Cheapest 10GBe Switch with multiple Gigabit Ports?

[Mulawin Galang]

Hi everyone! I'm looking for a switch that has at least 2 10GBe ports and 16 gigabit ports. I will be using the 2 10GBe ports for my file servers and the Gigabit Ports for my workstations. My current setup right now is 6 x 1GBe ports in link aggregation which works since usually only a max of 6 people edit from the server itself but we will be adding more workstations thus the need for an upgrade for our switch!

 

Suggestions please! Thanks LTT Community!

[mikat]

2 minutes ago, Mulawin Galang said:

Hi everyone! I'm looking for a switch that has at least 2 10GBe ports and 16 gigabit ports. I will be using the 2 10GBe ports for my file servers and the Gigabit Ports for my workstations. My current setup right now is 6 x 1GBe ports in link aggregation which works since usually only a max of 6 people edit from the server itself but we will be adding more workstations thus the need for an upgrade for our switch!

 

Suggestions please! Thanks LTT Community!

what's your budget?

 

and do you need RJ45 10gbE ports or can they be SFP+?

[Mulawin Galang]

5 minutes ago, mikat said:

what's your budget?

 

and do you need RJ45 10gbE ports or can they be SFP+?

Don't really have a set budget but the cheaper the better. The 10gbE ports can be SFP+ but I guess I prefer RJ45 since our whole office is using CAT6E already.

 

Noob question - does SFP+ work the same with RJ45? The 10GBe ports will be plugged onto file servers. I will need to purchase a 10GBe card for each server as well.

 

I have no experience on using SFP. The switch is right above our server so distance-wise, i guess it's fine?

[Nailzy]

I use these badboys in my lab. Really easy to configure too. http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1313.TR12.TRC2.A0.H0.Xdell+s5.TRS0&_nkw=dell+s55&_sacat=0

[Oshino Shinobu]

8 minutes ago, Mulawin Galang said:

Noob question - does SFP+ work the same with RJ45? The 10GBe ports will be plugged onto file servers. I will need to purchase a 10GBe card for each server as well.

 

I have no experience on using SFP. The switch is right above our server so distance-wise, i guess it's fine?

Switches that have 1000BASE-T and 10GbE (SFP+) ports can switch between them. The SFP+ NICs and the SFP+ cables themselves are expensive. The cables cost $40+ for a 1m cable. 

[Mulawin Galang]

3 minutes ago, Nailzy said:

I use these badboys in my lab. Really easy to configure too. http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1313.TR12.TRC2.A0.H0.Xdell+s5.TRS0&_nkw=dell+s55&_sacat=0

Woah that seems super cheap for what it can do. Do they support link aggregation though? I plan to aggregate my old managed switch in another room with 4 x 1GB RJ45 cables. 

Also, do this mean I just need to purchase 2 10GB SFP+ cards and cables and my servers will be on 10GBe each already?

Thanks so much for the help!

[Mulawin Galang]

3 minutes ago, Oshino Shinobu said:

Switches that have 1000BASE-T and 10GbE (SFP+) ports can switch between them. The SFP+ NICs and the SFP+ cables themselves are expensive. The cables cost $40+ for a 1m cable. 

I see. Will these SFP+ Cards work? They seem super cheap - http://www.amazon.com/HP-Connectx-2-Interface-671798-001-666172-001/dp/B0178CNZ9U/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1456428118&sr=8-4&keywords=10gb+sfp+card

 

For cables - http://www.amazon.com/10Gtek%C2%AE-2-Meter-10GBASE-CU-Passive-SFP-H10GB-CU2M/dp/B00U8BL09Q/ref=pd_bxgy_23_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=0PMSZXARCYG4METZ683Q

 

[Nailzy]

5 minutes ago, Mulawin Galang said:

Woah that seems super cheap for what it can do. Do they support link aggregation though? I plan to aggregate my old managed switch in another room with 4 x 1GB RJ45 cables. 

Also, do this mean I just need to purchase 2 10GB SFP+ cards and cables and my servers will be on 10GBe each already?

Thanks so much for the help!

Yup FTOS (the OS on these switches) support LAG by setting up a port channel.

 

Two SFP+ passive twinax cables and 2 10gb SFP cards should get you going (all much cheaper on ebay)

[Nailzy]

Before you buy anything though - let me get back to the office tomorrow and work out what we did- because I remember having difficulty getting link on the SFP+ ports and forgot how we got around it!

[Mulawin Galang]

Just now, Nailzy said:

Before you buy anything though - let me get back to the office tomorrow and work out what we did- because I remember having difficulty getting link on the SFP+ ports and forgot how we got around it!

Thanks a lot! I really appreciate the help! Will wait for your update!

[Oshino Shinobu]

7 minutes ago, Mulawin Galang said:

I see. Will these SFP+ Cards work? They seem super cheap - http://www.amazon.com/HP-Connectx-2-Interface-671798-001-666172-001/dp/B0178CNZ9U/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1456428118&sr=8-4&keywords=10gb+sfp+card

 

For cables - http://www.amazon.com/10Gtek%C2%AE-2-Meter-10GBASE-CU-Passive-SFP-H10GB-CU2M/dp/B00U8BL09Q/ref=pd_bxgy_23_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=0PMSZXARCYG4METZ683Q

 

Can't say for certain on the cards. They're from HP severs, and as far as I know, they are only certified to work on specific HP server models. Doesn't mean they won't work in other systems, but it means that they're not certain to work with others. 

Cables should be okay. 

[Nailzy]

2 minutes ago, Mulawin Galang said:

Thanks a lot! I really appreciate the help! Will wait for your update!

Actually I just remembered. It's because the 4 SFP ports on the front are only 1gbps and that's why we never got link. Luckily, the switches we had were from a project that bought them by mistake and they came with the 10gb SFP+ expansion modules in separate boxes which are quite expensive - so probably not the best solution for you unless you can get the daughtercard quite cheap.

 

It would be more cost effective for you to grab a Dell N3024 especially if you want to use LAG. There are much cheaper switches out there though like the Quanta Computer gear.

[brwainer]

5 hours ago, Nailzy said:

Actually I just remembered. It's because the 4 SFP ports on the front are only 1gbps and that's why we never got link. Luckily, the switches we had were from a project that bought them by mistake and they came with the 10gb SFP+ expansion modules in separate boxes which are quite expensive - so probably not the best solution for you unless you can get the daughtercard quite cheap.

 

It would be more cost effective for you to grab a Dell N3024 especially if you want to use LAG. There are much cheaper switches out there though like the Quanta Computer gear.

I was goijg to say that most of the switches in your ebay result were on 4xSFP. But there is one result on there at $449 that is 2x SFP+

[Deified]

Netgear GS752TXS is fairly cheap ($500 ebay) on the regular, but occasionally if you have patience you can find it under $300.

52 1gbe ports and 4 10gbe SFP+ ports.

Dell has a similar switch the X1052 which is similarly price with the same ports config. These both have a smaller version with the same sfp port config but they are more expensive.

[meistr]

Search ebay for refurbished 10gbit quanta the LB4M is NOISY as hell but its cheap! here's the cheapest one i found. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Refurbished-Quanta-LB4M-10GB-Uplink-Switch-Dual-Power-Supplies-90-Day-Warranty-/172104071440?hash=item281233b910:g:5wgAAOSwYIhWiuLZ

 

Edit: Found this article, Quanta has some pretty big customers (; http://www.wired.com/2012/03/google-microsoft-network-gear/

Edited February 26, 2016 by meistr