nanog mailing list archives
Re: Single-vendor vs. best-of-breed network
From: Jon 'tex' Boone <tex () delamancha org>
Date: Fri, 21 Dec 2001 15:58:39 -0500
Irwin Lazar <ILazar () burtongroup com> writes:
We find the general trend is to go single-vendor whenever possible, primarily to reduce support and management costs. Engineers/Operators generally want single vendor, management generally wants best of breed (to put pressure on suppliers).
That's ironic. I started out in a multi-vendor environment and for the last two years I've been working in my first single-vendor environment. In all of the multi-vendor environments I worked in, it was the management pushing for single-vendor (deeper discounts) with the technical staff pushing for best-of-breed (reduced need for out-of-hours support). I think you should get the best of breed for core function devices (provided you stay within budget). Non-core functions can be from the same vendor as the core, as long as they are with-in a reasonable delta from the best-of-breed. - For WAN purposes, core function is core and distribution routers and should be best of breed. Customer routers, switches, hubs, etc. could come from the same vendor or a different one provided they are of acceptable quality. - For Enterprise/Data Center environments, core function is more likely to be distribution router and/or switches, with other other devices taking back seat in the decision making process. Multi-vendor environments rule, but are harder to scale with a small finite-clued staff. :-) Single-vendor environments are easier to scale in a manner disproportionate to the clue of the staff running the network. -jon -- ------------------ Jon Allen Boone tex () delamancha org CCIE #8338
Current thread:
- Single-vendor vs. best-of-breed network Pete Kruckenberg (Dec 21)
- RE: Single-vendor vs. best-of-breed network James (Dec 21)
- Re: Single-vendor vs. best-of-breed network Andy Walden (Dec 21)
- RE: Single-vendor vs. best-of-breed network Marc Pierrat (Dec 21)
- <Possible follow-ups>
- RE: Single-vendor vs. best-of-breed network Irwin Lazar (Dec 21)
- Re: Single-vendor vs. best-of-breed network Jon 'tex' Boone (Dec 21)
- RE: Single-vendor vs. best-of-breed network Irwin Lazar (Dec 21)
- Re: Single-vendor vs. best-of-breed network Dave Siegel (Dec 27)