[Asterisk-Users] [OT] PoE switch question (Netgear FSM7326P works with Cisco)

[Sean Kennedy]

Kevin P. Fleming wrote:

> Sean Kennedy wrote:
>
>> Jeeze, how can you NOT justify a 1000 bucks for a PoE switch that has 
>> QoS?
>> I was under the impression that QoS was a requirement for VoIP.  
>> Well, not technically, but rationally, I wouldn't set any client up 
>> on a VoIP system that didn't have a switch that couldn't push the 
>> VoIP packets to the front of the queue.
>
>
> Uhh, yeah, explain to my customers that have 6-8 phones, 6-8 PCs, a 
> small NAS and a DSL connection that they need a $1000 switch. Go 
> ahead, I dare you :-)
>
> QoS on the internal LAN is not something I am at all concerned about. 
> All the switches are 100Mb full duplex, and have switching fabrics 
> capable of much more than that. Any traffic generated between the PCs 
> and the NAS is not likely to affect VOIP at all. There are no queues 
> being shared between the VOIP phones and any other devices on the 
> network, except for traffic leaving the LAN.
>
> Where these clients _do_ need QoS is on their router that connects to 
> the ISP, but we can handle that, again without spending $1000.
>
> So, I ask again: given the choice between a sub-$100 16-port 
> full-duplex 100Mb switch and external power supplies, and an 
> over-$1000 12-port switch with internal power supply, which do you 
> think is a better value for a small LAN? I can buy $20 3Com PoE bricks 
> and hook them all up to a UPS for a lot less than $900, with the 
> downside being that it will be ugly to look at (and the bricks aren't 
> "real" PoE, but they are close enough for VOIP phones).

Differing styles I'm thinking.  Anything more than 4 clients, and I 
recommend a managed switch ( in most situations ).  Now, this might be 
because my smaller clients tend towards growth.  They aren't going to 
stay small.  So I set them up in a way that they will not need to worry 
about replacing equipment every year, they can just expand with what 
they have.

If they have any problems with the setup I did for them, that reflects 
poorly on me and my abilities, and it doesn't make my client happy.  
Hence, no referrals for me.  :)  And with VoIP, it's obvious when 
something isn't working as it should. 

Besides, $1000 bucks is a tax right-off.  And if you are going to do 
something, do it right the first time, so you don't have to touch it again.

*shrug*