Cat5/5E/6/6A Cable

[Lurch]

I've not seen a switch yet with say 8 copper & 8 fibre ports that will run separately.

Usually I would keep the fibre core just that, fibre only. Any servers at the core on copper would be connected via a normal switch to the fibre core as per all of the other nodes (or maybe with slightly faster fibre ports/more aggregated links).

 

[Sidewinder]

OK, I can see that, but, my connections to the outside world are still copper.

So, what primarily fibre options are there.

Say at least 2 copper then say 10 or 20 fibre.

That way I could run 2 or 4 link agg ports to my 4 or 5 sub-switches.

The sub switches I have, have 4 fibre ports so I could link agg them and then connect the copper to the local devices.

So that makes sense.

So, makes & models is the next thing as I need to start planning something.

Thanks.

 

[jdmjrmdam]

I have switched out a "normal" switch for a PoE switch.

When I am describing the switches I am using the P to indicate where I need PoE switches rather than normal.

I could use a fibre switch at the core, but, not sure of the implications as i would still need copper at the core, and copper out from the core as not all points from the core could use fibre IYKWIM.

You could always get a smallish core switch with enough fibre capable ports to connect two to each access switch and at you're "core" location just have two switches using your existing one (uplinked to the new core switch) for the copper connections to devices.

 

[Sidewinder]

That's what I was thinking.

Anyone got any suggestions for a switch with for example more fibre ports, say 8-10 preferably and perhaps only 4-8 copper?

 

[Lurch]

I'd always recommend HP ProCurve, not a cheap option though but I think for your application anything would work as you are not going to be hammering it like a datacentre.

 

[Sidewinder]

No it's not datacentre like hammering, I've been looking @ HP, but the website is rubbish!

IMHO.

In fact none of the major switch vendors have a "nice" website.

 

[jdmjrmdam]

Something like this?

http://www.dabs.com/products/netgear-12-port-gigabit-fiber-layer-2-managed-switch-gsm7212f-100nes-7YSD.html