Advice on network

[cmo30]

Hi guys I have a Unifi Dream Machine for the network I also have 2 APs. Will a Cisco 3850 work for my homelab environment running a Dell Precision 7910 with Proxmox. Also for PoE + for the APs even though the Catalyst is EOL. Any help and guidance would be much appreciated. Also as far as security is concerned. 

[Needfuldoer]

Do you intend on adding more machines over time?

 

That switch will work just fine, though it's probably going to be power hungry. 

 

Is this going to be a learning platform, or is it going to be a "production" switch that other machines and services will rely on?

 

If you just want to learn Cisco, run Packet Tracer instead of physical hardware. GNS3 will let you virtualize multiple vendors' hardware, but you're on your own finding the appropriate boot images for it.

[cmo30]

22 minutes ago, Needfuldoer said:

Do you intend on adding more machines over time?

 

That switch will work just fine, though it's probably going to be power hungry. 

 

Is this going to be a learning platform, or is it going to be a "production" switch that other machines and services will rely on?

 

If you just want to learn Cisco, run Packet Tracer instead of physical hardware. GNS3 will let you virtualize multiple vendors' hardware, but you're on your own finding the appropriate boot images for it.

My goal for it is to be a learning environment also a homelab for running proxmox to run different virtual machines and contains I'm planning on running Windows server as well as trueNas scale for backing up photos and videos we're my dad takes a lot of pictures and videos. Also my grandmother takes a lot of pictures and videos as well. I'm also planning on running a VM or LXC container for Rocky Linux in proxmox. 

[LIGISTX]

Why not stay within the UniFi ecosystem..? Just get UniFi switches. 

[cmo30]

9 hours ago, LIGISTX said:

Why not stay within the UniFi ecosystem..? Just get UniFi switches. 

Well my grandparents were the ones that were footing the Bill and they couldn't afford a unifi switch and AP so I had to make a conscious decision with just deciding on a Cisco catalyst switch 3000 series it was a budget decision because when I did my research a unifi switch and a AP would have been $400 to $500 dollars depending on unifi switch model. Because I currently don't work due to being disabled since birth. But I am working towards studying for and obtaining my CCNA along with doing projects in my homelab environment with my dell precision 7910 to fill my IT experience gap. To get into system/network administration.