Libraries can consider inexpensive hubs for some applications, rather than more technologically sophisticated—and more expensive—switches, and now a major network diagnostic firm wrote a “white paper that makes a good case for hubs.
Network Diagnostic Clinic, which performs remote diagnostics of networks for a fee and does not sell hubs or switches, says no one should assume that installing switches improves response time for end users in a network. Its experience shows most networks are used at less than 25 percent of capacity. Only when the percentage goes above that do switches (and segmentation of the network) make sense. Switches resolve the problem of collisions in the network. If the 25 percent threshold has not been reached, using switches won't improve performance.
Do you need switches? You can use management tools that look at the relationship between network utilization and the collision rate. You can also pay for a performance analysis done on the network by a vendor that specializes in network diagnostics and does not sell hubs or switches.
Another factor is client/server connections. If most of the clients are connected to, and work with, one server, a switch probably will not provide much benefit because everyone has to wait for the same server. In this case upgrading from 10 Mbps to 100 Mbps connections to hubs might be more beneficial than installing switches.
Although the argument might be made that switches may be needed at some time in the future, Network Diagnostic Clinic advises that a library should proceed with caution because a simple network that uses hubs is easier to diagnose and maintain than one that uses switches. Only some relatively expensive high-end switches have built-in diagnostics that simplify that task.
Network Diagnostic Clinic advises that libraries should know why they are moving to switches. If not sure of network performance, have an analysis done (that's what Network Diagnostics Clinic wants to sell you). Finally, pick a switch not just for performance, but for its manageability.
A copy of the white paper, “To Switch or Not to Switch,” is available from Network Diagnostics Clinic.
[Contact: Network Diagnostic Clinic; telephone 800-257-DIAG]
