I'm setting up a gigabit wired network in my lab (30 iMacs). Everything's been running fine off a 5.0ghz N wireless connection to an Xserve, but I need to get faster throughput for a class I'm doing next semester.
My options are fairly simple:
1. a 48-port managed 10/100/1000 switch under $1000 (so no nice cisco gear).
2. Or 5 8-port unmanaged switches.
Both of them support jumbo frames (most important). The unmanaged switches will do what is needed, save money, and I will basically be connecting four of them to a single switch and then each of those to 7 computers, so they won't all just be daisy-chained together.
The managed switch sounds nice, although it does mean I need to do 30 long cable runs instead of just the 4 (the unmanaged switches will be at a cluster of 7-8 computers). As well, from the reviews I've read, none of the managed switches under $1000 have very good reliability track records.
So, the question I have, is there any REAL benefit in this type of network (moving a handful large files (2-3 gigs) back and forth a day) for the managed single switch? I'm leery of the single point of failure, and the only thing that would really change my mind is if there was some appreciable speed benefit. Anybody out there have any experience?
My options are fairly simple:
1. a 48-port managed 10/100/1000 switch under $1000 (so no nice cisco gear).
2. Or 5 8-port unmanaged switches.
Both of them support jumbo frames (most important). The unmanaged switches will do what is needed, save money, and I will basically be connecting four of them to a single switch and then each of those to 7 computers, so they won't all just be daisy-chained together.
The managed switch sounds nice, although it does mean I need to do 30 long cable runs instead of just the 4 (the unmanaged switches will be at a cluster of 7-8 computers). As well, from the reviews I've read, none of the managed switches under $1000 have very good reliability track records.
So, the question I have, is there any REAL benefit in this type of network (moving a handful large files (2-3 gigs) back and forth a day) for the managed single switch? I'm leery of the single point of failure, and the only thing that would really change my mind is if there was some appreciable speed benefit. Anybody out there have any experience?