whats diff between desktop and server nic?

BudBud Chesterfield, Va
edited January 2004 in Science & Tech
like it says whats diff between desktop and server nic? also why would you want a nic with 2 ports?

Comments

  • gtghmgtghm New
    edited January 2004
    Bud wrote:
    why would you want a nic with 2 ports?

    So you can network another computer/router/hub thru that machine such as a server would/might.

    "g"
  • Geeky1Geeky1 University of the Pacific (Stockton, CA, USA)
    edited January 2004
    One says "desktop NIC" on the box, and the other says "server NIC" :crazy::p

    Their basic function is the same, of course, but server NICs have utilities and features that make them better suited for server duty than desktop NICs.

    I'd compare it to SCSI vs. IDE. SCSI is more common in servers, and because of this (or perhaps the other way around), it has some optimizations that IDE doesn't have (at least it used to, iirc). You can use IDE drives in a server, and vice/versa, but the products are still targeted at different markets.
  • ShortyShorty Manchester, UK Icrontian
    edited January 2004
    Dual interfaces = Load balancing with multiple IP addresses :)
  • EnverexEnverex Worcester, UK Icrontian
    edited January 2004
    Server NICs are also normally managed and to checksum offloading and such which takes some of the pressure off the machines processor.
  • mmonninmmonnin Centreville, VA
    edited January 2004
    Maybe so the machine can be used as a firewall? Data in and the network behind the box.
  • primesuspectprimesuspect Beepin n' Boopin Detroit, MI Icrontian
    edited January 2004
    Server NIC:

    QoS features
    (usually) additional onboard processor to offload encryption from CPU
    managed
    (usually) hot swappable
    (usually) higher performance than desktop equivalent
    More involved driver set/software bundle

    Server NICs with 2 or 4 ports are used for either load balancing as shorty said or for trunking. For example, with a managed switch, you can plug all four cables into a 10/100 managed switch, create a trunk in the switch's OS, and have 400mb/s of bandwidth to the server instead of 100.
  • Geeky1Geeky1 University of the Pacific (Stockton, CA, USA)
    edited January 2004
    server NICs will do load balancing automatically?

    Can that be made to work with multiple NICs?

    *geeky calls SBC and orders 9 more phone lines & DSL modems... :D*
  • fudgamfudgam Upstate New York
    edited January 2004
    In regards to what Prime said, if you could network with firewire (im pretty sure you can), then using a switch like that could get you 1600 mb/s? That would be crazy.
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