I'd say you are on the right track also. You didn't say how much RAM you had. If you can fit more then do it. Jack <div>On 3/23/06, David Trask < <a href="mailto:dtrask@vcsvikings.org">dtrask@vcsvikings.org</a>> wrote:<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">You are on the right track....the gig card (serving the apps to the terminals) needs to come out of the server and go into a gig port on a switch.....after that you can go 100baseT....at least the data coming from the server is at full speed. "Support list for opensource software in schools." < <a href="mailto:k12osn@redhat.com">k12osn@redhat.com</a>> on Thursday, March 23, 2006 at 12:31 AM +0000 wrote: >I administer a network at a K-12 school in Winnipeg Manitoba. I also >teach grades 9-12 computer classes, while other teachers use the lab for >their classes. > >I am currently running K12LTSP (ver 4.4.1 I believe) on a dual xeon 3.06 >MHz computer with 4-80 Gb SATA drives configured on a megaraid-4 >controller raid 1+0. 2 nics, and 1 is even a gigabyte nic, but all the >switches involved in my network are 10/100, so it is not being utilized > >All applications are run from this one server, except I have a stand >alone box that does nothing except host our school's mail. Currently >connecting 35 thin clients which run a variety of applications the most >important of which are StarOffice 7 applications, Firefox for >surfing/research/ etc, and NetBeans 3.6 IDE for java programming, and >KTOUCH. Elementary classes use such things as TuxPaint, TuxType. > >When I teach, I frequently run into situations where the kids are >doing/accessing the same thing at virtually the same time. For example, >they might all try to start StarOffice Text at more or less the same >time. Regardless of the app, near simultaneous execution of the program >bogs down network. Once in, most apps perform well enough, some notable >ones do not, like NetBeans. (it is fine with 5-10 but a pig when 20 use >it at the same time.) And at the end of any class, when 30 ish users all >try to log out, the log out process itself is quite slow. > >I am looking for ways to increase speed/traffic throughput. This is what >I plan to do. Please tell me if I am on the right track. > >Run DSL modem into a 8 port 10/100/1000 switch. >Plug a Linksys router into switch to grab the outside IP. Plug the >slower 10/100 nic from the server into the Linksys router (internet is >limited anyway, so a gigabyte connection would be wasted, right) >Run the gigabyte nic from the server into the gigabyte switch. >Upgrade my lab switches to 10/100 's but with Gigabyte backbones, which I >will use to connect them to the Gigabyte switch >Any expansion in the school will use switches with gigabyte backbones to >connect to the main, all gigabyte switch > >I planned to do this because from my reading of this list, and others, I >had gathered/assumed that this would have a significant positive impact >on speed/throughput. But today I talked to someone who told me that this >won't help all that much because my biggest problem/bottleneck is not the >lack of a Gigabyte backbone, but is the hard drive accessbottleneck on >the server > > The solution I was planning above is far less expensive than say adding >a few more servers to do clustering. I have the ok for the Gigabyte >solution, but doubt I would get the funds for the clustering option, or >have the space currently, to host the extra boxes. (space is that >tight!) Will my plan help at all? Or am I wasting time/money. > >Please advice. Advice/opinions are welcome >__________________________________________ >I am Homer of Borg. You will be assimilated. >Resistance is fut......Hmmmm....DONUTS! > > > > > >-- >No virus found in this outgoing message. >Checked by AVG Free Edition. >Version: 7.1.385 / Virus Database: 268.2.6/288 - Release Date: 3/22/2006 > > >_______________________________________________ >K12OSN mailing list ><a href="mailto:K12OSN@redhat.com">K12OSN@redhat.com</a> ><a href="https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/k12osn"> https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/k12osn</a> >For more info see <<a href="http://www.k12os.org">http://www.k12os.org</a>> David N. Trask Technology Teacher/Director Vassalboro Community School <a href="mailto:dtrask@vcsvikings.org">dtrask@vcsvikings.org</a> (207)923-3100 _______________________________________________ K12OSN mailing list <a href="mailto:K12OSN@redhat.com">K12OSN@redhat.com </a> <a href="https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/k12osn">https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/k12osn</a> For more info see <<a href="http://www.k12os.org">http://www.k12os.org</a>> </blockquote></div>