10 vs 100 BaseT; bandwidth issue
10 vs 100 BaseT; bandwidth issue
(OP)
I am an IT professional who has inherited an incredibly designed network by a tech for whom I have alot of respect. We have a series of robust dual processor servers (WinNT 4.0)and about 50+ active users. The network is over a campus-like setting with fiber and cat 5 cabling. The disagreement is this: He has put 10 base-t data converters and a 10 base-t switch on all the outlying offices. He has one small 100 base-T switch for which I can pick and chose who I want to plug into it. He claims that giving everyone 100 base-t bandwidth would "bog down" the server(s). I think everyone on the network should be given the same speed, especially with database applications that have been implemented since I've come on board. Does anyone have an expert opinion on this?
Thanks
MyCaRona
Thanks
MyCaRona
RE: 10 vs 100 BaseT; bandwidth issue
If your 10Mb/s segment(s) are saturated, ie. over 40% utilization, you can gain network speed by upgrading to 100Mb/s. If that is the case, your next question will be server load.
Monitor the server(s) for existing resource utilization-CPU, memory, storage- for the existing 100Mb/s users, leaving the 10Mb/s segments at that speed for now. Assuming relatively equal usage by all users, you can forecast what the bandwidth increase effect will be in resource utilization. Then decide whether the increased bandwidth will have a detrimental effect on overall server performance.
Has this already been done? Is this the designer's basis for the preference to keep the 10Mb/s segments?
So much for the technical. One last opinion (as is all of the above)- if there is no problem from the users' point of view and you do, indeed, have a high level of respect for the designer, why change it? Sometimes you can be right and still lose.
RE: 10 vs 100 BaseT; bandwidth issue
KEv
RE: 10 vs 100 BaseT; bandwidth issue