Replacing our core switch

[localzuk]

I have been told to go ahead and replace our core switch (as it is 6 years old and unwarrantied now). It is currently a D-Link DES-6000 with 6 x 16port 10/100 RJ45 modules, 1 x 12port 100Mpbs Fibre module, and 1 x 2port 1000Mbps fibre module. At the same time, we have 4 x D-Link DES1024 switches connected to it by 100Mb fibre around the school that I would be looking to replace also.

 

What are people's suggestions? I have been advised various things already - such as using a D-Link xStack comprising of 2 x DGS-3450 and 1 x DGS-3427 and 4 x DGS-3024's for the edge switches.

 

My key concern is that in the coming year we are looking at using our network infrastructure for VOIP and want to ensure availability and reliability of that system.

 

I have been looking at moving to HP ProCurve switches instead. What advantages would I gain from doing this? (Other thank lifetime warranty, next day replacement etc...).

 

Cheers,

Tony

[ChrisH]

I use a 2824 HP Procurve as a core switch. 20 Gigabit ports and 4 dual personality ports which you can use the 4 RJ45 ports or get some GBICs and connect 4 Fibre pairs. If you need more than you are looking at a chassis and expensive .

 

The HPs are very good value for money and the life time guarantee is great.

[localzuk]

We are willing and able to go for expensive.

[Nij.UK]

We also use HP, the 4140GL switch..... it is slightly more expensive then the one that Chris mentioned, but it is expandable for the future see the link below for all the details

 

HP 4140GL

 

Again the warrenty the HP offer is very good, and what made me go with HP plus the quality of the product has been outstanding aswell

[plexer]

We've got a 4108GL as our core switch which is an 8 slot chassis and it's now completely full.

 

The newer ones with mini gbics are good though for the fibre transceivers.

 

Ben

[DMcCoy]

Have a look at the HP 5412zl. 12 module slots and it supports 10GB fibre links. HP still class it as an edge switch and not a core switch though.

[plexer]

I had a similar conversation with an HP person last year as our 4108GL is not classed as a core switch by them either but I think for schools they are perfect to function as the core.

 

Ben

[localzuk]

I had a brief (very brief!!) look at the HP core switches and they are ever so slightly out of our range (a 4 port fibre module was £11k!!), so I think we shall be living with edge switches masquerading as core switches.

[ChrisH]

Thats must have been 10 Gig modules Theres a configurator you can download from the HP site to help you and the prices give you an idea on pricig although you will get it cheaper.

[budgester]

I had a brief (very brief!!) look at the HP core switches and they are ever so slightly out of our range (a 4 port fibre module was £11k!!), so I think we shall be living with edge switches masquerading as core switches.

 

We have two 5406zl for our core.

 

We did a complete network overhaul for around 40000k

 

This included

 

21 2600 series switches

5 3400 series swithes

2 5400 series switches

 

including all the fibre modules, and network design.

 

I started by getting HP to design and quote, then they passed us to a local partner who were exceptionally good, they took the HP design which was overengineered to the max, and visited our site and reworked the design .

 

HP Network design (free)

 

http://h41111.www4.hp.com/procurve/uk/en/services/design_center/index.html

 

Our supplier.

 

http://www.atc.co.uk/

[localzuk]

Right, I have decided upon one of the 5406zl HP switches with 4 of the 24 port 100/1000Mbit modules and a 20 port fibre module and dual PSUs for the core and HP 2650's for the edge ones. (so 96 gigabit copper ports and 20 ports for use with mini-GBIC's).

 

It was either that or a stack of Dlink xstack units for the core and DGS-3024 units for the edge ones.

 

I chose the HP ones as they cost less!?! and have a better warranty by far.

[budgester]

Right, I have decided upon one of the 5406zl HP switches with 4 of the 24 port 100/1000Mbit modules and a 20 port fibre module and dual PSUs for the core and HP 2650's for the edge ones. (so 96 gigabit copper ports and 20 ports for use with mini-GBIC's).

 

It was either that or a stack of Dlink xstack units for the core and DGS-3024 units for the edge ones.

 

I chose the HP ones as they cost less!?! and have a better warranty by far.

 

If you have it in your budget get the procurve manager software as well.

 

It make life so much nicer when you make configuration changes.

