Can somebody explain network teaming and how it applies to a small home server?

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jmk396

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Jul 22, 2004
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I've just purchased this card: Intel EXPI9402PTBLK PRO/1000 PT Dual Port Adapt NIC

It's a PCI Express (x4) dual-port gigabit network card that supports "teaming".

I'm going to be using it on my home fileserver but I'm not sure if (or how) to use teaming.

For example, if I'm transferring a file to my fileserver using full gigabit speed than other connections to the server will be slowed down. If I use teaming, can I somehow use the other port on the NIC to have another full gigabit connection that shares the same IP as the first port?

How does this work? Do I just connect both ports on the network card to my switch and then enable teaming in the driver or something?
 
jmk396 said:
I've just purchased this card: Intel EXPI9402PTBLK PRO/1000 PT Dual Port Adapt NIC

It's a PCI Express (x4) dual-port gigabit network card that supports "teaming".

I'm going to be using it on my home fileserver but I'm not sure if (or how) to use teaming.

For example, if I'm transferring a file to my fileserver using full gigabit speed than other connections to the server will be slowed down. If I use teaming, can I somehow use the other port on the NIC to have another full gigabit connection that shares the same IP as the first port?

How does this work? Do I just connect both ports on the network card to my switch and then enable teaming in the driver or something?
Click to expand...

Teaming basically "bonds" multiple NICs together for combined speed as well as redundancy. Your switch also needs to support IEEE 802.3ad (the older standard or the IEEE 802.1AX-2008 newer standard, depending on hardware) for it to work.
 
Ahh crap.

I just ordered a cheap D-Link DGS-2208 and it only supports these:
• IEEE 802.3 10Base-T Ethernet
• IEEE 802.3u 100Base-TX Fast Ethernet
• IEEE 802.3ab 1000Base-T Gigabit Ethernet
• IEEE 802.3 Nway Auto-negotiation
• IEEE 802.3x Flow Control
• IEEE 802.1p Qos Prioritization
Click to expand...

Have any idea if any switches properly support 802.3ad for cheap?
 
Cheapest is probably a NetGear GS108T, but I'd look at the HP Procurve 1800-8g. Very inexpensive, and the HP gear is extremely good with an excellent lifetime warranty.
 
+1 for the HP gear. I've got a 1800-24G that I love. I started with Netgear GS108T's and eventually upgraded to the HP. The GS108T are good little switches too.
 
Yikes. I was thinking you could do this on home equipment.

I managed to snag an Intel PT 1000 Dual-Port for $55 (new) which I thought was a steal and it features NIC teaming so I was hoping to use that at home but a $300 or $400 switch is out of my home-equipment league. :)

Is there any cheaper way to utilize the dual-ports on the NIC with my small Windows Home Server?

Thanks for the help though!
 
jmk396 said:
Yikes. I was thinking you could do this on home equipment.

I managed to snag an Intel PT 1000 Dual-Port for $55 (new) which I thought was a steal and it features NIC teaming so I was hoping to use that at home but a $300 or $400 switch is out of my home-equipment league. :)

Is there any cheaper way to utilize the dual-ports on the NIC with my small Windows Home Server?

Thanks for the help though!
Click to expand...

Not really no. You can try and get a used switch on ebay for say 100 bucks or so.. but even then you'd have to sacrifice to have the majority ports 100mbit and not gigabit.

teaming isn't really going to help you in your situation, especially if you are looking at such a small scale.
 
the gs108t is pretty cheap. Around $100.

But i dont think teaming is going to give you any benefits
 
srw2008 from linksys supports nic teaming, should be able to get one on the cheap?
 
There was a good article on Tom's Hardware about gigabit ethernet recently. What it boils down to is that you won't be transferring at "full gigabit speed" (about 120MB/sec), since your hard drives can't read/write that fast, so I wouldn't worry about it slowing down your network.

Before you spend the money, see what your REAL transfer rates are with your current setup..
 
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