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Thanks to you both! I'm looking for hardware suggestions at this point, especially for POE devices, which, after speaking with our telephony team, I realized that I had forgot to mention in this question. I'll open a separate question if you prefer.
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Thanks to you both! I'm looking for hardware suggestions at this point, especially for POE devices, which, after speaking with our telephony team, I realized that I had forgot to mention in this question. I'll open a separate question if you prefer.

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We currently use two out-of-warranty 3-COM 48-port switches (image: <a href="http://images.google.com/images?q=3C16476&biw=992&bih=393" rel="ugc">http://images.google.com/images?q=3C16476&biw=992&bih=393</a>) with model number 3C16476. One is slowly dying--meaning that every week, one of the ports stops working, requiring me to disconnect that cable to that failed switch port and reconnect it to the other (working) 3C16476. These are unmanaged switches. Our budget is (probably) less than $1500 USD total. Should we purchase managed or unmanaged switches for our roughly 100 LAN-connected devices? Also, should we consider 1000 Mbps for scalability?
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We currently use two out-of-warranty 3-COM 48-port switches (image: http://images.google.com/images?q=3C16476&biw=992&bih=393) with model number 3C16476. One is slowly dying--meaning that every week, one of the ports stops working, requiring me to disconnect that cable to that failed switch port and reconnect it to the other (working) 3C16476. These are unmanaged switches. Our budget is (probably) less than $1500 USD total. Should we purchase managed or unmanaged switches for our roughly 100 LAN-connected devices? Also, should we consider 1000 Mbps for scalability?

Newbie Question: Buy managed switch or not?

Networking is the process of connecting computing devices, peripherals and terminals together through a system that uses wiring, cabling or radio waves that enable their users to communicate, share information and interact over distances. Often associated are issues regarding operating systems, hardware and equipment, cloud and virtual networking, protocols, architecture, storage and management.

Networking

Network Operations includes asset management, help-desk supervision, security and user policies, infrastructure administration and anything else that affects the operation of your network. Discussions will include those of best practices in platforms, configurations, performance, security and accounting.

Network Operations

Network design and methodology, also known as network architecture, is the design of a communication network. It is a framework for the specification of a network's physical components and their functional organization and configuration, its operational principles and procedures, as well as data formats used in its operation. In telecommunication, the specification of a network architecture may also include a detailed description of products and services delivered via a communications network, as well as detailed rate and billing structures under which services are compensated.