[localzuk]

Do the standard switches not come with the normal version? I thought they did and you paid extra for the plus version? What's the difference?

[budgester]

Do the standard switches not come with the normal version? I thought they did and you paid extra for the plus version? What's the difference?

 

You could be right, we went for the full everything as they are the only switches we use now, I'd check with HP.

[CHR1S]

Netgear Prosafe GSM7324 L3 Managed

 

We recently purchaced one of these to replace our core switch, and saw a great improvement. We are all copper however, so I cant comment on its fiber performance.

[localzuk]

The only issues I'd have with that netgear one would be:

 

It only has a 40Gb backplane and doesn't have stacking capabilies, compared with a dlink DGS-2234R which has the same 40Gb backplane but the ability to stack for only an extra £100 or the HP 2810-24 (with 48Gb backplane and stackability) for about the same extra. This might not seem like an issue for most people now but in a couple of years, with the introduction of more and more network intensive tasks it seems more future proofed.

 

Has a 5 year warranty - and looking at our schools methods of network infrastructure replacement we would need at least 7 years.

 

Is netgear - I hate netgear (Personal experience of their equipment has been that it is poorly built).

 

May I ask why you chose netgear over someone like hp?

 

Cheers

Tony

[CHR1S]

We have for the last 3 years I have been here had Netgear and never had a single problem (Touch Wood). Stacking was never given as a requirement when the purchase was made, and realistically if and when the need arises for something more I would recommend migrating it out to the edge and bring in newer hardware for the core. To me for the £600 we paid for it, it was always going to be a stopgap solution when other priorities dictated spending (Im not manager or budget holder).

[localzuk]

Ah, I had assumed the price was going to be close to that given on the link provided... In that case, the price difference is about £300.

[john]

I use Netgear and have been using some L3 Managed Stacking Swtiches that are very good and don't break the bank. http://www.netgear.co.uk/layer3_gigabit_switch_FSM7328S.php are very good and reliable,

[psydii]

localzuk.

Have you read the becta network infrastructure documents?

Is BSF anywhere on your schools radar?

Have you considered partnering up with a company rather than building/designing/troubleshooting it in house, this type of approach also gives easy access to 4hr break-fix SLAs. We've still got that on our 3com 3300s which have been unsupported by 3com for a few years now

 

Look at the extreme networks kit, very good for voip and resiliancy and multicasting. Not cheap, but with the right partner extremely good education rates can be realised. They also do a managed wireless 'solution'.

 

 

That said HP Procurves are good, and I'd build a network with them again.

[BRAB]

Tony,

 

We use Allied Telesyn. Great for stacking resilence, multicasting etc and nice and cheap, come with next business day swap out as well.

 

We had a guy come in from Allied and design it for us foc.

[bossman]

Cisco 3550 12T combines 10 gig copper with 2 gbics for stackability or go the other way 3550 12G 10 gbic slots and 2 copper gig ports both have 60Gb backplanes for layer 3 routing attach these to 3650 48 port layer 3 capable managed switches also 60Gb routing backplane then cluster and build your VLans to go. Got the last 2 3650 at £2200 with gbic inserts. Very fast very reliable lifetime guarantee plus very good for voip and video conferencing.

[bossman]

Sorry to say and feel a little :oops: as i have just found out that the 3550 range has come to the end of its supported life but they are still available and probabaly at a good price. The 3650 range is the updated model.

[limbo]

Just purchased everything to update our entire network here.

 

We first upgraded the core with four Cisco C3750G-24TS-S1U switches.

 

Two in one building stacked together with four 1Gb fibre modules in each switch running 4 x 1GB links to each of two buildings which both had one of these switches in to form the overall core.

 

Then, wherever possible, we are stacking from this core with 8 x C3750-48TS-S switches to distribute to anything terminating in the main cabinets of each building.

 

Then, where there are outlaying switches, we have gone for 16 x C3560-24TS-S

with an additional 1GB module for the uplink to the main cabinet.

 

We have then added a C3750-24PS-S to the stack in each cabinet to provide power over ethernet for all our wireless access points (which we are just upgrading the remaining old b's to g's)

 

We looked at 10GB fibre link between buildings but it would have cost as much to do just that as it has to buy all of this kit. And we can always buy another four switches to make it up to an 8GB link between buildings if we desire.