Managed or unmanaged

Discussion in 'Hardware' started by simongrahamuk, Aug 23, 2005.

  1. simongrahamuk
    Honorary Member

    simongrahamuk Hmmmmmmm?

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    I'm considering moving my servers at work. At present they are in my office and are producing lots of heat making it highly uncomfortable to work in. I have been told that I can use a different room to locate them, which would be prefect for them, but I have a problem.

    Currently my servers all connect into a HP Procurve 4108GL Gigabit module which is managed. If I move the servers the existing managed switch in the room only runs at 100mbps, but has two gigabit ports which link it into the gigabit module of the 4108, into which the servers are currently connected.

    Now, I have been told that if moving the servers reduces the noise and heat in my room they will buy a gigabit switch for the new server room. What I havent told them is that a managed HP gigabit switch will cost about £1000, (which I have no chance of them paying) whereas I can get an unmanaged 8 port one for about £300. should I go for the unmanaged, which will connect into the gigabit on the 4108?

    In addition to this, whilst we're 'testing' the new server location how much of a noticeable drain in performance do you think we will have, conisdering that we are a school and have 300 workstations logging on and of every hour?

    :rolleyes:
     
  2. Phoenix
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    Phoenix 53656e696f7220 4d6f64

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    Do you use any of the features of the managed device or not? thats the important question
    and why cant you move the current managed switch and swap it with the 100mb device if your moving the servers? whats stopping the move of the switch WITH the servers?
     
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  3. simongrahamuk
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    simongrahamuk Hmmmmmmm?

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    The 4108 switch is a backplane switch with different modules plugged into it, it has about 140 100mbps workstations and fibre links plugged into it, plus 20 gb ports for the sevrvers and other things. So moving it is a no go. The switch in the 'new' location is a 24 port Procurve 2524.

    In terms of using the management features I suppose I would have to say that no we don't really use them, other than assigning an IP address to them.

    For the future though I'm considering implementing VLAN's so I'd need them to be managed, but at the minute, and the foreseeable future thats not going to happen.
     
  4. Phoenix
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    Phoenix 53656e696f7220 4d6f64

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    Right
    cant really say either way is going to be a boost for you
    your still going to plug in all these servers and then uplink them via 1 or 2 gigabit ports to the other switch, so your still not getting 1gbps per switch

    is there a reason you personally cant move to this nice empty room and leave the servers/switch in the current what i would call 'comms room'?
    just a thought, not sure what your environment is or if its plausable, but it sounds like your wirings comming into this room, hence the switch being there, would be easier to move you than the servers/switches to be honest :)
     
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  5. simongrahamuk
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    simongrahamuk Hmmmmmmm?

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    You're right, this room does have all of the comms coming into it, and yes it would be fantastic if we could move out, but unfortunately the room I was going to move the servers to just isn't big enough to be used as an office. It's more like a large cupboard.

    I never thought about the fact that we'd be sharing the a single gb link between the servers, thanks.

    Some more thought needed I think!

    Whoever built this place just didn't think about the logistics of IT!
     
  6. mojorisin

    mojorisin Kilobyte Poster

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    Another thing to think about the room your moving the servers too
    does it have air conditioning ?

    i would imagine that the room your in just now would have it if it is the main comms room but the 'large cupboard' might end up rather warm if not cooled properly

    just a thought :blink
     
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  7. Phoenix
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    Phoenix 53656e696f7220 4d6f64

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    most Schools in the UK are older than IT to be honest
    however most tend to have a spare office here or there for IT bods



    do you have a central wiring closet? or do you have wiring closets in each room connected to switches and uplinked to the core?

    IE does EVERY port come to the room your in, or does EVERY port goto a local switch then a single cable goes down to you?

    what about a noise absorbing rack and an AC unit? always useful!
     
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  8. simongrahamuk
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    simongrahamuk Hmmmmmmm?

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    Neither of the rooms have air conditioning, thats part of the problem with the existing room, if we put aircon in then it gets even noisier and we cant hear ourselves think! Oh yes and it's south facing with windows! The proposed new room would have no problem getting air con into it.

    Our existing room houses the core comms cabinet in it as well, and has the majority of the cabling from across the entire building coming into it. Since I started working here though I have been getting local cabling done fed by a single link to the main cabinet.

    Basically I think that I'm going to have to suffer until I can grab myself another office somewhere! :cry:
     
  9. tripwire45
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    tripwire45 Zettabyte Poster

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    Sounds like it would be easier to leave the equipment where it is and for you to move your office to the other room, Simon. :blink
     
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  10. Tyler D

    Tyler D Gigabyte Poster

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    Just out of interest whats the difference between a managed switch and an unmanaged one???
     
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  11. tripwire45
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    tripwire45 Zettabyte Poster

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  12. simongrahamuk
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    simongrahamuk Hmmmmmmm?

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    I'd love to do that Trip, but the rooms just too small, and there's two of us.
    One of us could fit at a squeeze, but two, there's no chance!

    I would move myself down there, and leave my technician alone upstairs with the servers, but he's a 'tinkerer' and I would probably only find myself back up there to fix stuff!

    8)
     

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