New to managed switches

[Optimus Prime]

I need to buy an additional POE switch for my toys. It looks like I can save room in my rack using a 1U enterprise grade switch instead of buying another dumb switch.

I've not used a managed switch before. There seem to be some great deals out there. Can y'all tell me of any gotchas I need to consider? And if these are loud? My rack is in the utility room next to the dining room, and there is not a door. I don't mind learning a little bit, but I am unable to become a certified professional to make it work. I'm comfortable using a CLI, but prefer web based.

Juniper EX2200-48P
Cisco WS-C3750E-48PD-SF
Cisco WS-C2960-24PC-L
Cisco WS-C3506x-24P-L
Cisco WS-C3750X-48P-L

 

[griffths]

I have a Cisco WS-C3560G-48PS-E switch which I paid about 120.00 for a year or two ago. There is a web interface for it but there are some aspects which are better managed using the CLI.

Setup isn't too bad if you have any sort of networking background HOWEVER you can get into the weeds really fast if you are not careful and/or try to configure alot of the Enterprise class features which you probably don't need anyway.

I have used Cisco products since the mid 90's so I am very comfortable around them but out of the box and a vanilla setup is all you need to get started.

Once you are comfortable you can dip your toe into more of the fancy options.

I just took some SPL measurements and am getting reading between 45-55 Db on my switch. Keep in mind that as your POE use increases so does the fan speed. That said, I currently have 8 Cisco POE IP phones, 3 Cisco POE access points and 4 IP cams on the switch. Not sure what the current POE power budget is but most people probably won't be using much more than that.

I just took a video to show the loudness (or lack thereof) around the switch. Not sure how much you can tell from the video but it is really quiet although not silent.

 

[fenderman]

I have a Cisco WS-C3560G-48PS-E switch which I paid about 120.00 for a year or two ago. There is a web interface for it but there are some aspects which are better managed using the CLI.

Setup isn't too bad if you have any sort of networking background HOWEVER you can get into the weeds really fast if you are not careful and/or try to configure alot of the Enterprise class features which you probably don't need anyway.

I have used Cisco products since the mid 90's so I am very comfortable around them but out of the box and a vanilla setup is all you need to get started.

Once you are comfortable you can dip your toe into more of the fancy options.

I just took some SPL measurements and am getting reading between 45-55 Db on my switch. Keep in mind that as your POE use increases so does the fan speed. That said, I currently have 8 Cisco POE IP phones, 3 Cisco POE access points and 4 IP cams on the switch. Not sure what the current POE power budget is but most people probably won't be using much more than that.

I just took a video to show the loudness (or lack thereof) around the switch. Not sure how much you can tell from the video but it is really quiet although not silent.

That’s fine In a server closet but if you are using the Room or one adjacent to it with no door like the op it will get annoying fast.

 

[Optimus Prime]

@griffths thank you for the decibel reading. Do you think it would gain a positive WAF 10 ft from the dinner table running 10 POE cameras?

And, do you know if the fans can be unplugged or swapped out for other fans?

 

[griffths]

As @fenderman pointed out, the noise will probably start to get on your nerves after a while. Even though it is pretty quiet. It will be a constant white noise so I hesitate to make any statements with regard to the WAF. "Annoying" is relative, I happen to like the sound of the side pipes on my '69 Vette but many (male and female) would strongly disagree with me.

The fans can be unplugged however they are a monitored component and would likely trigger a hardware failure error on the switch. In any event, you wouldn't want to do that as the switch would overheat or at least have it's life shorten considerable as electronics and heat don't mix will.

The fan in my switch is a mini squirrel cage and I am not aware of any replacements which claim to be quieter so you are stuck with what Cisco put in there unless you rig up some sort of external fan and duct work solution but at that point you are spending a lot of extra money to end up with a Frankenstein solution.

At that point I would suggest you buy a fan-less switch or two and call it a day because at that point you are taking away the primary reason (saving cash) for buying off lease enterprise gear.

Edit:

One thing that just occurred to me is that possibly you could create some sort of muffler out of foam and put it on the air outlet of the switch as that is where the majority of the noise comes from. It would have to be some sort of tube rather than something that covers the opening but it may be enough to reduce the Db level some as well as lower the pitch of the sound to make it less noticeable / irritating.