Switches - What do you have running?

[RobFuller]

15 hours ago, newpersn said:

Anyone running cambium switches? These have been recommended to us as well. But no 24/48 port muti-Gig switches yet. 

 

Yes we are, 67 in total due to our distributed site layout.

 

There is a 24/48 port multi-gig switch in the works for around Q3/4. Hopefully should get hold of a preview unit soon but it has been delayed a bit apparently.

 

 

[RedwayNetworks_Michael]

43 minutes ago, RobFuller said:

 

Yes we are, 67 in total due to our distributed site layout.

 

There is a 24/48 port multi-gig switch in the works for around Q3/4. Hopefully should get hold of a preview unit soon but it has been delayed a bit apparently.

 

 

Im pushing them hard on this, almost daily, I need a good few of the 24 port ones already for some installs coming up.

 

The 48 port one is delayed and wont be until next year now and i think they may even give up on releasing that one as they concentrate on some new APs they looking to release too 4x4 AP im been told so nothing dramatic but those 24 port multigig switches i think should be a great fit into the switching portfolio. 

 

[newpersn]

4 hours ago, RobFuller said:

 

Yes we are, 67 in total due to our distributed site layout.

 

There is a 24/48 port multi-gig switch in the works for around Q3/4. Hopefully should get hold of a preview unit soon but it has been delayed a bit apparently.

 

 

Thank you. How are you finding them? We are currently torn between these and unifi currently. Just waiting for muti gig to come out so we can compare costs etc...

3 hours ago, RedwayNetworks_Michael said:

Im pushing them hard on this, almost daily, I need a good few of the 24 port ones already for some installs coming up.

 

The 48 port one is delayed and wont be until next year now and i think they may even give up on releasing that one as they concentrate on some new APs they looking to release too 4x4 AP im been told so nothing dramatic but those 24 port multigig switches i think should be a great fit into the switching portfolio. 

 

 

Thanks Michael. 

 

[RobFuller]

15 hours ago, newpersn said:

Thank you. How are you finding them? We are currently torn between these and unifi currently. Just waiting for muti gig to come out so we can compare costs etc...

 

Thanks Michael. 

 

 

They’ve been solid switches overall. One standout feature is the Policy-Based Automation (PBA), which allows for automatic switch port configuration based on MAC address, LLDP, or other variables. This really streamlines deployment and helps reduce misconfigurations.

Management is straightforward, and while the GUI isn’t as polished as UniFi, perhaps reflecting a less prosumer focused approach, there’s still plenty of flexibility. Customization beyond the GUI is possible both globally and at the individual switch level.

My main wish would be for an aggregated view of all connected devices and their LLDP information, rather than having to check each switch individually. That said, the switches perform well, and if you're integrating with WiFi, having a unified management plane is definitely a plus.

[Sonic007]

Unifi 24 Port POE switches here.

Still got a few Cisco ones that I will be replacing with Unifi this summer.

[Disease]

We had every Network Switch replaced last Summer for free under the Connect the classroom scheme with Cisco Meraki including 10 year licensing including going from a single core stack to 3 core stacks  spaced over the site with redundant 40GB links between the stacks 35 switches in total and 119 Access points.

 

 

[TP-Link_Gary]

On 01/07/2025 at 14:30, newpersn said:

Hello all, 

 

I would like to know what switches are you running in your cabinets? 

 

Currently have Mikrotik switches running SWOS and they often lock up. (FW on latest release) 

 

Would like to start moving away from these, Would like POE, Muti-Gig for our AP's but unsure if we get budget next year for this... 

Hi - please take a look at the Omada range - realistically priced, broad product range and low or zero cloud management costs.  https://www.omadanetworks.com/uk/

[TP-Link_Gary]

On 02/07/2025 at 12:37, russlp said:

We're just about to go Unifi here, core and edge.

