The Huawei S5720 switch has long been a go-to for businesses seeking reliable Layer 3 switching without breaking the bank. Praised for its balance of performance and cost, this series powers countless small offices, schools, and retail chains. But beneath its reputation as a “budget workhorse” lies a critical dilemma: does prioritizing upfront savings over advanced capabilities put your network’s scalability and security at risk? From limited PoE+ support to missing encryption features, the S5720 walks a tightrope between value and vulnerability. Let’s dissect why this switch thrives in some ecosystems—and becomes a liability in others.
Why the Huawei S5720 Shines (and Stumbles) in Real-World Deployments
The Huawei S5720 series excels in straightforward scenarios. Take a 50-user accounting firm: the S5720-28P-PWR-LI delivers 24 PoE+ ports to power IP phones and WiFi access points, while its basic VLAN and QoS features keep traffic flowing smoothly—all for under $1,000 per unit. But push beyond these limits, and cracks emerge.
Port density is a common pitfall. The base S5720-28P model offers 24 Ethernet ports, but expanding to 40+ devices forces businesses to daisy-chain switches, creating bottlenecks. A hotel chain learned this the hard way when their S5720-based network buckled under 200+ smart room devices, forcing a costly upgrade to S6730-S switches with 48 ports and 10G uplinks.
PoE+ limitations also bite. While the S5720 supports 30W per port (enough for standard IP cameras), it struggles with high-demand IoT gear like PTZ security cameras or digital signage requiring 60W+ PoE++. A school district deploying interactive smart boards had to retrofit their S5720 switches with external injectors, adding 20% to project costs.
Security is another weak spot. Models like the S5720-52X-LI-AC lack MACsec encryption and advanced ACLs, leaving networks exposed. A logistics warehouse using these switches suffered a breach when hackers exploited unencrypted data flows between inventory scanners and servers—a flaw that S6720 switches with hardware encryption could’ve prevented.
Is the Huawei S5720 Future-Proof or a Dead-End Investment?
The Huawei S5720’s true cost often reveals itself years later. Consider scalability: the S5720-36C-EI supports basic static routing, but businesses adopting SD-WAN or multi-cloud architectures quickly hit walls. One e-commerce startup migrated to AWS but found their S5720 switches couldn’t handle VXLAN tunnels for hybrid cloud traffic, forcing a premature upgrade to S6730S-S models.
Energy efficiency is another hidden drain. Older S5720 variants (e.g., V200R019 firmware) lack Huawei’s iPower technology, wasting up to 15% more electricity than newer S5735 models during idle periods. A call center running 40 switches saw annual energy bills drop by $6,200 after replacing legacy S5720 units with S5735S-H models.
Software licensing traps add friction. Features like OSPF dynamic routing or NetStream traffic analysis require paid licenses on certain S5720 models. A hospital network budgeted 12K in add-on licenses for critical network monitoring tools.
To avoid buyer’s remorse:
- Audit growth plans: If adding 20+ devices annually, opt for stackable models like S5720-36C-EI-24S to scale ports without clutter.
- Prioritize security: Splurge on S5720-SI variants with Trusted Platform Module (TPM) for hardware-based encryption.
- Demand energy stats: Compare kWh/year metrics using Huawei’s Power Calculator—newer S5720s (V300R022) cut power use by 18% vs. older firmware.
The Huawei S5720 switch isn’t a bad choice—it’s a context-dependent one. For cash-strapped startups or static environments, it delivers undeniable value. But in dynamic industries where uptime, security, and scalability are non-negotiable, its limitations morph into ticking time bombs. The key is to weigh today’s savings against tomorrow’s overhaul costs. Before you commit, ask: does this switch solve problems as your business evolves, or will it shackle you to compromises? In networking, the cheapest upfront cost often carries the heaviest long-term price.
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