Choosing the right HPE Aruba switch for your small or medium business network
SMB enterprises planning to purchase new switches need a guarantee that the equipment will not only meet current, but also future requirements. Consider the factors to consider when choosing the best switch for your business.
From home to mobile office - anywhere and anytime access to basic applications and information is an absolute must. New applications and services improve customer interaction and employee productivity, today's users expect reliable connectivity no matter where they are located. Bad communication does not just cause irritation, it leads to business interruption and loss of productivity.
The networks of small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are rapidly changing due to the growing number of mobile devices, the increase in the number of cloud services, and the active use of unified communications and collaboration (UCC) applications by users. High-speed connections in wireless networks and increased bandwidth requirements for cloud services and UCC applications impose limitations - your switches must meet the performance level of new devices and applications.
ACCESS OR ASSOCIATION
Will the switch be used to connect terminals or to aggregate traffic from the access level? Switches provide the basis for connecting users and equipment to the network; you need to determine the number of end devices, as well as the types of applications and the amount of traffic in it. Switch functionality can vary from basic L2 to extended L3. The following are key features to consider when choosing a switch.
PERFORMANCE AND PORT SPEED
You must determine the connection speeds of the end devices and upstream connections. Most SMB enterprises use Gigabit switches to connect users, while servers and upstream connections may require the ability to combine multiple ports into one logical one and support 10/40 GbE speeds to handle the growing traffic. Take into account which wireless access points are used and how demanding the applications you use (for example, voice and video). New wireless access points with support for 802.11ac Wave 2 can serve clients at speeds greater than 1 Gbps, which is why a standard wired Gigabit Ethernet connection can be a deterrent. To avoid potential problems, you should consider switches with HPE Smart Rate multi-gigabit ports, which allow you to increase speeds up to 2.5 Gbps, 5 Gbps, and even 10 Gbps using existing wired connections.
')
PORT PLACEMENT DENSITY
Estimate the required number of ports based on the number of users and devices, as well as the type of connection (wired or wireless). VoIP and the development of the Internet of Things (IoT) will require more ports.
POWER ON NETWORK ETHERNET (POE)
Many devices that connect to access switches, such as VoIP phones, Wi-Fi access points and IP video cameras, can be powered using PoE technology. For new generations of devices, such as access points with 802.11ac support, it is necessary to have ports with PoE + support in the switchboard, which provide a higher power rating for each device. It is important to know the power consumption of your devices in order to select a switch with a sufficient PoE budget.
STACKING AND BACKING
Stacking switches are preferred where resiliency and network bandwidth are particularly important. Whether virtual or modular stacking, if one switch fails, your network can quickly recover. Stacking allows multiple switches to connect to each other via Ethernet connections or dedicated modules and operate as one logical device. This reduces the number of managed devices, while at the same time improving network resiliency for optimal performance. Also consider the network availability requirements. Hot-swappable redundant power supplies and additional control modules will be able to protect important aggregation level switches.
READINESS TO SUPPORT IOT AND SDN
One of the most important technological transformations of our time is readiness for loT and software-defined networks (SDN) with the support of OpenFlow v.1.3.
CONTROLLABILITY
When choosing a control system, consider which equipment models are used in your network. For intuitive control of Aruba wired and wireless networks, view cloud solutions using Aruba Central. For wired and wireless multi-vendor networks, you can choose a local version of the Aruba AirWave control system.
INTRODUCTION OF ACCESS NETWORKS FOR SMB ENTERPRISES
An example of a block diagram of an SMB enterprise network is presented in the figure below:
ARUBA SWITCH SELECTION GUIDE
To facilitate the selection of a suitable model, we suggest you use the following table:
Aruba 2530 Series Switches are economical, reliable, and secure L2 entry-level switches for Mobile First campus networks with centralized control through Aruba AirWave.
Aruba 2540 Series Switches are robust and easy to deploy L2 + access switches that are optimized for mobile device users. This series supports enhanced security and uplink 10GbE, RIP and static routing. Flexible management options: locally via Aruba AirWave or in the cloud via Aruba Central.
Aruba 2930F Series Switches are high-performance and cost-effective access switches on the base L3 with Virtual Stacking (VSF), which can improve performance and resiliency to support mobile access in the campus network. The switches in this series have built-in ports for uplink 1GbE or 10GbE connections, support static and dynamic routing — RIP and Access OSPF, as well as OpenFlow for innovative SDN applications. Flexible management options: locally via Aruba AirWave or in the cloud via Aruba Central.