Hi RUSSLP - have you considered Omada - https://www.omadanetworks.com/uk/business-networking/omada/switch/

[k-strider]

Unlike most (we are just going through replacing our current netgear switches) - we picked Ruckus / Comsscope because we already had a Ruckus Wireless network here with 45 WiFi 5 and 6 AP's and it made sense that all the networking gear appeared in the same online pane of glass for management. They are all ICX8200s of various models. I only have the Core and about another 4 switches left to replace 31 already done.

 

I know they are not a normal choice here and appreciate that they are more of a North American player in the Education / University setting but i have found them to date really easy to work with and SmartZone controller software is really good for both WiFi and the Wired Switches.

Edited August 5, 2025 by k-strider

[TP-Link_Gary]

On 01/07/2025 at 14:30, newpersn said:

Hello all, 

 

I would like to know what switches are you running in your cabinets? 

 

Currently have Mikrotik switches running SWOS and they often lock up. (FW on latest release) 

 

Would like to start moving away from these, Would like POE, Muti-Gig for our AP's but unsure if we get budget next year for this... 

Hope not too late to the party - we have a range of multigig switches within the Omada range - https://www.omadanetworks.com/uk/business-networking/all-omada-switch/?filterby=5987|5988 

 

[kennysarmy]

I'd love to replace some of these switches, especially the AT ones, but there is simply NO money

 

HP Switch E5406zl   (J8697A)

9024

2510G-24

2510G-24

2510G-24

2510G-48

2510G-48

2510G-48

2520G-24

2520G-24

2520G-24

2520G-24-PoE

2520G-24-PoE

2530-48

2530-48

2530-48

2530-48

2530-48

2530-48

2530-48

2530-48

2530-48

2530-48

2530-48

2530-48

2530-48

2530-48G

2530-48G

2530-48G

2530-48G

2530G-48

2530G-48

8000S

8000S

8000S

8000S

8000S

8000S

[PotNoodleTech]

Your main problem is that the old 2510G-24 etc are so damn reliable they'll keep working forever.  If they'd have died 5 years ago they'd have found the money.

[Olliedawg]

Big up the 5406ZL! Still going strong here too

[Disease]

20 minutes ago, Olliedawg said:

Big up the 5406ZL! Still going strong here too

Even though we are now full Meraki I still miss my 5406ZL, such a great switch.

[Frodo_Baggins]

UniFi everywhere, one school has an Aruba 5406r zl2 for the core and 2930f for edge but will be changing to UniFi there aswell 🙂

UniFi Access points (used to be Xirrus at one of the schools which wasn't great but could have just been that model\ partner company.)

[chris11256]

Running a Aruba 4506r ZL2 core with 9 CX6200F's.

 

They're configured in one stack of 5 and another of 4, each connected. We have the single server/switch room, so they're connected to the core via 10Gbps DAC cables.

 

We are moving to a new site next summer though and we're being given new switching as part of the build, not 100% sure on models yet but it's definitely Aruba.

[headoned]

Pretty much all HP here for switching with Extreme/Aerohive for wireless. Anyone had any experience with the Extreme switching? currently looking at replacing either wireless or switching and at the moment Meraki is the favourite followed by UniFi. We looked at Fortinet for both switching and wireless but then you are locked into their ecosystem.

[FragglePete]

5406zl at the Core.  It's old and is on my radar to replace.

 

Have been replacing aging HP Procurve edge switches with UniFi stuff as we go along.  Just done a cabinet upgrade using a couple of the Pro-Max switches.

 

Have running a number of CX 6000 Series switches running as well - would like to replace these but as they are not very old it would be a waste.  But, I don't like the CX OS on them and want to replace them over time.

 

Still run some older HP ProCurve 8 Port PoE Switches which we use to run our UniFi Cameras on - again, ideally would like these to be UniFi, but they work, do the job for the CCTV system presently.

 

WiFi is running Cambium which has been just superb since we put it in a couple of years ago.

