suggestions for switch

[shadow]

I am looking for an 8port 100BaseFX switch with vlan, layer3 funtionality, and at least one Gigabit (LX/LH singlemode) port for crossing a decent distance. I would also like it to be stackable.

Should I go for wirespeed? In a K-12 environment what would your suggestions be? Looking to be as future proof as possible. I've looked into going fiber to every desk which would eliminate alot of hardware (hubs/switches as in the 586a spec).

I am also looking for a good place to buy fiber cable, I've found some singlemode 6fibers for 8.95/ft which seems awfully high to me.

thankyou
-serge

 

[dirtboy]

Fiber to every desktop!? Are you sitting on a huge pile of money that you have nothing better to do with??

Upgrading to all fiber won't be cheap. You may want to check out Cisco's switches. They have an 8 port which we will be getting for the back bone of our network. The 8 slots are modular (the ports are called gbic's) and you buy an adapter based on the type of connection that you need. Last I checked, the options were SX, LX or a proprietary slot to connect other "gbic" enabled Cisco switches.

 

[Xanathar]

Cisco 4908G-L3

realize anything with Layer 3 isnt really a switch anymore, but a high speed router. This Cisco approach is nice if you are going to be doubling your backbone in the wireing closet, as they have little 3 foot copper gigabit jumpers (gigastac) which you can link switches together with nicely while still staying modular enough the same equipment can be placed 18K feet away. If everythign is going to be staying in the same closet, Skip the gigabit links and move to a large chassis style switch with a routing blade like Nortel Passport, or Cisco Catalyst 5XXX or 6XXX series.


Edit: Since you said you found some Singlemode Fiber, I sure hope you know what you are getting yourself into.... Fiber and Network design in the scale your talking about is not a beginners sport. Espcially if you plan on terminating the fiber yourself (which it seems like)

 

[CBuxton]

Xanathar, I'm looking for some Layer 3 switches for my network, specifically would like to go with Cisco boxes. I can't afford their 2948G-L3 at $7500, but can't seem to find any other Layer 3 switches they sell. I'm not interested in a 6509 or anything of that magnitude, but the model you mentioned interests me if it is in fact L3. Could you point me to some more detailed information and pricing? Thanks.

 

[Xanathar]

Oops, Typo 4908, not 3508. They look similiar


http://www.cisco.com/warp/public/cc/pd/si/casi/ca4000/prodlit/4908g_ds.htm

They run around 11000, so more expensive then the 2948G-L3, but it does have the 8 gigabit ports, so for a colapsed core design it works well, especially when compared to other switches and densities, or for linking 8 much cheaper 24, 48, or 80 port switches.

 

[CBuxton]

Ahh..thanks for the clarification.

 

[shadow]

the 4908G-L3 is a little too much for my budget... I should specify why I desired stackable. The first installation I will be doing will be only for 4 labs and 12 classrooms (two computers per). I wish to make my proposal as futureproof as possible, hence I want to wire the entire building with fiber, fiber to every room would be the best but at least fiber for the backbone. A collapsed backbone is what I am looking for, at least presently. The reason for the singlemode is a 1700m gap between the High and Junior high buildings which must be tied together somehow, and I decided a dedicated link would be better than to tie them up via DSL (which is the internet access I am going to use - 1.5mbs SDSL). So right off the bat I have no reason for a switch that powerful as this school is probably not going to be able to pour more money into it to wire more classrooms for at least 2 years. Hence I will be idling that monster @ .5% during peak hours. That is the reason I wanted stackable - to allow for easy future expansion. If not stackable then I was looking at the 2912MF-XL (8 100BASEFX ports) to suffice until they get more money to get the rest of the rooms wired.

The main thing is the wiring for futureproofing, and what to go with All ethernet - ethernet + ATM yadda yadda. GBE is where I will be heading with the possibility of 10GBE between the buildings in 5-10 years or so.



<< Fiber to every desktop!? Are you sitting on a huge pile of money that you have nothing better to do with?? >>

No not really the only thing about the fiber to every desktop that gets expensive is the nics and a huge switch. Go here to see how wiring fiber to every desk can ACTUALLY SAVE YOU MONEY over the 586a structure (telecom closets / backbone). (look at next post)

What I am looking to do is get fiber to every classroom or get fiber to future telecom closets. The latter would probably be alot cheaper initially but add in the cost of the telecom closet, the equipment that goes in there and the additional wiring that has to be done from there and in the long run it doesn't seem so hot after all. I like fiber to every classroom, as it gets away with the telecom closets kinda - as you put a hub in every room, instead of hubs and switches.

So - are there any good places you guys are familiar with to get fiber? I've been to BlackBox and Warehouse.Com.

thx alot so far.

 

[shadow]

Oooops I fergot the linky for the FTTD (fiber to the desk) here's a quote from the page to wet your appetites: &quot;One of the most sophisticated LAN installations anywhere, the Getty Museum in Los Angeles, saved almost $4,000,000 by going to an all-fiber network. That's correct - FOUR MILLION DOLLARS! According to a Corning presentation at a recent 3M seminar, with UTP, they would have had to build 55 telecom closets in the museum, with hubs, power, etc. at a cost of $73,000 per closet. With an all-fiber network, they needed only one closet, saving an incredible amount of money (not to mention floor space for artwork, researchers, etc.)&quot;

here's the linky:All Fiber

enjoy.