Aruba 2930M Series Switches are scalable access switches of the basic L3 with the option of stacking using special modules that provide high performance and fault tolerance for the Mobile First campus network. The switches in this series can be equipped with additional HPE Smart Rate multi-gigabit Ethernet ports, support static and dynamic routing - RIP and Access OSPF, IPv6, ACL, sFlow and OpenFlow for innovative SDN applications. Flexible management options: locally via Aruba AirWave or in the cloud via Aruba Central.
Aruba 3810 Series Switches are high-performance switches with support for advanced L3 functionality that does not require additional software licensing, with the ability to stack using special modules, have low latency and high fault tolerance. Supports HPE Smart Rate multi-gigabit Ethernet connection, PoE + power on 48 ports, OpenFlow and 40GbE interfaces for increased throughput of uplink connections. Layer 2 and Layer 3 advanced features include OSPF, IPv6, IPv4 BGP, Tunneled Node, QoS, and Policy Based Routing (PBR). Flexible management options: locally via Aruba AirWave or in the cloud via Aruba Central.
Aruba 5400R Series Switches are scalable and versatile modular aggregation switches and kernels with enhanced L3 functionality, virtual stacking (VSF), low latency, and enterprise-class resiliency. Supports HPE Smart Rate multi-gigabit Ethernet connections, full-budget PoE + up to 288 ports, fast software updates, OpenFlow and 40GbE interfaces for sufficient uplink bandwidth, and centralized management with Aruba AirWave. Layer 2 and Layer 3 advanced features include OSPF, IPv6, IPv4 BGP, Tunneled Node, QoS, and Policy Based Routing (PBR) and do not require additional software licensing.
In more detail about the issues of choosing the appropriate network equipment for small and medium businesses we will talk on the webinar on September 27 - register and prepare questions. And very soon - on August 30 - we will hold another interesting webinar “What is allowed to Jupiter, is not allowed to the bull, or Why do I need centralized management of security policies”, which will be useful to everyone who is interested in network security.
From home to mobile office - anywhere and anytime access to basic applications and information is an absolute must. New applications and services improve customer interaction and employee productivity, today's users expect reliable connectivity no matter where they are located. Bad communication does not just cause irritation, it leads to business interruption and loss of productivity.
The networks of small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are rapidly changing due to the growing number of mobile devices, the increase in the number of cloud services, and the active use of unified communications and collaboration (UCC) applications by users. High-speed connections in wireless networks and increased bandwidth requirements for cloud services and UCC applications impose limitations - your switches must meet the performance level of new devices and applications.
ACCESS OR ASSOCIATION
Will the switch be used to connect terminals or to aggregate traffic from the access level? Switches provide the basis for connecting users and equipment to the network; you need to determine the number of end devices, as well as the types of applications and the amount of traffic in it. Switch functionality can vary from basic L2 to extended L3. The following are key features to consider when choosing a switch.
- Scalability: the number of ports and PoE + budget for connecting users, access points and other IP devices
- Performance: traffic volumes, application types and data transfer rate determine the necessary bandwidth of your switch
- Network fault tolerance: do you require stacking and / or redundant power supplies
- Routing: Do you have enough L2 switch without routing, do you need basic L3 with support for static and dynamic routing, or do you need advanced L3 functionality
- Manageability: Determine if your network needs monitoring and remote control from the cloud, or a multivendor management system that is running locally.
PERFORMANCE AND PORT SPEED
You must determine the connection speeds of the end devices and upstream connections. Most SMB enterprises use Gigabit switches to connect users, while servers and upstream connections may require the ability to combine multiple ports into one logical one and support 10/40 GbE speeds to handle the growing traffic. Take into account which wireless access points are used and how demanding the applications you use (for example, voice and video). New wireless access points with support for 802.11ac Wave 2 can serve clients at speeds greater than 1 Gbps, which is why a standard wired Gigabit Ethernet connection can be a deterrent. To avoid potential problems, you should consider switches with HPE Smart Rate multi-gigabit ports, which allow you to increase speeds up to 2.5 Gbps, 5 Gbps, and even 10 Gbps using existing wired connections.
')
PORT PLACEMENT DENSITY
Estimate the required number of ports based on the number of users and devices, as well as the type of connection (wired or wireless). VoIP and the development of the Internet of Things (IoT) will require more ports.
