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We use a lot of SuperMicro gear, and we just noticed that SuperMicro now has a Layer 3 managed switch. I am interested in using it in a top of the rack application.

As with most of SuperMicro stuff, the price is right.

I can't seem to find anyone online who has tested/reviewed/used on of these switches. Before plunking down the money, I wanted to find a review or hear someone's good experiences with this gear.

Anyone used a SuperMicro layer 3 switch (particularly SSE-G48-TG4) and have anything good or bad to say about them?

SvrGuy
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  • Well, did you buy the switch? I`m looking forward to buy the very same switch - i wonder how it has been working for you (if you use it). – Janis Veinbergs Jul 06 '10 at 07:19
  • We purchased the switch -- it works, but because of the software/config differences from the hp/cisco gear we are used to, we paid a major penalty. Basically, we got it working in the end but it was like performing brain surgery on oneself. – SvrGuy Jul 11 '10 at 17:15
  • At our company, it's a good competitor to be our first managed switch. Pity no reviews cannot be found on that switch. (About performance, reliability etc). This page comes almost on top :) – Janis Veinbergs Jul 16 '10 at 08:07

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Warning! this is a content free answer...

This looks like a broadcom reference design based switch. I'm pretty sure that either all the major network gear makers or everyone but cisco use these as the basis for their product. It actually looks like a newer generation than is in use in most other current switches (the give-away is the 4 10g uplink ports on a 48 port gig switch).

The glossies for this switch really hit all the right bullet points (ospf/bgp/ssh management/vrrp/spanning tree). The list price is a little lower than what we typically get for more "name brand" switches, which is impressive.

I've always had good experiences with supermicro as well but I'd want to get a demo before pulling the trigger on this sort of thing. They're new enough in that market that they'd probably be willing to ship you one as a demo.

You're comfortable with not having a "channel partner" to "help" you, right?

chris
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    I'll just add that I've used several different vendors' "broadcom reference switch" switches and despite the fact that they're all basically the same, they're totally different. What they *do* is the same but the user-interface and the quality of the boxes make a *huge* difference. One vendor has a box that has a nice UI but the fans fail and the switches overheat; others make boxes that are kludgy to use but that have amazing features and that simply *never* fail. All I'm really saying is that you really need to put your hands on one and make sure you can live with it before you buy it. – chris Feb 02 '10 at 00:20