1GB or 2x 100 MB 1

[bernie321]

Hi

We have a network with this setup:

48 port 10/100 switch with 2x1GB ports
Database/File/Proxy Server with 1 WAN & 1 LAN 1GB nics - plugged into gb port on switch
Terminal Server (low usage) with 1 LAN GB nic plugged into gb port on switch

13 Workstations with GB Nics but plugged into 10/100 switch ports
8 Laptops with 10/100 nics and plugged into 10/100 ports on switch

Our server LAN card is a dual port card but only using one port.

Would it be better for our server to have two 100MB LAN connections or one 1GB connection?

Thanks
B

 

[jimbopalmer]

the MAJOR reason to use 2 ports is cable failure. if you run outdoors, it is wise to use two seperate paths to important nodes. if as is more likely, you server is right next to your switch, then one gig port will be much better

I tried to remain child-like, all I acheived was childish.

 

[LloydSev]

2 100Mb links would only provide you with 200Mb/s respectively, minus the overhead.

1 Gb port would of course give you the full gigabit minus overhead.

Also, if you do not have spanning tree enabled, using a redundant link can freeze your network.

Computer/Network Technician
CCNA

 

[bernie321]

Hi Jimbopalmer & LloydSev

Sorry for the delay in responding.

The only reason I ask is, from my understanding, all machines (apart from the Terminal Server) can only communicate with the server at 100mb/s and only one at a time as they are plugged into 10/100 ports on the switch.

Does two 100mb/s connections allow two workstations to talk to the server at the same time?

If so therefore, by sacrificing the speed between our terminal server and db server, would I find that 2 200mb/s actually quicker than a single 1gb connection.

In addition our switch has two 1gb ports, is it possible to have the terminal server plugged into a 1gb port and have the db server plugged into 1 100mb port and 1gb port. But I am assuming that I cannot gurantee that the Terminal Server will communicate with the db servers 1gb connection.

Sorry for the length of post, I may be very off course with my ideas.

Regards
B

 

[jimbopalmer]

There are ways to 'bond' multiple NICs to a Switch, Nortel calls theirs Multi Link Trunking while Cisco calls theirs Etherchannel, (I do not know of any standard) in this ad, they offer 6 trunks of as many as 4 ports each.

http://products.nortel.com/go/produ...&contOid=100171094&prod_id=49760&locale=en-US

I tried to remain child-like, all I acheived was childish.