3560 with sfp overkill?

phoeneous

We are a small shop with less than 100 users looking to go voip. Our vendor is suggesting WS-C3560V2-48PS-S with sfp connections at $3900 each including cable. Is fiber overkill for such a small network? Wouldnt gigabit suffice?

kalebksp

SFPs can be either copper or fiber, it just depends what module you put in it. Either way it's going to be a gigabit connection (in that switch). You would generally use fiber if the switches are far apart, if they're sitting right next to each other I don't see why you couldn't use copper.

phoeneous

kalebksp wrote: »

SFPs can be either copper or fiber, it just depends what module you put in it. Either way it's going to be a gigabit connection (in that switch). You would generally use fiber if the switches are far apart, if they're sitting right next to each other I don't see why you couldn't use copper.

They'll be right next to each other. Im not paying $150 per sfp cable when I can get a cat6 cable for less than $8.

kalebksp

If you want gigabit between them you'll still have to buy 1000BASE-T SFP modules, which is also not cheap. The regular ports on that switch are 10/100, so you're bandwidth will be limited if you use those.

phoeneous

I know. On the invoice it shows the 3560 comes with 4 sfp's. But a $150 50cm sfp interconnect sfp cable doesnt make sense when I can just run gig-e cables for a lot less.

kalebksp

phoeneous wrote: »

On the invoice it shows the 3560 comes with 4 sfp's. But a $150 50cm sfp interconnect sfp cable doesnt make sense when I can just run gig-e cables for a lot less.

Right, but SFPs are just slots that you can put in a variety of different transceivers, in general terms your options would be fiber gigabit, copper gigabit, or an SFP interconnect. If you want to use gigabit copper you have to buy the transceivers that fit in the SFP slots to give you a gigabit RJ-45 jack, which may be more expensive than a SFP interconnect.

phoeneous

What sort of medium is an sfp interconnect? Is it fiber?

And would you suggest a different switch?

tiersten

phoeneous wrote: »

What sort of medium is an sfp interconnect? Is it fiber?

Its a wire with two SFPs on either end. You can't take the SFPs off.

They're cheaper than an Ethernet SFP + patch lead because they don't actually convert it to Ethernet. It just does some proprietory thing in between which doesn't need to travel long distances.

kalebksp

phoeneous wrote: »

What sort of medium is an sfp interconnect? Is it fiber?

I don't know for sure but I suspect it's copper.

phoeneous wrote: »

And would you suggest a different switch?

I couldn't really say. To my knowledge there are three main access switch lines 2960, 3560, and 3750. If you need a 48 port 10/100 POE switch and the 2960s don't have all the features you need the 3560 you listed would be a approriate. 3750s just add stacking capability.

phoeneous

It doesnt need to be 48 port. Im guessing they quoted the 48 port because it is cheaper than 2 24 ports?

tiersten

phoeneous wrote: »

It doesnt need to be 48 port. Im guessing they quoted the 48 port because it is cheaper than 2 24 ports?

You're not giving us enough information.

It is less than 100 users and less than 48 network ports? Why do you need to have SFP interconnects if you can do the entire site with a single switch?

phoeneous

No I meant, I guess they quoted two 48 port switches instead of four 24 port switches because it is cheaper.

tazdevil

Your question about a different switch vendor, you could check other vendors like 3Com/ProCurve (HP), you might find something which might do the trick. Just a thought.

tiersten

phoeneous wrote: »

No I meant, I guess they quoted two 48 port switches instead of four 24 port switches because it is cheaper.

Trunking two switches together will be significantly easier than getting all 4 connected without having a core switch as well.