Tips for turning a G5 into a network file server?

[videoed]

Hi,

Just wondering if anyone has some tips for turning a G5 into a network file server to be shared amongst 5 video editing stations

Thanks,

ed

[PaulD-UK]

Hi
Is the G5 PCI-X or PCI-e?
Small Tree are the specialists in ethernet networking for video editing:
http://www.small-tree.com/Articles.asp?id=160

Basically they sell software to optimise a network utilising an Intel 4-port 1GB ethernet card in the server Mac (which they say should be a Mac Pro), with 4 channel link-aggregation to a managed Gig switch, and thence, using jumbo frames, to the various edit-station Macs.

Hardware-wise the 4-port card they supplied seems to be a standard Intel card:
http://www.intel.com/products/server/adapters/pro1000gt-quadport/pro1000gt-quadport-overview.htm

I've got one in my G5, and OS X recognises it OK. But that's as far as I've got - mainly because of the cost of an IEEE 802.3ad managed switch.

So I don't know whether the Small Tree software is essential, or if a DIY setup would be functional...