Life *is* usually as cut and dried as I make it out to be. You and Andrew, however, sometimes over-interpret my words.
Notice that I did say "Required? Sometimes." In particular, my time as a sysadmin is almost always worth more than the difference between a cheap 5/8 port switch and a couple of ports on, and some cabling to reach, a managed switch. Kurt On Mon, Feb 7, 2011 at 07:15, Jeff Steward <[email protected]> wrote: > Life is rarely so cut and dried as you make it out to be. As with any > decision, there are multiple inputs and risk assessments to be made and > sometimes, using an inexpensive unmanaged switch is the right choice. > -Jeff Steward > > On Mon, Feb 7, 2011 at 9:59 AM, Kurt Buff <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> Required? Sometimes. >> >> More expensive up front? Yes. >> >> Valid or reasonable? I disagree. >> >> IMHO, being forced to use these tiny unmanaged switches shows a >> decided lack of foresight on someone's part, and a lack of >> understanding of their larger costs. >> >> Unless, perhaps, you're temporizing until a complete wireless solution >> is being readied. :) >> >> Kurt >> >> On Mon, Feb 7, 2011 at 02:59, Andrew S. Baker <[email protected]> wrote: >> > "Install extra cabling" is a solution that has greater expense, and >> > requires >> > far more permission that "install unmanaged switch" in most >> > circumstances. >> > There are plenty of valid scenarios where you will not have the >> > opportunity >> > to add more network drops to a location, and for which the temporary or >> > permanent deployment of unmanaged switches will be entirely reasonable. >> > >> > ASB (Find me online via About.Me) >> > Exploiting Technology for Business Advantage... >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > On Sun, Feb 6, 2011 at 10:49 PM, James Hill >> > <[email protected]> >> > wrote: >> >> >> >> I'm with Kurt. Unmanaged switches are just trouble. Do it properly >> >> and >> >> install extra cabling. >> >> >> >> Unmanaged switches have a habit of multiplying. I've been caught out >> >> one >> >> too many times by a hidden one under a desk somewhere, usually when >> >> imaging >> >> an entire floor with multicast or something when I don't have the time >> >> for >> >> trouble. >> >> >> >> I've even seen one of these switches go nuts and flood a core switch so >> >> much it brought the network to its knees. >> >> >> >> -----Original Message----- >> >> From: Kurt Buff [mailto:[email protected]] >> >> Sent: Sunday, 6 February 2011 5:19 AM >> >> To: NT System Admin Issues >> >> Subject: Re: OT: desktop network switches >> >> >> >> It's not just one mistake. >> >> >> >> I don't know what it is about my user population, but at least a couple >> >> of >> >> times a year, and sometimes more often, I have to go chasing down some >> >> idiot >> >> (usually a software developer or hardware engineer) who has connected a >> >> little switch to itself, or to another little switch. >> >> >> >> I'm really tired of it. >> >> >> >> Kurt >> >> >> >> On Sat, Feb 5, 2011 at 05:47, Ray <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> > So because someone made a mistake you're condemning using them? >> >> > >> >> > -----Original Message----- >> >> > From: Kurt Buff [mailto:[email protected]] >> >> > Sent: Friday, February 04, 2011 1:45 PM >> >> > To: NT System Admin Issues >> >> > Subject: Re: OT: desktop network switches >> >> > >> >> > Don't. Just don't. >> >> > >> >> > Pull another run of cable if you have to. >> >> > >> >> > Desktop switches are just wrong. >> >> > >> >> > I speak from much experience here. >> >> > >> >> > >> >> > Just last month, we shuffled a bunch of folks around, and the >> >> > facilities >> >> > guy was moving PCs and printers, and noticed that there was a loose >> >> > cable >> >> > attached to a 5-port switch. So, not knowing what else to do with it, >> >> > he >> >> > plugged it into the 5 port switch. Which meant that both ends of the >> >> > cable >> >> > were in the same dumb, unmanaged, switch. >> >> > That's your basic layer2 loop, right there. >> >> > >> >> > It killed performance for lots of people, until I tracked it down. >> >> > >> >> > I've had this happen so many times with stupid 5 and 8 port switches >> >> > that if I could rip them all out I would do so in less time than it >> >> > takes to >> >> > write about it. >> >> > >> >> > But, we now have so many of them, because our wiring is so sparse, >> >> > that >> >> > I can't. Yet. It's a major line item in the IT CAPEX budget for next >> >> > year. >> >> > >> >> > Kurt >> >> > >> >> > On Fri, Feb 4, 2011 at 11:00, John Aldrich >> >> > <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> >> One of my users just claimed an unused laser printer for his office >> >> >> (Acct. >> >> >> Manager) that has a network port on it as well as the usual USB. >> >> >> He'd >> >> >> like to be able to network it so he can print to it from the AS/400. >> >> >> What do you guys recommend for a small (4-5 port) network switch? >> >> >> To anyone who wants to know, this is for real, looking for >> >> >> recommendations for a RIGHT NOW purchase, not "next time." :-) >> >> >> >> >> >> Thanks! >> >> >> >> > >> > ~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~ >> > ~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/> ~ >> > >> > --- >> > To manage subscriptions click here: >> > http://lyris.sunbelt-software.com/read/my_forums/ >> > or send an email to [email protected] >> > with the body: unsubscribe ntsysadmin >> >> ~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~ >> ~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/> ~ >> >> --- >> To manage subscriptions click here: >> http://lyris.sunbelt-software.com/read/my_forums/ >> or send an email to [email protected] >> with the body: unsubscribe ntsysadmin >> > > ~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~ > ~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/> ~ > > --- > To manage subscriptions click here: > http://lyris.sunbelt-software.com/read/my_forums/ > or send an email to [email protected] > with the body: unsubscribe ntsysadmin ~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~ ~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/> ~ --- To manage subscriptions click here: http://lyris.sunbelt-software.com/read/my_forums/ or send an email to [email protected] with the body: unsubscribe ntsysadmin
