As budgets get tighter, I'm exploring the option of purchasing refurbished networking equipment, specifically switches and routers from brands like Juniper and Arista. I'm curious to know if the reliability and support for used gear have improved over the years, or if it still poses risks. Has anyone had recent experiences with this type of equipment?
7 Answers
It all comes down to what features you need and the speeds involved. If you have a good grasp of networking, you can definitely use more affordable, older solutions. We're in a good position to use servers as border routers for services like 10Gbps. Just consider the power needs and support options for older gear.
I've had pretty good luck with refurbished Cisco gear. The supplier we go through isn't the cheapest, but their customer service is solid. If something goes wrong, they replace it without hassle. I think the failure rate is pretty standard for older equipment, and we just keep some extras on hand because the prices are so low.
Quick question from someone new to networking: I've heard that sometimes used equipment might not qualify for licensing. Is that true? Can you still purchase software licenses, or does it affect your ability to get support?
I've had great experiences purchasing used equipment through Teracai. The prices are decent and they stand by their support and warranty.
I understand that some folks aren't fans, but I've found that Ubiquiti has been putting out some solid enterprise-grade gear at reasonable prices lately. As for refurbished or used gear, I say go for it! You can save a lot if you know what you're doing.
I'm with you! We switched our old SonicWall setup for a UDM Pro Max and upgraded our switches, and it's been great. Gear tech can really improve with the right upgrades.
I've bought various used high-end switches and never faced issues. Recently, for a client, we got 4 used Cisco 10G switches working perfectly at about 20% of the new price.
I really like our UniFi setup, but I have to say, SonicWall has really disappointed us this year.
What do you think people dislike about Ubiquiti? Did they mess up somehow?