Creating a Windows Server&PCs LAN using 2 x HP4208vl-64G

[dpsystems]

We've got a bunch of standard w2k servers and wxp pcs, standard apps, exchange/file/print etc.
We are replacing two old HP4000's with two HP 4208vl-64 each with 64 ports of 10/100/1000.
We were expecting to set them up, give them ip adds, set def g/ws, assign usernames/passwords and then port trunk 4 ports together using standard rj45 copper.
Can anyone advise on the more finer details on what i have to do or should do?. Do i need to get involved with VLANs, spanning tree or RSTP.? I'm reading lots about it but can't understand whether it applies to us. Yes, I want some form of redundancy/resilence.
I was going to spread the 8 servers between the switches - 4 on 1, 4 on the 2nd switch.
Any comments or instructions would be greatful.

[Matt Hobbs]

What you're proposing would be fine in my opinion.

I wouldn't worry about VLANs unless you have a lot of broadcast traffic, in that case VLANs could help segment the network.

Spanning-tree may be helpful. If it is only these 2 switches that will be connected by a 4 port trunk, then you probably don't need it. If there are more switches that you'd like to create redundant links to then you will definitely need it.

The 4200 supports MSTP only which is backwards compatible with the earlier STP standards. When setting it up, you will need to define your edge-ports (workstations and servers) with 'spanning-tree int edge-port'

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