[K12OSN] OT: parallel running cat5e to switches

[Les Mikesell]

Barry R Cisna wrote:
> 
> Has anyone here done any real 'bean counting' studies in regards to how
> much,if any gains can be had by parallel running cat5e's from switch to
> switch. In other words running two cat5e's from say the server room
> switch to a room that gets heavy video use? This would be to use our
> existing hardware/switches .We currently have GIGE backbone with uplink
> ports at each 'hallway' switch,from there going into each class room is
> fed with 10/100 ports. I am guessing bottom line the throughput gain
> would be very marginal for all the work involved.Also trying to figure
> out if we was to do this how to conglomerate the second wire with only
> two uplink ports for each switch? (The second port on each switch feeds
> down to the next hallway switch).Not all homerun cat5 runs here:(
> We are fed with one T1 line and a second dsl for teaches/office people's
> pc's.
> 
> We have two classrooms that are physically 600ft from the server room
> but goes through one 'junction hallway' switch so distance is still
> within reason,but you might know these are the two most used computer
> labs and sometimes i get complaints of 'being  slow'.
> Just wondering if anyone on list here has done this,and if so,if it was
> worth the trouble?
> I have Googled and cant not find any graphs,or anything to document
> this. Seems odd?

Switch to switch port groups work with not too much overhead. But before 
you do the work, set up cacti (or OpenNMS if you are more ambitious) to 
see if you really are hitting a bottleneck on the existing connections. 
  Cacti is quick and easy to set up - OpenNMS is a more complete 
monitoring system.  Either will give you graphs of bandwidth use on the 
switches and servers.

-- 
   Les Mikesell
    lesmikesell at gmail.com