POWER ON NETWORK ETHERNET (POE)
Many devices that connect to access switches, such as VoIP phones, Wi-Fi access points and IP video cameras, can be powered using PoE technology. For new generations of devices, such as access points with 802.11ac support, it is necessary to have ports with PoE + support in the switchboard, which provide a higher power rating for each device. It is important to know the power consumption of your devices in order to select a switch with a sufficient PoE budget.
STACKING AND BACKING
Stacking switches are preferred where resiliency and network bandwidth are particularly important. Whether virtual or modular stacking, if one switch fails, your network can quickly recover. Stacking allows multiple switches to connect to each other via Ethernet connections or dedicated modules and operate as one logical device. This reduces the number of managed devices, while at the same time improving network resiliency for optimal performance. Also consider the network availability requirements. Hot-swappable redundant power supplies and additional control modules will be able to protect important aggregation level switches.
READINESS TO SUPPORT IOT AND SDN
One of the most important technological transformations of our time is readiness for loT and software-defined networks (SDN) with the support of OpenFlow v.1.3.
CONTROLLABILITY
When choosing a control system, consider which equipment models are used in your network. For intuitive control of Aruba wired and wireless networks, view cloud solutions using Aruba Central. For wired and wireless multi-vendor networks, you can choose a local version of the Aruba AirWave control system.
INTRODUCTION OF ACCESS NETWORKS FOR SMB ENTERPRISES
An example of a block diagram of an SMB enterprise network is presented in the figure below:
ARUBA SWITCH SELECTION GUIDE
To facilitate the selection of a suitable model, we suggest you use the following table:
Aruba 2530 Series Switches are economical, reliable, and secure L2 entry-level switches for Mobile First campus networks with centralized control through Aruba AirWave.
Aruba 2540 Series Switches are robust and easy to deploy L2 + access switches that are optimized for mobile device users. This series supports enhanced security and uplink 10GbE, RIP and static routing. Flexible management options: locally via Aruba AirWave or in the cloud via Aruba Central.
Aruba 2930F Series Switches are high-performance and cost-effective access switches on the base L3 with Virtual Stacking (VSF), which can improve performance and resiliency to support mobile access in the campus network. The switches in this series have built-in ports for uplink 1GbE or 10GbE connections, support static and dynamic routing — RIP and Access OSPF, as well as OpenFlow for innovative SDN applications. Flexible management options: locally via Aruba AirWave or in the cloud via Aruba Central.
Aruba 2930M Series Switches are scalable access switches of the basic L3 with the option of stacking using special modules that provide high performance and fault tolerance for the Mobile First campus network. The switches in this series can be equipped with additional HPE Smart Rate multi-gigabit Ethernet ports, support static and dynamic routing - RIP and Access OSPF, IPv6, ACL, sFlow and OpenFlow for innovative SDN applications. Flexible management options: locally via Aruba AirWave or in the cloud via Aruba Central.
Aruba 3810 Series Switches are high-performance switches with support for advanced L3 functionality that does not require additional software licensing, with the ability to stack using special modules, have low latency and high fault tolerance. Supports HPE Smart Rate multi-gigabit Ethernet connection, PoE + power on 48 ports, OpenFlow and 40GbE interfaces for increased throughput of uplink connections. Layer 2 and Layer 3 advanced features include OSPF, IPv6, IPv4 BGP, Tunneled Node, QoS, and Policy Based Routing (PBR). Flexible management options: locally via Aruba AirWave or in the cloud via Aruba Central.
Aruba 5400R Series Switches are scalable and versatile modular aggregation switches and kernels with enhanced L3 functionality, virtual stacking (VSF), low latency, and enterprise-class resiliency. Supports HPE Smart Rate multi-gigabit Ethernet connections, full-budget PoE + up to 288 ports, fast software updates, OpenFlow and 40GbE interfaces for sufficient uplink bandwidth, and centralized management with Aruba AirWave. Layer 2 and Layer 3 advanced features include OSPF, IPv6, IPv4 BGP, Tunneled Node, QoS, and Policy Based Routing (PBR) and do not require additional software licensing.
In more detail about the issues of choosing the appropriate network equipment for small and medium businesses we will talk on the webinar on September 27 - register and prepare questions. And very soon - on August 30 - we will hold another interesting webinar “What is allowed to Jupiter, is not allowed to the bull, or Why do I need centralized management of security policies”, which will be useful to everyone who is interested in network security.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/333970/
All Articles