Pluribus Networks - 48x10G + 4x40G switch ($1500)

[Lance Joseph]

I heard about Pluribus Networks last week and found this switch on eBay for $1500.
These switches run a complete (Ubuntu-based, I believe) OS and are highly configurable.

I've no idea whether this is actually a really good deal or not but I'm sharing here nonetheless.

Pluribus Networks PB Freedom F64-L 48 x 10GE+ 4 x 40GE Integrated Server Switch

 

[PigLover]

Would love to see environmental specs (power, heat, noise) on that one.

Also curious what the unused bay on the back is used for. Normally I'd say its for a 2nd PSU, but both PSUs are shown installed.

 

[DaSaint]

I think those are the HD slots for the OS

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

 

[aero]

Those slots are for additional storage. I've attended a demo of Pluribus and was really impressed (salivating almost). The features I found the most interesting....

1. real-time flow monitoring! and ability to store the data (which is why you may need more disks); and even directly dump traffic, a'la tcpdump to disk
2. fabric view; access to all pluribus switches in your topology from any of the devices (as if you are looking at a switch stack)

That price is awesome.

datasheet: http://www.pluribusnetworks.com/media/briefs/pluribus_server-switch_datasheet.pdf

 

[frogtech]

that's a beastly switch, looks like a supermicro board with a custom option ROM

 

[Bradford]

"I do not have the password so password recovery is the buyers responsibility."

Sounds like he stole it

 

[cookiesowns]

Great find! I'm very tempted to pick one up just for R&D.

 

[josh]

I'm having difficulty thinking of how to use this

 

[aero]

Even if you did not use any of the special features, it's a good performing, and low latency (350ns port-to-port) switch. And $1500 is a steal for this quality L3 switch.

I would be curious which software package they're licensed for though. Check out the datasheet, as the feature availability varies greatly between the 3 different packages.

 

[cookiesowns]

Not only that, it has TONS of packet buffers. So if you do alot of 40GbE -> 10GbE, it'll be beneficial.

EDIT: I take that back, looks like 9MB of buffers on chip, and 2GB of "Network processor queuing buffer" whatever the heck that means..

 

[Patrick]

I had some folks that I know who were very excited about Pluribus gear a year or two ago as a way to make switches much smarter.

 

[Boddy]

I'd like to build a rack for a wiki/forum and wanted to enable max users
.
My idea is to have 2 x C6100 (user request) hooked up, say using 10Gb NICs
to database (wiki) on a say 16-24 bay 3 or 4 U with dual 40 Gb NICs.

Am I on the right track with my thinking or is there a better set up with this hardware?

Then one of these switches would be ideal? (Though I was thinking of a newer and perhaps low power unit.)
And I'd have 2 x 40 Gb ports for inward/outward connection to internet?

 

[Patrick]

At that scale, you are probably better off buying a switch and then servers. You also probably do not need that many nodes for awhile.