Which switch should I get...Please help

[joneschw1]

Hello all, I am a consultant for a law firm that has about 250 users and is growing. It may grow to 500 in the next yr.

I am implementing a gigabit backbone initially just for the switches. I want to have a 24pt gigabit switch that all other switches feed into via gigabit SFP ports (I need 4 of those). Since the 5 servers and all other switches (about 6 or so) are feeding into this switch, I figure it is going to need a lot of backplane. Initially, the end users will be on 100mb switches with a gigabit uplink port. Over time, we are going to be migrating the end user switches to gigabit as well.

I do not need PoE, and I don't want to pick a switch that is about to get EOLd either. Suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[Prashanth Krishnappa]

I am not sure what your budget looks like. If you want to for tiered architecture, some switches I would consider

1)CAT4500 for Core/Aggregation or 3750-12G

2)Have 3750-24 stacks for closets/IDF

[bibodelowen]

you`d better pick 4506

[thisisshanky]

Getting a 4507 will add an extra layer of redundancy at the core with capability to add an extra sup. (with 3750s at access layer - like said in other post)

[michael.spence]

I agree that I like the 4507, which will give you some redundancy at the core. If you budget will allow it you may even want to look at a catalyst 6500 series switch with a sup720 engine which will give you a 720 gigabit backblane. That may be out of your budget, but is at least worth considering.