Broadcast & Collision Domains

Discussion in 'Network Infrastructure' started by craigie, Feb 12, 2009.

  1. craigie

    craigie Terabyte Poster

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    Just a quick question, I was wondering at what number of clients does a normal ethernet Broadcast & Collision Domains become an issue on a regular network setup e.g. 100MBit Fast Ethernet.

    Is it 100 clients, 1000 clients, 10,000 clients etc.
     
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  2. BosonMichael
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    BosonMichael Yottabyte Poster

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    Depends on the network usage.

    Unless you've got hubs, you won't have a problem with collision domains... each switch port is its own collision domain.
     
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  3. craigie

    craigie Terabyte Poster

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    Yeppers I get that. So lets say I had a switch with 100,000 ports on at what level of clients would the broadcast domain become an issue.

    Not worried about network traffic with applications, internet usage etc etc just want a ball park figure as I cannot seem to track the answer down.
     
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  4. zebulebu

    zebulebu Terabyte Poster

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    That's because there *is* no answer to that. It all depends on what the machines are doing. For instance, 100 printers on a network configured for IPX/SPX with no Novell present at all jabbering ****e all day long may not amount to as much as even one PC using multicast software. You really can't quantify a hard and fast (or even ballpark) figure in the way you're requesting.
     
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  5. BosonMichael
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    BosonMichael Yottabyte Poster

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    Exactly this. It depends on how much traffic those computers are sending. It's similar to asking how much money can you fit into your wallet... it depends on whether you're talking about 1p coins or £100 notes.
     
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  6. craigie

    craigie Terabyte Poster

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    Yep, I get and understand what you both have said.

    Lets say I was planning on deploying a deploying a brand new network and you knew that you had the following components:

    File, Print, Email and Database Server

    There must be *some* guidelines or benchmark that say, your using a 100MBit Fast Ethernet and you should only have 1,000 clients in scenario A.

    Or is the answer suck it and see? If that is the case how would you put together a deployment scenario of the costings which are required for the necessary hardware as you could be out massively?
     
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  7. BosonMichael
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    BosonMichael Yottabyte Poster

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    Sorry, man... we've been pulling your leg the entire time. For a 100MBit Fast Ethernet connection, you should have no more than 42 clients in a broadcast domain. :thumbleft
     
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  8. craigie

    craigie Terabyte Poster

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    I have been doing some research and its actually 89 if you include a FTP and web server.
     
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  9. BosonMichael
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    BosonMichael Yottabyte Poster

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    Yeah, but dude...

    ...on what OS? :blink
     
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  10. zebulebu

    zebulebu Terabyte Poster

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    Stick the default install of an HP all-in-one suite on someon'es laptop and watch that figure come down to - ooooh, I don't know, about three.
     
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