RE: Network Setup Opinion Needed

From: Otto Haliburton (ottohaliburton_at_comcast.net)
Date: 09/30/03

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    To: <redhat-list@redhat.com>
    Date: Tue, 30 Sep 2003 15:14:51 -0500
    
    

    Ben you didn't read my latter email, which I conceded that I was talking
    something different than what was being presented. You have probably gotten
    that far now so.

    > -----Original Message-----
    > From: redhat-list-admin@redhat.com [mailto:redhat-list-admin@redhat.com]
    > On Behalf Of Benjamin J. Weiss
    > Sent: Tuesday, September 30, 2003 2:44 PM
    > To: redhat-list@redhat.com
    > Subject: RE: Network Setup Opinion Needed
    >
    > > > This is not quite always the case. Ethernet's CSMA/CD (Carrier Sense
    > > > Multiple Access with Collision Detection) was invented during a time
    > when
    > > > a hub or bus were the primary method of connection. Collision was
    > indeed
    > > > a problem then, and keeping the LAN small was a way to ensure network
    > > > performance.
    > > >
    > > > However, these days, switches are much cheaper and are easily within
    > the
    > > > reach of most organizations.
    > > >
    > > > If your users are hooked up to a switch instead of a hub, you can
    > ignore
    > > > the "collisions problem", as it no longer exists. At that point, the
    > > > limiting factors are the speed/RAM of the gateway and the speed/RAM of
    > the
    > > > switch.
    > > >
    > > > A good, short explanation can be found at
    > > > http://www.duxcw.com/faq/network/hubsw.htm
    > > >
    > > >
    > > > Ben
    > > >
    > > Actually CSMA/CD is the problem on a large single area network. I read
    > the
    > > article and see the point. Here is the problem. When a node transmits
    > it
    > > first listen for no traffic then it tries to transmit, if a collision
    > occurs
    > > then it goes into an algorithm to make a attempt again after it selects
    > it's
    > > new time slot, well the larger the number of nodes the greater the
    > > probability that they will select the same time slot and cause a
    > collision
    > > again. Etc. etc .... Therefore large networks always bottle neck under
    > > Ethernet and that is why no company will place a large number of
    > computers
    > > in the same area no matter what the transport medium is. There is
    > always a
    > > optimum number that should be in an area before it is broken down.
    > That's
    > > the theory.
    >
    > Otto,
    >
    > I'm sorry, but you have absolutely no idea as to how ethernet works in a
    > *switched* environment. You are describing a LAN that is on a hub. In
    > that case, you are correct with all of your above comment.
    >
    > On the other hand, in a situation where all of the hosts are connected to
    > a *switch*, instead of a hub, then each "segment" consists of exactly two
    > devices: the host and the switch port. In that case, the chance for
    > collision is greatly reduced. The reason for this is simple:
    >
    > If host-a transmits a packet while connected to a hub, then all other
    > hosts connected to that hub will see the packet, whether or not it is
    > intended for them.
    >
    > If host-a transmits a packet while connected to a switch, then something
    > entirely different happens. The switch looks at the packet and decides
    > where it is to go. If it is a multicast or broadcast packet, then most or
    > all of the other hosts on the switch will see it (I won't go into those
    > rules, it's beyond the scope of this particular discussion.)
    >
    > If, on the other hand, it is a *unicast* packet, and the destination host
    > is on the switch, then the switch will only transmit it on the port to
    > which that destination host is connected. If the host is not connected to
    > the switch, then it will send it on it's "uplink" port, depending upon
    > configuration.
    >
    > Now, what this means is that any host that is connected to a switch will
    > only see broadcast traffic, multicast traffic to which it is subscribed,
    > or unicast traffic that is addressed to it. This sharply decreases the
    > number of packets that the host's ethernet card will see as inbound, which
    > will thereby reduce the number of collisions during transmission and
    > subsequently increase the perceived bandwidth.
    >
    > At that point the bottleneck becomes the switch's backplane capabilities,
    > not collisions.
    >
    > Switched ethernet is vastly superior to ethernet on a hub, and has become
    > very cheap. It is now easily in reach for most organizations, including
    > the home office.
    >
    > Ben
    >
    >
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