years, and reliability is slightly worse if anything.

[Olliedawg]

Thanks for the replies all. Searching for a spare as we speak

[3s-gtech]

Yeh was forced to upgrade my beloved 5412ZL to Aruba 6300m stacked and to be honest it wasn't really an upgrade at all.

 

If no ones gonna force you to upgrade to something new for the sake of it I would keep what you got and maybe as others have said get an entire spare chassis with modules and get that ready on standby.

 

There's literally zero performance improvement to all this new kit as the penny pinchers have been out in force in all these companies in the last 5 years, and reliability is slightly worse if anything.

Oh yes, 6300m are nowhere close to the reliability of our old 5406zl2 chassis. Not even the same stadium. However, we have that many 10Gb links that our old chassis wouldn't do the job, so we demoted it to CCTV duties (for which it is absolutely perfect).

[powdarrmonkey]

If you have the cabling to do it, I'd run both switches together and connect all your edges to both, with RSTP (properly configured!) to manage the links. Then you have a hot spare and won't even notice a failure, instead of a cold spare time bomb. It's too easy for cold configurations to drift and you don't want to discover dead cold hardware when the primary fails.

[Alastairb25]

Intelligent Brokerage, Harrogate. I have used them previous for pre owned HP and Cisco gear, cheap enough to justify holding your own spares on site

[TheRobins]

Just to add, the 5406Rzl2 has been the best core switch I have used, never any issues.

[Olliedawg]

If you have the cabling to do it, I'd run both switches together and connect all your edges to both, with RSTP (properly configured!) to manage the links. Then you have a hot spare and won't even notice a failure, instead of a cold spare time bomb. It's too easy for cold configurations to drift and you don't want to discover dead cold hardware when the primary fails.

 

We don't unfortunately & would cost a fortune to put that in place, would be nice though!

[Rundc]

Thanks OP for the thread, I'm in the same boat here with a 5412ZL, we've been advised to replace, but considering going down the route of purchasing a spare after reading this thread!