Core Switch

[dezt]

Hi all, just after a bit of advice really. We are looking at finally going ahead and replacing our core switch and have been recommended 2 of these as a replacement. Would they do the job? We currently have about 350 pc's/laptops on the network and are currently using all 24 ports on our core switch for servers and for uplinks.

 

The switch we have been recommended is HP E3500-24G-PoE yl.

 

We will require 3 fibre upliks and the rest will be used for gigabit ethernet.

We have about 12 servers but that will be going down to about 7 over the summer holidays and we have 3 Nas boxes, one requires 2 ports for a bonded pair, and we also have an autochanger that has a network point being used for it.

 

Will 2 of these switches stacked be good enough for our network? Will they be good enough for the next 5 / 6 years ish, as we won't be introducing many more PC's or laptops into the network as we are at a ratio of almost 2 pupils to every computer.

[Potato-Peeler]

Hello,

To be honest theres nothing wrong with that option, however I would also prefer one 48 port to a 24 port, as faster with no daisy chaining. One I have found at a lot of client sites to be good is the netgear GS748TS. Four fibre modules, fully managed and full gigabit. Also a lot cheaper.

[SYNACK]

Are you looking at teaming links to your other switches? Being layer 3 and ip6 is a good sign, it also supports modules to make them 10GB compatible so they could be shuffled down to access level ones later. As there is no stacking interface you could team a link of 2-4 1gb links giving you decent throughput between switches but loosing 4-8 ports.

 

Overall seems feasible and upgradable in future to support higher speeds and probably cheaper (although it is worth checking) than a modulr switch.

 

Edit: the netgear above is not layer 3 managed and so featurewise is not even in the same league let alone quality bracket as the hps above. The 2x24 is good in that it gives you up to 8 fibre links for teaming rather than four and has module support for 10GB.

Edited June 15, 2011 by SYNACK

[Millgate]

Hi Dezt,

 

I've sent you a PM

 

Cheers

[snoerre]

The switch we have been recommended is HP E3500-24G-PoE yl.

No, the 3500yl was never meant to be a core switch.

 

Take two HP E4800-24G Switch instead, make a IRF stack with two Local Connection Modules and two CX4 cables. Talking about prices: 4200,- € for the switches and LCM, plus 200,-€ for the CX4 cables incl. VAT.

 

(If you want something "bigger" and more advanced (MPLS support) and if more 10Gbit/s interfaces are needed, take a look at the A5800 series. They have inbuilt SFP+ slots.

Take two HP A5800-24G Switch plus two HP X242 SFP+ SFP+ 1m Direct Attach Cable for stacking and pay 6100,-€ incl. VAT.)

Edited June 23, 2011 by snoerre