30 computers 3 Cisco switches and a Laser Printer

That is what I picked up last night for FREE!! The printer works,and most of the computers are older (and I mean P3 old) models. The guy told me when he gets his last rack switch removed from the wall he will bring it to me along with another 4 workstations. Not sure what to do with them all yet, perhaps setup some kind of farm or server cluster for something. Or, maybe just dump them along side the road somewhere... who knows.

Any ideas?

3-4 years ago I'd tell you to give me some of those computers

But not anymore lol no room for it all haha

Is the Cisco gear any good? The rest I would just strip the gold from them melt it down and cash out.

drpain wrote: Is the Cisco gear any good? The rest I would just strip the gold from them melt it down and cash out.

/agree

Unless you don't pay your own power bill & don't care much for the time it could take to maintain such a large/old physical network, it's going to be more efficient to build a very multiprocessor server (like www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813151085 ) and run VMWare ESXi on it.

I guess you could also take one P3, throw 2+ NICs in it, and make a homebrew router/file/printserver as well.

drpain wrote: Is the Cisco gear any good? The rest I would just strip the gold from them melt it down and cash out.

I believe so. I need to test it.

Reaper wrote: /agree

Unless you don't pay your own power bill & don't care much for the time it could take to maintain such a large/old physical network, it's going to be more efficient to build a very multiprocessor server (like www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813151085) and run VMWare ESXi on it.

I guess you could also take one P3, throw 2+ NICs in it, and make a homebrew router/file/printserver as well.

You got a point. And that Tyan board on NE is pretty sick!

GAWD I want some Cisco switches!

Well the Cisco stuff is good and what you are looking for I would say you made out good one that but even if they suck or different then what you want Cisco stuff usually goes for a high premium on the used market.

I used to drop that stuff off to a warehouse to be sold when I used to work at University of Michigan and it would always be sold the next day.

I know for sure im going to keep the networking gear and the Laser Printer. The printer is an HP Color LaserJet 4500n. It came with the secondary paper tray with duplexer, base cabinet with casters, and a JetDirect card for networkability. All in all, the printer is about $5k new.

I checked the cabinet as well, and inside was brand new, unopened toner carts for all the colors!!

benefits of working at a computer shop i guess. Its the same way I landed my screen for free too. Sure its just a 17" Hanspree panel, but it looks and works great! I have two 17" SyncMasters too that I hope to fix by parting one into another. Switch out the high voltage boards.

The switches are for sale.... anyone want one, or both? Topic here .