10GB managed switch and Router selection help

[RustStorm]

I'm doing some upgrades and want to invest in 10GB and not sure which way to go on switches or router. The prices are "low" enough that as I really expect to use these items for 10years if not more. In the past I'v always bought the cheaper stuff and just added what I need as I go... Topology be damned if it works.

I wanna spend my money now for 10GB local and be ready for 2.5gb/5g/10g when it becomes available in the next few years (I hope),
2.5gb is in major city's in my state. Im not long to follow nor am I moving.

My main priority is ISP availability / internet connection. Servers do some backend proccessing and upload/download consistant 150-250Mb/s during prime time. I don't currently have any problems and only have a d/c or dropout or inconsistancy once every 30-45 days for a few minutes which is probably comcast.

Anyway...
Is there any benefit to having the router/opnsense with 8 ports/being main switch?

While the QNAP 16port 'main' switch is almost exacly what I want its double the price +some of the TP link.
What performance difference would the TP link switch with 4x switches under it vs those devices connect to the sub switches---- all being on the 1 QNAP or 1 switch layer closer to the router?

MS-01 or just wait until I need faster than 2.5GB link speed? There is also a high likelyhood in a few years I would have a second 1Gb internet connection for failover or redudency (pushes me to the MS-01 / future proof)

What would you buy personally?

 

[sic0048]

First, let me say that you can do a lot of 10gb upgrades without needing to replace your current router. Even with layer 2 switches, the only time data should be traversing to the router is 1) when it needs to traverse between different VLANs (which on a typical home network can be easily mitigated with proper VLAN design) or 2) when it is traveling to/from the WAN. Otherwise any data routing will be handled at the switch level. Obviously if your current internet speeds are less than 2.5gb, the service provider is the limiting factor on the WAN, not your current firewall/router. Given all of this, your current firewall/router is likely doing a lot less than you think it is doing and likely isn't a bottleneck in the network - even if/when you have 10gb devices on your internal network.

When it comes to purchasing hardware, "future proofing" just means you are overspending for features you can't use yet. It's always better to wait until you need those features to purchase and change hardware because the hardware will always get better and cheaper the longer you wait. Therefore I would recommend that you spend your money where it is going to make a difference today - ie things you actually want to implement right now. So while you probably want to find a switch that has more SFP+ ports for 10gb use as well as some 10gb cards for your current devices, there isn't going to be a large gain achieved by changing out the firewall IMHO. Imagine how much less "todays" hardware will cost in "a few years" when you actually have faster internet and might need a more robust firewall/router - or how much better the "new" hardware will be at that time.

PS - I'm strictly speaking about hardware. Infrastructure (cabling in walls, etc) is harder to replace than hardware, so you should always try to "future proof" when it comes to these items - especially if access is going to be limited in the future (ie infrastructure being installed during a construction/remodel project).