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We have various super stack's, mostly 3com 4500 and some 5500 stacks. I know HP now owns this line, so I am hoping someone knows if it's possible to purchase a single HP 4500G for example and replace a failed unit in a stack of 3com 4500's?

In the manual, I was reading something about the stack checks the firmware of the units and makes sure they match. So I am wondering if at this point, that means either the new HP units will not work in a 3com stack, or if it would require firmware updating or the older units (or the hp unit), or maybe there is no problem at all, and it would just drop in?

Scott Szretter
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1 Answers1

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Yikes.

I wouldn't even consider mix-and-matching across vendors (even if one bought the other). It might work, but probably won't. It might pretend to work on the surface, and then fail in subtle and mysterious ways which will have you cursing your decision in years (or weeks) to come.

I suspect the "right" options are these:

1) Buy a replacement 3Com Stack switch from eBay or somewhere similar.

2) Replace the whole lot with supported/modern HP hardware.

Tom O'Connor
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  • While I agree with the general idea, the 4500G wasn't developed by people at HP (or ProCurve), it was made by the same people who made the 4500. It really aught to work even with "HP" painted on the cover. – Chris S Nov 28 '12 at 01:00
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    I wouldn't put money on it, that's all. ;) – Tom O'Connor Nov 28 '12 at 01:00
  • +1 for upgrading to equipment it's possible to buy new. – HopelessN00b Nov 28 '12 at 02:26
  • Makes sense. I decided to not replace the unit, and instead remove the bad on, reducing the stack down to 4 units, which is still fine in my mind. I will replace it with a modern normal (non-stackable), but managed layer 3 poe switch, uplinked to the stack. This is the way we have been going in other closets anyway. – Scott Szretter Mar 19 '13 at 12:43