Enterprise router recommendations

geuben · 1 Jun 2010 at 22:24

Hi guys,

Can anyone recommend a good gigabit router? At work we currently use a server with two gigabit NICs to router between our main network and a small development network. However for various reasons we'd like to try and move to a dedicated box (without a hard drive).

Obviously it would need to be reliable and as such I expect we'll have to pay a fair amount for one. I don't see that being a problem though.

Any recommendations?

Thanks

lixxus · 1 Jun 2010 at 22:58

do you need a firewall or just a plain switch

if so have a look at the hp pro curve managed switch

geuben · 2 Jun 2010 at 08:06

sandman06 said:
do you need a firewall or just a plain switch

if so have a look at the hp pro curve managed switch

No firewall required. It just needs to keep separate the two networks so as not to flood the main network with the developer traffic (should something go wrong during dev)

paradigm · 2 Jun 2010 at 09:59

Just get a layer 3 switch instead.

geuben · 2 Jun 2010 at 10:30

paradigm said:
Just get a layer 3 switch instead.

I forgot to say, we would like the option for the router to act as a DHCP server too, if thats possible.

paradigm · 2 Jun 2010 at 10:44

geuben said:
I forgot to say, we would like the option for the router to act as a DHCP server too, if thats possible.

Any reason why you don't want to use the server for DHCP requests?

Either way, a decent Layer 3 managed switch should allow for configuration of a DHCP server.

Moeks · 2 Jun 2010 at 10:53

Sounds to me that something like the HP Procurve 2800 series could work for you, they come as either 24 port or 48 port. You get full gigabit switching on all the ports, which is something the much cheaper 2600 series does not do, that only does 100mbit on all ports and gigabit on 2 I think. It's managed, has a CLI and web interface and of course does VLans.

It's cost you circa £1300. It's a pitty that such switches are rare in a smaller chassis with less ports, usually though any less than 12 ports and it's a basic unamaged plug and play switch.

Yamahahahahaha · 2 Jun 2010 at 11:02

Layer 3 switch with VLANs.

Most (I can't think of one that doesn't) Layer 3 switches will act as a DHCP server, but if you're running an AD environment you should try to use that since it'll be ignorant of any network hardware changes.

bigredshark · 3 Jun 2010 at 16:40

Router with gigabit performance, flawless reliability? Juniper J4350

Just don't mention the price.

Or a higher end Cisco 2900 series ASA will offer the same performance but the Juniper is a better router.

But as mentioned a layer3 switch (Cisco 3750 or Juniper EX4200 being my favourite depending if you want cheap or good) will likely do a better job if you don't need real router features...