When refreshing your network architecture consider the applications platform you are creating. Costs may be as little as £50 for a 24-port, Layer 2 switch but this won't necessarily support applications such as IP Telephony and video conferencing. You need quality of Service (QoS) features on the switch for this, and you won't find that on a Layer 2 switch. Essentially, a layer 3 switch can make decisions based on the IP address. Layer 2 switches only look at MAC addresses.
Not all Layer 3 switches have QoS features so check before you buy.
Prices for 24-port Cisco, HP and 3Com Ethernet switches with QoS features cost around £500. But, if you have a network with hundreds of users you'll need a more powerful switch than this at the core.
Alan Bullen
Lynx Networks
UK
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