Gigabit Networking

[setiawan]

I am thinking of ugrading my network to gigabit speed and I have a few question for those network gurus..... =))
Any suggestion what is the best gigabit switch with reasonable price?? and how can you tell the performace factor just from reading the spec?? What is the different between backplane speed,Non blocking switch fabric, frowading speed, switching speed?? also, Some switch have they spec(listed above) measured with Gbps and some are million packets per second... How do you convert from packets to Gbps??
Can somebody please fills me up with this??

Thank you much

[C.M. Weaver]

This for a home network or a small/large corporate network?

[setiawan]

It is for home office, I have 6 server and about 10 client computer.....

[RRGreg]

Originally posted by setiawan:
I am thinking of ugrading my network to gigabit speed and I have a few question for those network gurus..... =)

Are you saying that you have 6 servers? And I supose that you want to just connect the servers at 1Gb and the 10 clients at 100Mb?
Allied Telesyn makes some good 1GB switches (good backbone switch fabric) at a cost lower then say Cisco or Nortel (although they are good). But whatever you decide make sure your network cabling is top notch - meaning, ensure that it uses top grade components and cabling with Cat5e (Enhanced) at a minimum. And have all lines tested with a good lan tester - then at least you will know that part is good. I would talk with a good network engineer to make sure your configuration really needs (would benefit) from that 1Gb speed - it can be very expensive!
Greg

[wopr]

I would recommend going Cat6 with a 3comFibre Channel. It's what we use here for our back haul. Although I would think going that route would be overkill for the home/office. 100 should suite your office just fine. I have installed 100 meg networks in offices with over 100 workstations, and everything is very, very fast... very cheap compared to the Gig route too...

[glc1]

Originally posted by wopr:
I would recommend going Cat6 with a 3comFibre Channel. It's what we use here for our back haul. Although I would think going that route would be overkill for the home/office. 100 should suite your office just fine. I have installed 100 meg networks in offices with over 100 workstations, and everything is very, very fast... very cheap compared to the Gig route too...I don't believe CAT6 is readily available yet. CAT5e is designed for Gigabit Ethernet.

[Storm90]

I know where I live if you want cat6. You have to know someone who works for the cable company. I was out looking for some not to long ago and all I could fine was. Cat5. I gave up and had the cable company install what I needed.

[wopr]

Come by my office I can sell you some.. I work for a major ISP here in Ontario Canada. It's not hard to come by here.

[setiawan]

How about switch that support load balancing?? I 2 server running quad port switch and load balancing is activated, but the problem I got is that the server will only receive at 100Mbps.... I have read about port trunking and some other tecnology that will support load balancing 4 port nic up to 800Mbps..... Anybody know a good reliable and reasonable price switch that will perform all this??

Thanks

[xport]

just thought i would put my name here, i like the idea of cat6 but here in good old montana we are having touble getting any companies to come in and use anything faster then t3, i would love to see our fibre lines implemented just saw cat6 and thought i would say hi

[tomsykes]

Just get a Cisco 6500 :P just *sooo* well suited to a home office. NOT

:P
Rgds
Tom Sykes
RequestDSL, Australia.

[Alteon]

The only good switch for NLB(Network Load Balancing) is the Alteon 180E, good luck finding one though. Nortel just bought them. They will do everything you want it to do. Just hope you have a 6 channel frame relay....AT YOUR HOUSE. Whatever your doing there that requires Load Balancing, is too much for a home. Your neighbors lights must dim when you get home :)

[setiawan]

Alteon, Ebay have one of the switch you refered, Do you know how much this switch cost new??

Thanks

[lroberts]

Sounds like you have plenty of money but doesn't want to pay a professional to do the work correctly.

Penny Wise, Dollar Foolish!

[luism1]

I agree with LRoberts, if your willing to spend the money on a Gigabit switch then you are serious about whatever it is your running at your house; you SHOULD pay a pro to do it right the first time and be happy. Other than that if your trying to NLB and you have a 4 port NIC, have you tried contacting the NIC manufacturer it might be possible to configure the NIC or your server to load balance. Just putting my 2cents in.