Switch advice

[Alan Huseyin Kayahan]

Hello,

I need a maximum 8 ports switch with 2x10gig fiber ports (Or gbic slot). This can be cisco or non cisco. I found the following but dont know if its gbic slots support 10gig gbics http://www.cisco.com/en/US/prod/collateral/switches/ps5718/ps9967/ps9971/data_sheet_c78-502486.html

Since I need 100+, low price is also a concern

Thanks

[pnicolette]

With a 24-strand ring for 35 sites, you might splice and patch it into nine smaller subrings of about four sites each. (Each subring using only two strands.) Then you'd get good performance from affordable gig switches, with no STP headaches.

If cost counts, consider compatible SFPs...get several for discounted price of one OEM.

Finally, you might juggle your fiber numbers against the extra cost of "BIDI" SFPs, like "GLC-BX-U-D-PAIR bi-directional GigE 10Km SFP transceiver pair". Using separate wavelengths for Tx and Rx, each subring needs only ONE strand. Think twelve strands for a 35-site ring with up to twelve subrings. A pair can run $700.

[Leo Laohoo]

Cisco Catalyst 4900M Switch

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/prod/collateral/switches/ps5718/ps6021/ps9310/Data_Sheet_Cat_4900M.html

I'm not sure if anyone of this is cheaper.

Hope this helps.

[Alan Huseyin Kayahan]

Thank you everyone, your every single comment is so helpful and appreciated. I will post my final design and request your comments on it.

I decided to give up on fiber. Either star or ring topologies are way overpriced. Fiber terminations, fiber patch panel at every building, fiber supporting active devices in access layer and so on. I checked HP 1800, 1810 series 8 port gigabit switches, but they lack STP technology.

Plus, I dont want take possible risks, thats why I decided to create stp domains that do not exceed 20 access switches. Access switches will be Cisco SRW2008 gigabit switches, etherchanneled to each other with 3xCAT6 cables in a ring fashion, establishing a 3Gbit backbone at access layer.

The distribution switch of every stp domain will be connected to core (star) with 2x1gbit fiber etherchannel. Depending on the load of dist-to-core uplinks, i may switch to 10gig fiber modules. All switches will be cisco. Comments are welcome.

My primary concern now is STP diameter (maximum switches in an STP domain). I would like to implement RSTP but need to hear comments, experiences on this.

Thanks

[pnicolette]

I like copper, but between buildings watch out for possible...

- currents from different electrical potentials

- lightning-induced spikes

- building code compliance

- and of course distance limits.

I'd want to ensure the switchports are well-protected electrically so they'll last a while.

[pnicolette]

Also, before using small-biz-class switches from ANY vendor, I'd dig into customer feedback on the specific model from places like newegg and amazon.

There are excellent products in that space, but how well they work as promised, interoperate and run reliably seems to vary enormously among brands, models, versions and firmware releases. Especially on higher-end features like RSTP. Caveat emptor!