On Feb 6, 2008 9:28 PM, Sherwood Botsford <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Part of my job description is to come as close as possible to > doing everything with no resources. (My entire IT budget for this > year is $6K. That includes internet connectivity, all repairs, >
Are things really that tight? How do they afford your salary then? > $100/computer) THIS year I have about 4K for servers. I get to > replace my pair of 1 GHz 256MB boxes with something a bit faster, > more reliable and more spacious.) > Do you really need to? Sometimes more ram is enough. Do you _need_ to, or do you _want_ to? I still have 2 machines running Pentium 3s from 5-6 years ago, and I really _want_ to upgrade them. For example, the server this laptop goes out over. I can't even put more than 512MB on this motherboard!! But I'm at 99% idle. I don't _need_ to. HOWEVER, these switches are dying like flies at a RAID show. Never heard of that expression. > > I've had 5 of them die in the last 3 months. (I also use them in > classrooms -- Overkill, for 3-4 computers in a classroom, but, as > I said, the price is right.) In effort to stem the bloody tide, > I've remounted them on the rack with 2 rack holes between each, > to improve the air cooling. Buy a $20 fan and point it at them. Heck, splurge a little, and buy two. > > So I went to 3com's web site. Got frustrated as hell trying to > find what I was looking for. Went to Cisco's site. No better, > but they answered the phone. Their switches are pricey. 8 port > with 1 GB uplink are $800. 24 port GB $3300. And if you're a large corporate customer, you can get up to 50% off. Or if you're an educational or non-profit, you might be able to get something from them too. Have you looked around for people disposing/upgrading their equipment? > web managed (semi-managed) switches I could chop a digit off of > prices. E.g. a 24 port GB switch for about $300, an 8 port GB > switch for $100. Then don't sell semi-managed switches that have > just 1 or 2 GB ports. > Dell powerconnect switches used to suck _REALLY_ bad. But if I'm going to use a cheap switch, I might as well go with something like a dlink. > > 1. Why is a cisco 2960-PT-ATTL eleven times the price of a Dell > PowerConnect 2724? Silly question. Because they can, and because people will pay for it. > > 2. I figure there is less likely to be gotchas if all my core > switches are from the same vendor. What vendors do you recommend > for inexpensive switches. > I've heard OK things about dlink. They have some 24 port switches. I'm not sure why you'd need _managed_ switches, in your environment. > Cautionary tales? Buying stuff you have no need for. Do you really _need_ managed switches? What kind of management would you need? Even for your servers - do you _NEED_ gigabit? Your environment is small enough not to need that, I think. -- http://www.glumbert.com/media/shift http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGvHNNOLnCk "This officer's men seem to follow him merely out of idle curiosity." -- Sandhurst officer cadet evaluation. "Securing an environment of Windows platforms from abuse - external or internal - is akin to trying to install sprinklers in a fireworks factory where smoking on the job is permitted." -- Gene Spafford learn french: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1G-3laJJP0&feature=related
