[SunRescue] LAN Commmunication (was Sparc 10 cover plates)

[Greg A. Woods]

[ On Wednesday, December 22, 1999 at 20:55:08 (-0800), Gregory Leblanc wrote: ]
> Subject: RE: [SunRescue] LAN Commmunication (was Sparc 10 cover plates)
>
> I don't know if I'm running a "big network" or not, but here's my $0.02.
> There are WAY too many variables that go into this to develop any algorithm
> to figure it out.  We basically have a star configuration, with a group of
> switches at the center, and hubs at all other locations.  The only time that
> we'd have to add switches is when we add buildings, or perhaps when we add a
> lot of computers in the existing buildings.  If you get to design a lan from
> the ground up, as was done here, expansion should be easy for quite some
> time, unless the operation undergoes some MAJOR changes in network useage.  

I just remembered I'd wanted to say something about traffic engineering
and network engineering here....

While there are many variables to consider when doing traffic
engineering, its' far from impossible, though it's not really something
you do algorithmically so far as I can tell.  You really do need to do
active monitoring and take lots of measurements.  Tools like MRTG or
similar can help 

There's also a certain school of thought that suggests one can do more
than just monitor and engineer for natural traffic patterns and instead
take the initiative to try and shape those traffic patterns in ways that
make the other parts of your job easier.

However when engineering an Ethernet LAN the formulas, calculations, and
measurements are all extremely well known and are very well documented
in the IEEE 802 standards as well as in dozens (if not hundreds) of
books on the subject.  :-)

Now of course most of the networks I've actually had a hand in designing
are just as over-engineered as my own home network and as a result they
don't get much monitoring or attention of any kind either!  ;-)

-- 
							Greg A. Woods

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