Tips for equipment server or micro-data center?

Question

Server equipment

Kind.

At the moment, the situation: I
came to a new company to support clients that they have placed in a "small server room". Now there are 7 servers that are behind DNAT configured on the shorewall (I repeat once again, I inherited this) and the simplest dlink switch that drives traffic within the network.
Fortunately, there is one good UPS that keeps all this happiness for 25-30 minutes.

Now summer is approaching, but there is no cooling there, he knocked out air conditioners and a separate power line, and 1 end of optics, one of the country's largest providers with a net hundred megabits on the outside and gigabit on local resources, also goes there.

In the near future, they announced that a second rack with 8 client servers would be installed (as I understand it, the company's clients often ask their office to host their resources, it does not officially provide colo and hosting services, purely to its clients).

I would like to ask for advice from gurus who have already equipped their server rooms or participated in the creation of small data centers for the needs of their companies, helped with advice on how to get the right infrastructure ...

Interested in questions:

1. What should I replace the "shorewall" gateway with, as I understand it, that from cisco 65 *** or there are cheaper analogs? And that I do not think that the administration at once fork out for cisco, but there is a chance. Can you tell me other models of core routers?
2. Is it worth laying a gigabit network initially indoors?

How would these be the basic initial questions.

PS There is no specific budget, you will have to beat it out.
PSS ordered a diesel generator too, just in case the light goes out.
PSSS Please do not spread rot, because the authorities adhere to everything on their own, bad, but what to do.

I will be glad to receive advice.

THX.

Answer 1

1) Up to gigabit, you can safely drive on Linux.
2) Gigabit equipment is cheap and it is worth focusing on it right away, and in general, you can immediately think about a switch with link aggregation in order to glue several gigabit channels if necessary.

Answer 2

Sixtons in the past. At sisko Nexus'y are actual.

Answer 3

If it's not a secret - what is the consumption of electricity (kW)?
1) As already said, Linux is enough up to a gigabit. It works, don't touch it. ;)
2) Yes, if there is a need for such speeds locally or you still need to buy new equipment for new customers. Otherwise, it's a waste of other people's money.

Answer 4

It makes sense to focus on gigabit right away, since it is now cheap, and in some cases the profit is huge (backups, dragging virtual machines, etc.)
In terms of cooling, if this is a closet, then the usual split system is enough, just don’t take rubbish. Better, of course, 2 kondeya, and let them alternate (a couple of weeks one works, a couple of other). Take immediately with a winter start system. Do not place air conditioners on top of racks or other equipment - there is always a chance that the unit may leak, this is not fatal on the floor, and if it leaks into the equipment, there will be problems.

Answer 5

Cisco is easily and naturally replaced by Mikrotiks in this situation.

Answer 6

Regarding the temperature, I kept my little room at 16-18 Celsius.