 

Pete

 

[localzuk]

We have HP switches dating between 2008 and 2023. We just replaced our cores (HPE 5406zl /5412R zl2) with a Unifi stack (EFGx2, Pro Aggregation, USW-WAN etc...). And we've got a dozen Pro Max edge switches that'll be going in over the next 2 weeks. The plan is the rest will be replaced over the next 2 years.

 

Wifi is Aruba, but the controller is EOL next year, so we will be moving to Unifi for that too.

[Chockster]

20 minutes ago, localzuk said:

We have HP switches dating between 2008 and 2023. We just replaced our cores (HPE 5406zl /5412R zl2) with a Unifi stack (EFGx2, Pro Aggregation, USW-WAN etc...). And we've got a dozen Pro Max edge switches that'll be going in over the next 2 weeks. The plan is the rest will be replaced over the next 2 years.

 

Wifi is Aruba, but the controller is EOL next year, so we will be moving to Unifi for that too.

That stack is just just what we're looking at too. We've already got the Wifi so it seems a no brainer. I'm fed up with persuading a 10 year old netgear m6100 to update without it falling over.

 

Please keep us posted on Unifi as a core solution - are you happy with it so far?

[localzuk]

2 minutes ago, Chockster said:

That stack is just just what we're looking at too. We've already got the Wifi so it seems a no brainer. I'm fed up with persuading a 10 year old netgear m6100 to update without it falling over.

 

Please keep us posted on Unifi as a core solution - are you happy with it so far?

 

I am so far. Its nice having much better visibility from the Unifi dashboard, and changing configuration is so quick and easy. Only thing I need to do is factory reset our shadow EFG because it isn't behaving properly with the backup internet connection. But its low down the priority list at the moment.

[RedwayNetworks_Michael]

20 hours ago, headoned said:

Pretty much all HP here for switching with Extreme/Aerohive for wireless. Anyone had any experience with the Extreme switching? currently looking at replacing either wireless or switching and at the moment Meraki is the favourite followed by UniFi. We looked at Fortinet for both switching and wireless but then you are locked into their ecosystem.

 Aerohive was a great product, i cant help but feel its all gone abit backwards since Extreme took them over. The free licence platform Aerohive did was great. I know alot now looking to replace it as they now have to pay to licence and cant make any changes until they do and alot just not too happy.

 

Meraki if got budget its just simple

Aruba/Cambium 

Meraki/Cambium 

 

Cambium edge with a Meraki or Aruba Core i find a good option that seems to tick alot of boxes in education as budgets usually the biggest blocker so this mix seems to work well. 

If you havent used Cambium before let me know, i can usually get hold of free APs to send out for Cambium for people to try, i wonder how many of my schools IT managers have cambium APs at home due to this haha

 

Fortinet - i do like the firewalls and they have been on me alot to try push more of there switching and Wireless.

The USP they was giving me was no licences required if have a firewall, however by time you added up product costs and the support you must take it felt like licences would have been easier. I do think this may change as i know Fortinet are really wanting to attack the network area. 

[5tu]

19 hours ago, localzuk said:

 

I am so far. Its nice having much better visibility from the Unifi dashboard, and changing configuration is so quick and easy. Only thing I need to do is factory reset our shadow EFG because it isn't behaving properly with the backup internet connection. But its low down the priority list at the moment.

 

Out of interest, what are you using to manage your Unifi kit?  On-prem controller or unifi/hostifi cloud?

[DalekSec]

20 minutes ago, 5tu said:

 

Out of interest, what are you using to manage your Unifi kit?  On-prem controller or unifi/hostifi cloud?

 

The EFG is Enterprise Fortress Gateway, UniFi higher tier hardware

[TP-Link_Gary]

20 hours ago, Chockster said:

That stack is just just what we're looking at too. We've already got the Wifi so it seems a no brainer. I'm fed up with persuading a 10 year old netgear m6100 to update without it falling over.

 

Please keep us posted on Unifi as a core solution - are you happy with it so far?

Take a look at the Omada core and edge - https://www.omadanetworks.com/uk/business-networking/all-omada-switch/ - UK support and plenty of stock!