Switch Question (Advanced)

[explrsport]

Ok, I currently have 2 switches, a 32-port and a 24-port, both 3Net 10/100's. I need to add another switch, as we are out of ports. We have about 60 workstations, and a Dell Poweredge 2500 server which holds all data. The workstations write database files to the server constantly. I am in the process of buying another switch to add-on. My question is, if I buy a switch with a gigabit port, and plug the server (which has an Intel 1000 card) into it, will that increase performance? Thanks in advance!

 

[spidey07]

By all means using a gigabit port on a switch directly to a server will give the server gobs of bandwidth into and out of the switch. But only the machines directly attached to this switch will get the full benefit.

The hosts on the other two existing switches will be limited to whatever link you are using between the switches. But then again 100 Base-T is no slouch.

But I'd suggest a 48 port switch with a few gig ports. plug most of your hosts into the 48 port switch, server into gig and hang your two existing switches off of this 48 port'r. Then next year or later on if the folks on the two "old" switches are complaining then buy another 48 port gig switch, tie it together with the other 48 port'r and get rid of the ancient technolgy that can't do gig ethernet.

Or maybe another suggestion? Get somebody to rewrite the database so that it doesn't waste so much LAN bandwidth and runs efficiently?