Dreaded core switch upgrade

[johnat1121]

Its worth noting that the 5406zl2 and 5412zl2 can run in a VSF (Virtual Switching Fabric) this allows you to group 2 chassis into one virtual chassis so you don't have to use anything more complex than a trunk when connection edge switches, you can also put then into different buildings for redundancy (you will need v3 modules and latest firmware tho):

https://techhub.hpe.com/eginfolib/networking/docs/switches/K-KA-KB/16-01/5200-0137_MCG/content/ch19.html

[ITGuyNW]

For you who are getting new stuff, how old is the kit you are upgrading from?

[RobFuller]

We could be looking to sell our three-year-old 5406zl2 with dual management cards and dual 900w power supplies.

Included two 12 Port PoE and SPF modules and one 24 Port PoE module.

 

We upgraded last summer to two of the larger units as we rolled out fibre to all edge cabs with redundant links.

[MicrodigitUK]

Its worth noting that the 5406zl2 and 5412zl2 can run in a VSF (Virtual Switching Fabric) this allows you to group 2 chassis into one virtual chassis so you don't have to use anything more complex than a trunk when connection edge switches, you can also put then into different buildings for redundancy (you will need v3 modules and latest firmware tho):

https://techhub.hpe.com/eginfolib/networking/docs/switches/K-KA-KB/16-01/5200-0137_MCG/content/ch19.html

 

Also quick note if anybody plans to do VSF: You can’t mix and match a 5406zl2 and a 5412zl12. It’s buried deep in the documentation so make sure you have two of the same size chassis when using VSF.

[Disease]

Our switches are 15+ years old.

[Rundc]

For you who are getting new stuff, how old is the kit you are upgrading from?

 

13.5 Year old core here.

[DrCheese]

For you who are getting new stuff, how old is the kit you are upgrading from?

 

Our core was 11 years old when we replaced it. Our edge switches are 12 years old currently.

[mrbios]

For you who are getting new stuff, how old is the kit you are upgrading from?

 

I started replacing all my access switches in 2017 (old HP 2610, 2650s etc everywhere, 100mb to desktop for example, no PoE) did that as a phased thing over 5-6 years. Did a fair bit of recabling during that time to consolidate switch cabinets down to central building locations too. So edge ones at their oldest are 6 years old.

 

Core was bought originally back in 2007.

[ITGuyNW]

I feel a bit better then! Ours are coming up to 10 years old and I'm getting nervous!

[ITGURU]

have you thought about moving away from chassis core to stacked core?

we now run dlink 3130's in a full ring stack, servers connected to all switches, edge switches dual links or use the 1gb sfp as backups to our separate 10gb switch so have full redundancy in event of single switch/sfp failure at edge/core along with redundant power on the 3130s one on ups one on mains ac

[flyinghaggis]

Our Core switches (HP 8206zl & HP 5406R) are coming up for 10 years old as well. They've been rock solid but we've started experiencing failures in other similarly aged hardware (some of the satellite switches HP 2920's) so, being critical infrastructure, we've been getting quotes to replace them. They're working fine but I'm nervous that at some point it's going to be seen as reckless running critical hardware that long, without security updates/support plus obtaining spare parts might become an issue.

 

We looked at a pair of HP 6405's but the cost is well beyond our current planned budget by the time you factor in the required fibre/ethernet modules and SFPs I think we'd assumed we could get like for like performance and fibre modules much cheaper now, given we're comparing new with 10 year old hardware, but that's not looking like it's the case unfortunately. Is it worth considering brands other than HP/Aruba?

 

What everyone else doing when it comes to replacing 10+ year old switch infrastructure?

 

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.

 

As crazy as it sounds running 10+ year old kit (with spare hardware on standby) is starting to feel like the more sensible option! Certainly the most cost effective.......

Edited December 22, 2023 by flyinghaggis

[kennysarmy]

Our HP Switch E5406zl(J8697A) was put in in 2012 and we're planning a replacement in Summer 2025 when it will be 13 years old.

 

We recently reported on our networking hardware:

 

Switching for the school is provided by a mix of HPE, Allied Telesis and Aruba hardware variants.

The majority of these switches are FE variants, with only 15 of the 35 edge switches being able to support gigabit client connection speeds.

Almost all switches in the school are uplinked via fibre connections, although the majority of switches only feature a single uplink, providing no redundancy. The fibre cabling mainly routes back to the main central cabinet, which is where the core switch is located and is a mix of OM1, OM2 and OM3 depending on location and installation date.

 

 

Summer 2024 we're aiming to get all our fibre in order before the 2025 works.

[Olliedawg]

Our HP Switch E5406zl(J8697A) was put in in 2012 and we're planning a replacement in Summer 2025 when it will be 13 years old.

 

We recently reported on our networking hardware:

 

Switching for the school is provided by a mix of HPE, Allied Telesis and Aruba hardware variants.

The majority of these switches are FE variants, with only 15 of the 35 edge switches being able to support gigabit client connection speeds.

Almost all switches in the school are uplinked via fibre connections, although the majority of switches only feature a single uplink, providing no redundancy. The fibre cabling mainly routes back to the main central cabinet, which is where the core switch is located and is a mix of OM1, OM2 and OM3 depending on location and installation date.

 

 

Summer 2024 we're aiming to get all our fibre in order before the 2025 works.

 

Sounds similar to our setup, only difference is all of our switches are now gigabit capable. We only have single uplinks for all edge switches.

 

I did end up buying a spare E5406zl (£450 on ebay with all required modules beside 10gbE, which I copied the config to & now sits in a cupboard in the server room just incase.

