Cheap 10GbE switch in 2020

[dulcificum]

What's the best current options? I have a Aquantia 10GbE LAN and I'll be connecting to a Supermicro X9DRH-7TF which also has 2 10GbE RJ45 ports.

Only the two devices right now so everything else could go on a 1GbE switch but would be nice to have 4 ports if I've had to fork out a bit of cash in the first place.

What's the current state of affairs for RJ45 10GbE as opposed to SPF+ and what should I be looking for? Happy to buy used or new, just want it cheap and reliable.

 

[dulcificum]

Netgear XS505M (4 copper ports with SFP+ uplink) or XS508M (7 copper with SFP+/copper combo) seem to be the cheapest things that fit.

I've not used them, so can't vouch for their reliability. I've only used Cisco SG small business switches and had some software issues where they'd drop packets with double tagging but it sounds like you're not using these for anything other than hubs for more ports.

Three hundred quid... Christ!

But I can just ignore the SPF+ port?

Actually, since it's only two devices for now, do I even need a switch? Can't I just directly connect them together?

 

[dulcificum]

Mikrotik make some decent and cheap 10Gb switches

Er, where? Unless I'm missing something they only have one 10 Gb RJ45 switch and it's $600! https://mikrotik.com/products/group/switches

 

[dulcificum]

You can ignore the SFP port yeah.

Do you need a switch? You can connect devices together but you can't 'daisy-chain' devices if that's what you're trying to do.

I don't think £300 is a lot for a 10Gbps switch in all honesty.

If direct connect works, that might tide me over for a couple more years until consumer switches are cheaper.

 

[dulcificum]

10g

CRS312-4C+8XG-RM is about £440 with 8 10g RJ45 ports

I think this one for £100 is a good deal (it's spf+ but transceivers are cheap enough): CRS305-1G-4S+IN

Yep, that's the $600 one.

£100 + transceivers is better but still dear.

(By "cheap", how much should the transceivers be for enough for two devices?)

 

[dulcificum]

As you already have the NICs have you thought about a direct cable connection from the Aquantia to one of the ports on the supermicro (Intel x520??) - assuming both systems also have standard 1Gb ports as well you could route all you 10g traffic direct and everything else over a standard 1Gb switch

Think this might be the answer.

Is there any loss to just routing everything through the Supermicro rather than running two cables up to my main box?