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<p class="MsoNormal">Hi Guys!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Thought I’d throw out a few questions and a request for some feedback around some datacenter switching we are looking at. Currently each server has 6 10GbE NICs of which two are dedicated iSCSI that will run through this fabric. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The current requirement is to replace our 1000BaseT switching with 10GbE but the cost of SFP+ modules is an issue and currently twinax has been rules out due do cable management issues (don’t ask :/).<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It would be nice to also standardise for our core also so routing is a “nice to have” but not a requirement.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">If we could get some decent or support 3<sup>rd</sup> party SFP+ modules for a good price it would make the Cisco/Brocade options much more attractive but never used the Startech or Netgear SFPs before & I’d like to avoid the vendor finger
pointing games. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We are looking at the following<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Dell S4048-ON<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Pros:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-18.0pt;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><![if !supportLists]><span style="mso-list:Ignore">-<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span><![endif]>Cheap $60 SFP+<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-18.0pt;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><![if !supportLists]><span style="mso-list:Ignore">-<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span><![endif]>Cheapest switch cost by 20-30%<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-18.0pt;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><![if !supportLists]><span style="mso-list:Ignore">-<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span><![endif]>All in one (no port or IP/routing licences required)<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Cons:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-18.0pt;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><![if !supportLists]><span style="mso-list:Ignore">-<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span><![endif]>Different CLI in FTOS, another thing to learn/manage<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Brocade VDX 6490<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Pros: <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-18.0pt;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><![if !supportLists]><span style="mso-list:Ignore">-<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span><![endif]>ISCLI<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-18.0pt;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><![if !supportLists]><span style="mso-list:Ignore">-<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span><![endif]>Vendor reputation<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Cons<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-18.0pt;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><![if !supportLists]><span style="mso-list:Ignore">-<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span><![endif]>SFP+ price $300+<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-18.0pt;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><![if !supportLists]><span style="mso-list:Ignore">-<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span><![endif]>Cost of additional port licences e.g. 24-48 port on demand<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Cisco Nexus 3000/9000<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Pros:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-18.0pt;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><![if !supportLists]><span style="mso-list:Ignore">-<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span><![endif]>Community support & KB/documentation<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-18.0pt;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><![if !supportLists]><span style="mso-list:Ignore">-<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span><![endif]>Vendor reputation<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-18.0pt;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><![if !supportLists]><span style="mso-list:Ignore">-<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span><![endif]>Standardise vendor with all other network gear<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Cons:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-18.0pt;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><![if !supportLists]><span style="mso-list:Ignore">-<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span><![endif]>SFP+ $1500+<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-18.0pt;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><![if !supportLists]><span style="mso-list:Ignore">-<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span><![endif]>IP Lite licence costs<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I’d love to hear your thoughts or experience, as I’m sure I’ve missed a few things!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Cheeeeeers,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Alex<o:p></o:p></p>
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