10 Gig Networking Primer

10 Gig Networking Primer

Chris Moore

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I want to confirm something. Would it be possible to use 1 SFP+ port to connect to my FreeNAS server and the other to run a cable to a 2nd switch (with SFP+) in my office, would it provide 10G connectivity between the switches? Thus allowing greater throughput from the clients in my office (and WiFi AP) to the switch in my crawlspace (where FreeNAS is)?
The 10Gb ports in the switch I linked to are actually intended to be used to connect switches together, but I am not sure I understand how you are thinking of connecting it all together.
 

rmccullough

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danb35

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That was Chris who linked to those Chelsio cards, and I'm not sure how you'd go about that. I guess modifying the existing brackets is one answer, but seems like a lot of work.
 

rmccullough

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Blah, sorry about that dan, I totally transposed you and @Chris Moore in my mind.
 

rmccullough

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That was Chris who linked to those Chelsio cards, and I'm not sure how you'd go about that. I guess modifying the existing brackets is one answer, but seems like a lot of work.
They make a low profile bracket so I am hoping I can just buy one cheaply. I can also buy a card with the low profile bracket but they do not come with the transceivers so they are not quite as good of a deal.
 

kdragon75

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Am I crazy or is this a really good deal:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Cisco-Nexus-2248TP-1GE-FEX-48P-1GbE-4P-10GbE-SFP-Switch-N2K-C2248TP-1GE/312292911538?hash=item48b61ba9b2

I don’t need this many gigabit ports, but I might use 3 SFP+ ports.

@danb35 i May pick up one of those chelsio cards you linked to, but how hard is it to find low profile brackets for it?
It's not bad but it will sounds like a jet taking off. If you dont need th ports and dont mind CLI I just got the NetApp NAE-1101
https://www.ebay.com/itm/NETAPP-NAE...Sw6dhb4d3x:sc:UPSGround!80910!US!-1:rk:2:pf:0
Its far from silent but its not bad. I haven't tried a fan mod but I don't think it needs one.
 

rmccullough

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It will go in my crawl space where my Supermicro CSE-826 2U case is, which is loud as well. I am going to assume the additional noise of this switch will not be noticeable compared to the server.
 

kdragon75

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On the NetApp NAE, you can use 1gbe sfp mods for your 1gbe needs. You can find them for less that $15 a unit. As for any short runs, DAC is fine and you don't have to mess with fiber+mods
 

danb35

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not quite as good of a deal.
Yeah, the card Chris (I keep typing Christ by accident--slight difference there) linked looks like a screaming deal, though it isn't clear to me which generation it is. The T3-series cards are pretty old, and the performance isn't that great, though still much better than GbE.
 

danb35

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As for any short runs, DAC is fine and you don't have to mess with fiber+mods
Interestingly, I just ran into trouble with a DAC between my Chelsio S310 and my Dell X1052 (tried two different cables, no link). Swapping in optics and a fiber patch cable fixed it right up.
 

Chris Moore

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i May pick up one of those chelsio cards you linked to, but how hard is it to find low profile brackets for it?
If you need low profile bracket, it is easy to find cards that are already equipped that way:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Chelsio-Co...GB-2-Port-PCI-e-OPT-Adapter-Card/301768189055
Am I crazy or is this a really good deal:
That Cisco switch is not a bad one, we have many like it in our data-center at work, however it might be a bit on the loud side for use at home. I was worried about the Aruba switch that I bought, but it settles down (after boot) to a nice quiet level that doesn't disturb me in my office. I had a different 10Gb switch before that I couldn't use because of the loud fans and I ultimately sold it after only using it for a day. It all depends on your affinity for the small fast fans and their high-pitched noise. I can barely hear the Aruba switch when I am sitting next to it.
 
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These aren't the switches you are looking for, move along. :smile: This is what Cisco calls a fabric extender, or FEX for short. It is intended for top rack type deployments. The thing that makes it a problem for you is that it is not a standalone switch. It is a box of rocks until it is mated up with a Nexus 7K or 9K. Sorry to be a wet blanket.
 
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Interestingly, I just ran into trouble with a DAC between my Chelsio S310 and my Dell X1052 (tried two different cables, no link). Swapping in optics and a fiber patch cable fixed it right up.
That is something that has made me less inclined to use DAC/twinax cables. If you have a picky device, you may not be able to use it. Knocking furiously on wood, but I have never had a problem when using actual fiber optics and a patch cable. I also find that fiber patch cords are much easier to run through cable management than DAC/twinax cables.
 

rmccullough

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These aren't the switches you are looking for, move along. :) This is what Cisco calls a fabric extender, or FEX for short. It is intended for top rack type deployments. The thing that makes it a problem for you is that it is not a standalone switch. It is a box of rocks until it is mated up with a Nexus 7K or 9K. Sorry to be a wet blanket.
Not at all, you saved me a lot of frustration had I bought this.
 

Chris Moore

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Knocking furiously on wood, but I have never had a problem when using actual fiber optics and a patch cable.
I have. The Aruba switch I have will not work with a Intel transceiver on the switch end of the fiber, but it works great with either of the two transceivers I got from the Fiberstore (fs.com) even though the other end of those fiber runs have the Intel transceiver in a Chelsio card. That Aruba switch will also refuse to work with Cisco DACs but works fine with Arista brand DACs, having made no other change.
 
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I have. The Aruba switch I have will not work with a Intel transceiver on the switch end of the fiber, but it works great with either of the two transceivers I got from the Fiberstore
I didn't qualify that remark very well. The only things that like the Chelsio optics are the Chelsio cards. Cisco switches are the most picky, but my HP/H3C switch will whine about unknown optics. What I meant to say was that I haven't had a problem when using vendor blessed optics in a switch/NIC. The fiber patch cords themselves are a totally standards based thing.
 

neosbc

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Any question,
What boarda 10G 2 ports is compatible for ESXI and FREENAS 11x , in the ESXI i need passtrought for one 10G for Freenas and the other port for use with ESXI.

thx
 

Sjöhaga

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I use intel X520 for FreeNAS and they work ok. Still need to find the best setting for them in windows10 but in the FreeNAS box they perform just fine. I have them in esxi too but haven't done any real testing or performance tuning there so I have no input to give.
 

Leftyhmm

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Does anyone know if the dell branded chelsio t520 works with freenas? I imagine they have custom dell fw.
 

danb35

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