10G Networking for Dummies

[timeshifter]

OK, it's happening. We've got two new workstations on order with 10Gb NICs from Dell. UniFi Switch 16 XG on order.

Now need some NICs for a couple of existing workstations. Since the new Dell systems will ship with this "Intel X550-T2 10GbE NIC, Dual Port, Copper 540-BBZX" I figured I'd buy the same card for the existing machines.

Server Supply has them for about $320 new.

>Intel X550-T2-DELL 10GB Ethernet Converged Network Adapter at ServerSupply.com

Buy Intel X550-t2-dell 2-port 10gb Ethernet Converged Pcie Network Adapter With Clamshell With Both Brackets. Refurbished..Great customer service.

www.serversupply.com

Any reason not to follow this route?

Also need to find SFP transceiver modules. They have existing high quality CAT6 / CAT6a cabling and the distances are pretty short. Would like to make it work over copper, or at least try it out. They just spent a ton on their cabling clean up a while back and might get some mild pushback if I tell them we need to run fiber for those PCs.

 

[Sky-Knight]

I don't like 10gbit over copper unless it's very short, like inside the same room short. I also won't use SFP+ to copper transceivers anymore due to compatibility issues... way too many times you're in a deployment in the middle of the night and they just flat won't work! So now, if SFP+ needs to be copper it's done with a DAC / Twinax cable. And I've not seen a single one of those longer than 10m (33ft).

I've never had a fiber SFP+ module fault or be incompatible. I plug them in, they light up, frames fly. Fiber patch cables are cheap... too cheap to mess with the time to attempt o do this with copper.

P.S. The above interface is based on a well supported chipset, you can use those cards in all sorts of things even the pickest of *nix will use them well.