[Olliedawg]

Reviving this thread after a few years. Our original 5406ZL is still chugging along nicely! Running on the last firmware made available K.16.02.0036.

 

Still have a spare 5406ZL chassis in the cupboard, with 1 spare of each module.. anyone else still running their 5406ZL?

I have had zero issues with this switch in my 5 years at the school.

[synaesthesia]

Took ours out of commission a couple of years ago but I kept one along with the modules just in case. Ol' Reliable!

 

[TheRobins]

4 minutes ago, Olliedawg said:

Reviving this thread after a few years. Our original 5406ZL is still chugging along nicely! Running on the last firmware made available K.16.02.0036.

 

Still have a spare 5406ZL chassis in the cupboard, with 1 spare of each module.. anyone else still running their 5406ZL?

I have had zero issues with this switch in my 5 years at the school.

Running a 5406Rzl2, current stats

 

System Uptime: 514 days, 1 hour, 12 minutes, 45 seconds

[Davit2005]

7 x 5406Rzl2 running, 3 of them for 9 years. 2 are VSF stacked. Downtime only for updates/power cuts, no module failures. Most have UPS backup. Not using any of them for core (or what I'd call core i.e. intervlan routing). We have 4 x 8212's still doing core networking at the moment, running OSPF and multiple MSTP instances, two module failures in 10 years. Soon to change though 🙂

Edited May 12 by Davit2005

[3s-gtech]

Yeah still got one, it runs our CCTV on a physically separate network. Incredible kit.

[TheRobins]

7 minutes ago, Davit2005 said:

7 x 5406Rzl2 running, 3 of them for 9 years. 2 are VSF stacked. Downtime only for updates/power cuts, no module failures. Most have UPS backup. Not using any of them for core (or what I'd call core i.e. intervlan routing). We have 4 x 8212's still doing core networking at the moment, running OSPF and multiple MSTP instances, two module failures in 10 years. Soon to change though 🙂

What are you running, an ISP

[loxford01]

Running a 8206ZL for over 10 years and I remember someone once told me they come with a lifetime warranty (maybe I'm wrong). I brought another duplicate with all the bits from a reputed supplier (Techbuyer), ready for straight out swap of modules as and when needed/if ever needed, and config backups as well as 3 years tech support from them if required all for just under £1k. I just need to make sure the spare core switch and components don't catch dust for now. 

[Davit2005]

Just now, loxford01 said:

Running a 8206ZL for over 10 years and I remember someone once told me they come with a lifetime warranty (maybe I'm wrong). I brought another duplicate with all the bits from a reputed supplier (Techbuyer), ready for straight out swap of modules as and when needed/if ever needed, and config backups as well as 3 years tech support from them if required all for just under £1k. I just need to make sure the spare core switch and components don't catch dust for now. 

 Some did, there is an online document somewhere for what is not and what is 🙂 

[FragglePete]

Same here, been running a 5406zl for some 16 years+ now.... but I've just heard (unofficially) that governors have approved my request to spend a lot of money in getting this replaced with something. 

 

Undecided what to do right now - what is the current thinking these days with Core Switches.

 

Ours acts as the core and does the L3 routing between VLANs with ACLs in place to control access for various parts, with it being the gateway for each VLAN.

 

Do I replace it with something similar in the Aruba line doing the same role?

Or go for somesort of Unifi Ag switch - alot of my edge switches are Unifi and I'm slowly replace older units to be UniFi

Or get spares from eBay to act as a cold spare (not ideal, with it not being officially supported now)

 

Pete

 

[Olliedawg]

I've been exploring options for getting some newer kit to replace our 5406zl... We do our inter-vlan routing on our XGS so we don't need a big beefy core. We don't have many Vlans either.

Wondering if this would work

 

This as the "aggregate" switch to uplink all edge switches 

MikroTik CRS326-24S+2Q+RM (Cloud Router Switch) 24-Port Cloud Managed Rackmount 10-Gigabit SFP+ Switch w/ 2 x 40G QSFP+ Ports (RouterOS/SwOS Level 5) 

 

This as the 10Gb backbone for servers + connection to XGS, using a 2 link LACP

MikroTik CRS312-4C+8XG-RM (Cloud Router Switch) 8-Port Layer 3 Managed Rackmount 10-Gigabit Switch w/ 4 x 10G RJ45/SFP+ Combo Ports (RouterOS/SwOS Level 5)

 

Looking at Mikrotik as majority of our edge switches are Mikrotik & I know my way around the UI pretty well now, unfortunately they don't do a chassis style switch. They also have dual PSU's which is nice for the price point.

 

Although like you @FragglePete, i'm also keen to just hang on to what i've currently got, as I have an entire spare chassis, plus spare modules.

Edited May 12 by Olliedawg

[altecsole]

Bear in mind the DfE meeting digital and technology standards in schools and colleges document - https://www.gov.uk/guidance/meeting-digital-and-technology-standards-in-schools-and-colleges/network-switching-core-standard The requirement for core switches is quite specific. I'm in the process of getting quotes but, as things stand, it's likely to be another modular design, such as the HPE Aruba CX 5420 with dual power and management modules.

[Davit2005]

Dual 1 U switches with MLAG or stacked at the core could be an alternative to a chassis switch. Surely the main goal to reduce Single point of failure, each switch has it's own management and redundant PSUs 🙂

 

 

But that obviously depends if you need edge ports (i.e. APs, CCTV, PCs, etc) with PoE on the core, personally I'd have a core switch with no edge ports if I could just handling connections from other switches and the connection to the firewall/router. You could then have a core switch at different locations next to a router/firewall with a 2nd internet connection depending on building layout, provisions, budget etc.

Edited May 12 by Davit2005