[c-nsp] cheap core switch for a "hacker space" (nonprofit association)

[Eugeniu Patrascu]

On Mon, Dec 9, 2013 at 2:45 PM, Markus H <hauschild.markus at gmail.com> wrote:

> Hi,
>
> I know that this list is more for service provider discussions, but I feel
> like this is still the most suited place to ask.
>
> We just founded a hacker space [1] and are about to setup our home. For a
> few rooms full of people making and creating things and working on nerdy
> stuff you need a good networking infrastructure. So I have come to the
> following requirements:
>
> Fully managed, layer 3 and IPv6 capable switch(es) with 48 ports in total,
> at least 24 of them gigabit.
>
> The most affordable solution for me seems to be a stack of 3750s: 3750G-24T
> + 3750-24TS. Which has the added benefit that we could add another
> 3750G-24T to increase the number of gigabit ports later on.
>


If you are not going to run all the ports at wire speed and also require
high packet rates between two subnets, you can get HP gigabit switches
(they have lifetime warranty) pretty cheap and a small Linux system with a
few GigE interfaces and run that as a router. It's not the most nice
looking solution but it will do the job on the cheap and also provide lots
of options later one (firewall, packet capture etc).

HTH.