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So I'm trying to build a high performing network at home as a testing network, backup, and home entertainment. The problem I am running is what I need and how to lay it all out.
So what I am thinking is that I really need to throw in another box as an Exchange server (Put in a DMZ Zone) and then get a Cisco PIX firewall to be placed in front of the rest of the network? It seems it is always good pratice to have two Firewalls (Two different brands) in case the first one is hacked.
And then the biggie. So what I will have is all of the main clients going into one main Gigabyte Switch. And then I am looking at the servers being plugged into a Netgear Fiber Switch (Layer 2) that I have. Only problem is that one of the Duplex Ports has to be plugged into the main Switch since there isn't any Upload port. Should I get another 4 Port Switch? Or should I take the Backup Server or the Game Server and put it on the Main Switch over copper?
Then I am looking at having a dedicated switch (Layer3) coming from the Media Server to a bunch of Xbox's in the house. Reason being is that I want them on a different subnet and there will be high bandwidth utilization there. Should I have the switch plugged directly into the Media Server (With two NICs) or just plug that into the Fiber Switch or Main Switch? Just trying to figure out what I should have for everything that I want to connect to in this house. Also aiming at making a Virtual Core Switch using mutiple cables connecting from one switch to another, etc.
And recently I have been looking into playing around with Fibre Channel Switches and Drive Storage. For those that have played around with it... is it worth it?
Any thoughts, ideas, suggestions are gladly welcome!
So what I am thinking is that I really need to throw in another box as an Exchange server (Put in a DMZ Zone) and then get a Cisco PIX firewall to be placed in front of the rest of the network? It seems it is always good pratice to have two Firewalls (Two different brands) in case the first one is hacked.
And then the biggie. So what I will have is all of the main clients going into one main Gigabyte Switch. And then I am looking at the servers being plugged into a Netgear Fiber Switch (Layer 2) that I have. Only problem is that one of the Duplex Ports has to be plugged into the main Switch since there isn't any Upload port. Should I get another 4 Port Switch? Or should I take the Backup Server or the Game Server and put it on the Main Switch over copper?
Then I am looking at having a dedicated switch (Layer3) coming from the Media Server to a bunch of Xbox's in the house. Reason being is that I want them on a different subnet and there will be high bandwidth utilization there. Should I have the switch plugged directly into the Media Server (With two NICs) or just plug that into the Fiber Switch or Main Switch? Just trying to figure out what I should have for everything that I want to connect to in this house. Also aiming at making a Virtual Core Switch using mutiple cables connecting from one switch to another, etc.
And recently I have been looking into playing around with Fibre Channel Switches and Drive Storage. For those that have played around with it... is it worth it?
Any thoughts, ideas, suggestions are gladly welcome!