Today we are looking at the FS S5850-48S6Q. This is a value-oriented 48x SFP+ 10GbE and 6x QSFP+ 40GbE switch that costs less than $3,000. FS also has accompanying low-cost optics that make it an interesting value with a few unique features such as a web GUI and a PowerPC processor. Let us start our review with a look at the hardware.
FS S5850-48S6Q Switch Hardware Overview
As we have been doing in our reviews lately, we are splitting the hardware overview section into external and internal hardware views. We will also cover the pluggable modules that we used later in this piece after we cover management.
FS S5850-48S6Q External Hardware Overview
Looking at the front of the switch, we get a 1U design that is fairly standard. The main feature of this switch are the 48x SFP+ 10GbE ports on the front.
On the left side, we get status LEDs, a reset button, a USB port, a console, and management ports.
On the right side, we get six QSFP+ 40GbE ports. These can optionally be used in breakout mode to support four 10GbE links each.
The rear of the switch is mostly made of fans whether they are in the power supplies or in fan modules.
Each fan module is interesting. Getting the module out required a screwdriver as these are not traditional thumbscrews. There is a single fan on the module where we often see double fan modules in L3 switches in this class of port densities. These hot-swap modules worked fine, it was just a bit different than we are accustomed to seeing.
The power supplies are 80Plus Gold units. We recently did a big Deep Dive into Lowering Server Power Consumption piece so we would always welcome higher-efficiency power supplies. When we looked at the FS S5860-48SC we noted how we would like to see an 80Plus rating, and we have it here. Also, these PSUs may look slightly familiar in some places as they are Compuware units that are used in rebranded form by several server vendors.
There are a few major points on making this switch feel higher-quality that FS can address fairly easily. The first is removing these warranty void if seal is broken stickers as that is not legally binding in many jurisdictions these days. Larger vendors have started to not only exclude these stickers but have gone so far as to make it easy to access inside some switches. The other easy one is to not have things like duplicated word-for-word reviews from allegedly different customers in different countries on its website. Consumers are intelligent enough to spot these in 2022.
Breaking that seal, we can get inside the switch.
Let us now explore inside the switch.
I think FS is really doing themselves a disservice with the fake-looking reviews, that just makes them look super-shady. Also, they should ditch developing their own OS and instead support an open OS like SONiC, lower cost for them and a larger customer base especially at the price point. I have an FS switch and the typos alone don’t inspire a lot of trust in the Web GUI.
Makes me laugh that companies are still including those “warranty is void if seal is broken” stickers. In the US at least it’s not legal and they can’t use it as a grounds to void your warranty.
I’ll agree with Nils SONiC would be best, but then they’d need a better CPU and it’d be more expensive.
STH is the only site I trust for these reviews of FS products. All the rest seem like they’re fakes. All of the FS.com reviews look like fakes. It’s so shady.
FS does not produce any switches, the switches of FS are OEM, and the operating system is also OEM, and FS is not responsible for development.
Their website claims a forwarding rate of 1071.4 Mpps, however, I have some doubts that the low power (small heatsink!) PowerPC can keep up with anything demanding
FS is the new back door into the U.S
Due to most of the other vendors being shut down,
give it a few years & they will be on the banned list as well…