Low Price 10Gbe 8-Port Switch Buffalo BS-MP2008 – Some heroes don’t wear capes!
2018 is going to be MASSIVE for 10Gbe. I know I keep saying it, but it is true. With file sizes becoming bigger on a daily basis and everything for virtual machines and large-scale snapshot backs becoming increasingly more mainstream, the need for an internal network speed between your business (large or small) devices is not only becoming more affordable, but much easier too. If you are a professional photo or video editor, a business with data generating every day or just a user with an ever-growing archive of data that needed regular backup and retrieval – 10 gigabit ethernet is a solution that pays for itself in time within weeks or months. 10Gbe is not new though. Many users have heard of it and either instantly tuned out as it sounds way too techy to comprehend (what is SFP+, RJ45, 10GBASE-T, Gb or GB?) or more likely just say ‘no thanks, that’s way too expensive’. The thing is, it REALLY isn’t anymore. Several brands have produced some incredibly cost-effective 10Gbe solutions of late and none more so that Buffalo NAS. Buffalo has always had a strong reputation in SMB and Business class network attached storage over the years and alongside their popular Terrastation 10GBe NAS series (lowest priced fully featured RJ45 / 10GBASE-T 10Gbe NAS in the world) they have a range of 10Gbe peripherals and accessories that can only further improve your 10Gbe network, as well as fully integrate and upgrade the connectivity of your surrounding devices, once again, at the more competitive price that I have yet to find. So today I want to talk about the hardware and software of their EIGHT PORT 10Gbe managed switch. At just over £400, this is a real game changer!
Choosing the right Buffalo NAS for 2017 – The TeraStation 5010 Series 2-Bay and 4-Bay NAS
Why should I consider the Buffalo BS-MP2008 10Gbe Switch in 2018?
When you decide to bite the bullet, there are certain things you need to consider to buy to make it the most effective. Some of these are optional, some are essential and some are just different kinds of the same thing. However, for a truly stable and reliable 10Gbe network, you will need to invest in a 10GBe switch.
A simple google search of 10Gbe Network Switches turns up way, way too many results and therefore you need to know what is the specification that matters most (so you can thin the heard a bit). A brief look at the specifications of the Buffalo BS-MP2008 Switch manages to show almost ALL of these desired features. Take a look below:
8 Ports – All Supporting 10GBASE-T / RJ45
For those that have been in the business of networking for the last 10 years, the standard connection of choice for network and internet connectivity of all devices has always been RJ45. 10Gbe is commercially available in predominantly two different connections. SFP+ and 10GBASE-T. SFP+ has one advantage and two MASSIVE drawbacks. The advantage is that you can run SFP+/Fiber cabling for much greater distances (20-50m) than normal cables (which peak around 20m) without any loss of speed.
The disadvantage is that it is much much more expensive. Around 5-10x more expensive once you start looking into SFP+ transceivers to fit on top of cables and upgrading machines from RJ45 to SFP+.
The 10GBASE-T connection found on all 8 PORTS of the Buffalo BS-MP2008 all support everything from 1G to 2.5G and 10Gb – all of them! Such support in a switch for a little over £400 is INSANE. Thanks to the architecture of 10GBASE-T being identical to that of 1GB RJ45, it means you can still connect all your normal network devices and appliances from the last 10-15 years to the buffalo 10G switch easily and they will function perfectly. Once you want to upgrade a machine to 10Gbe, you just install a 10Gbe network PCIe card (an NIC) into a device that you want to upgrade and that’s it – the switch will automatically give that device the full 10Gbe speed access. Unsurprisingly buffalo have released one of the lowest prices 10Gbe PCIe cards you can buy in 10GBASE-T (video below) and it is compatible with NAS, Windows and Mac systems.
Managed Versus Unmanaged 10Gbe Switches
No doubt when you have looked at the 10GBe switches to buy for your photographer or videography post-production, you saw these two terms thrown around a lot. Unsurprisingly, unmanaged and managed to refer to how much you can change/control on the 10G switch. However, many users regretfully think that just because they have a more limit or cursory IT knowledge, that an unmanaged switch is the better choice. Sure, it is cheaper and you won’t need too much around with anything, BUT then again a managed switch is ALSO plug-n-play too. Managed switches can be set up once and then never configured ever again.
The true advantages of a managed switch is features like Link aggregation (combining ports that connect to a single device to 2x, 4x and more their speeds), failover support between devices, arrange priority access to devices at different times (night backups and day archive editing) and most importantly of all be able to diagnose a problem. An unmanaged switch will see a problem (red light blinking) but that’s your lot. Normally the big advantage of an unmanaged switch is the price, but once again, the fact that the buffalo BS-MP2008 is just over £400+ means that this argument is pretty much over!
Active cooling and ventilation on your 10Gbe switch
This may seem like an odd point, but it really is something you should keep in mind. Unlike standard 1Gbe switches, a 10Gbe switch is going to work…well…10x harder per port. This coupled with a much more featured CPU to handle the internal operations means you are going to generate a lot more heat.
This may sound like overkill, but if the only experience of networking is the router from your ISP or a simple old brainless Netgear/Thompson switch, then you probably barely pushed the unit at all. The Buffalo BS-MP2008 10 Gigabit switch (like most 10Gbe switches) needs cooling in order to function as well as maintain hardware protection. A number of cheaper switches with fewer ports, only partial 10G support or unmanaged units arrive with plastic chassis, no fans and limited ventilation – the result is pretty bad for both your speeds and your long-term reliability. The Buffalo 10Gbe switch arrives with active cooling on the rear as well as ventilation in multiple points and a metal chassis for excellent heat dissipation. All this backed up with 3 years of manufacturers warranty,
What is the Buffalo BS-MP2008 Switch Network User-interface like?
We will be featuring several tests of the BS-MP2008 Buffalo Switch with the Buffalo TerraStation 5810DN Series in April, as well as seeing how well it works with the QNAP and Synology platform.
Buffalo BS-MP2008 10Gbe Switch – Software Review
If the hardware of the Buffalo 10Gbe 8-port switch is not enough for you, then i am pleased to say that the user interface and software options are good too – especially at this price point; Check out our full tutorial of the UI and review of the software below:
But once again, and I cannot state this enough, if you are looking for the best-priced 10GBe switch that features 8 10GBASE-T ports, is managed and with numerous software and hardware touches that set it apart from the crowd – look no further than this home and business switch! Pick up your Buffalo 10Gbe Switch via the button below and support this site with ad revenue!
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