OT: Switch Recommendations?

[Zbox]

I'm going to be purchasing some new networking equipment and in particular would like to know about some of your experiences with the current switches you guys are using...

Right now I'm using Linksys EF24G2 (3x) and my experience with these hasn't been the best. I've had a couple fans die, locking issues, etc...

I'm looking to purchase:

(2x) unmanaged 48 port 10/100 with (2) gigabit uplinks
(2x) 8-24 port gigabit

I would prefer to go with a lower port count on the full gigabit switches, but I really would like to be able to mount these on a 19" telco-style rack with the two 48s.

Please let me know what experiences you've had: brand-names, models, etc...

I'd love to get some input from you guys

Many thanks!

-z

 

[Unforgiven]

i dont have a recommendation for a large network but i would like to say that ive installed 2 home networks using smc ez switches and they are fantastic. 4 years of use and never one freeze, pause or issue at all. i know thats not the answer you are looking for but i do have to recommend smc as a vendor because mine have been outstanding! dont know how they are on a large scale end but for the home user i recommend them every chance i get.

 

[RemyCanad]

http://www.asante.com/

They make some great products. We have over 300k in equipment here and love it.

Heck we had some old 9000 units (around 198 10/100 ports, and some fiber ports in it.) and when the unit was full it would become erratic and restart it self. (They had never actually filled one up fully and really tested it. ) So they sent us all new equipment and took ours back at their expense!

 

[RemyCanad]

24 port (With two Gigabits) http://www.asante.com/products/switches/3524/index.html

I can't seem to find the 8 port gigabit switch on there... I know they made them at one time that is what we use.

 

[Zbox]

thanks guys!

Asante has some attractive equipment

 

[BlackMountainCow]

:laugh: When I first read the topic I wanted to recommend the new Sharkoon switch with 5 ports and 4 blue LEDs making it look really cool in the night. But I guess that's definitly NOT what you are looking for Z ... :laugh:

 

[CraigRT]

always use D-Link for desktop switches here, and 3COM for server-side switches

3COM has some really nice 24ish port switches out there
we have a few, many generations of them.. troublefree and LIFETIME warranty

 

[networkman]

At my workplace, we're using Cisco Catalyst 3548XL switches, 28 of them to be exact throughout the enterprise. No significant problems to report from here.

 

[Zbox]

As much as I'd love to have some Cisco toys, my budget won't allow for it :frown:

 

[RemyCanad]

I believe Asante actually makes the hardware for the Cisco switches. (It could be another company but I have forgotten their name, but I do know Cisco does not maek their own hardware)

Also all Asante equipment has a life time warranty.

NOTE: I do not work for Asante.

 

[Zbox]

i'm reading thru the product info sheets on the asante goods and they all show "3-year product warranty covers defects in manufacturing and workmanship"

 

[Zbox]

found a nifty cross ref. guide for Cisco / Asante

here

the IC3548-2GT is looking promising right now

 

[RemyCanad]

Hmm that is really odd about the warranty. I wonder when they changed that...

We have the IC3548-2G here and I like them.

"Choose any IntraCore switch now and you will receive the FR1104-G 54 Mbps wireless Firewall router and the AL5410-G 54Mbps Cardbus adapter FREE. " Hehe I like free stuff. (But that is from their site, I figure you can find it eachper other places. )

Maybe the lifetime warranty is extra. :S

 

[Zbox]

do you manage them?

how do you like the telnet & web interfaces on the 3548?

 

[RemyCanad]

I actually do not manage them... We were in a hurry to get them in and setup so they were never setup to be managed. (I had a one day window to remove three 9000 units and replace them with a setup of IC3548-2Gs and the gigabit switch. So that was ruffly installing 24 switches... ) The gigabit switches they connect to are managed... I only work full time over the summer and manage the rest remotely. So once I head back for the summer they will be all set to be managed.

I can tell you the interface on the old 9000 units was fine. The web-based interface could have used some work (May be much better now) but you could get the job done. I really don't like web interfaces when I could use a telnet, so I mostly used the telnet one. It workes great, and I have not complaints about it.

If I was down there I would setup one of the spares (We have four of them. ) and let you play with it....

 

[ICXRa]

I have also had a good past with Asante switches. For the money I believe they are hard to beat. I know you said Cisco was out due to the budget but I have seen 2924's run for years without issue. I believe the 2950 is similar with the addtion of gigabit ports. I would recommend you avoid Extreme Networks at all costs unless you like to RMA gear a lot!

 

[Confused]

We're using almost exclusively HP switches at work. Not had any problems with them at all


Garry

 

[Zbox]

More toys to look at today

Thanks Garry

 

[RemyCanad]

Originally posted by: Confused
We're using almost exclusively HP switches at work. Not had any problems with them at all


Garry

I have used two HP switches and have had no problems with them. The first one had an odd design and well I just didn't like how the cables were in the rack. A second one was bought about a year later and it had a much better design.

This is similar if not the same as why the new one was like http://www.hp.com/rnd/products/switches/switch4100glseries/large_4148gl.htm

The other one had the cards vertical.

 

[networkman]

Agree on the Cisco 2924 being a good switch - I have one at home. Management was quite easy to do - I have no complaints at all.

 

[Zbox]

Almost all the 2924s I'm finding are refurbs and I read that Cisco will no longer support them?

 

[Crazee]

Extreme Networks at the core and HP on the edge has been the best combination I have seen. Extreme switches are faster than Cisco and much easier to manage. They comply to standards much much better than Cisco.

HP has inexpensive switches with great service. Lifetime warranty and no maintenance costs.

 

[Zbox]

it seems folks either love or hate Extreme Networks with a passion

 

[ICXRa]

Extreme is the fastest switch I have ever used and configuration is easy. My problem is this, in three years:

6 dead Summit 48's
2 dead Black Diamond management cards
1 dead Black Diamond DC power supply

YMMV

I've got old Cisco 5000 series switches that where left in construction areas and ran for years covered in about a 1/8" or more of drywall dust that still run fine to this day. I cleaned them up of course.

Extreme maintenace contracts are very expensive but so is Cisco!

At these prices you may want to check out Foundry equipment too, a lot of our customers are happy with them.

 

[Crazee]

I haven't had a lot of failures with the Extreme switches and we have quite a few in production. At one time our entire network was Extreme, but it was too expensive and not necessary to have them at the edge so we switched our edge switches to HP.

My biggest gripes about Cisco is that every piece of equipment they make seems to have a different way of setup and configuration. Also my grandma could switch packets faster than alot of their switches.