In an enterprise setting, many companies use routers and firewalls a half of which are installed in a high-efficiency personal computer or server. The loading of a PC or server-structure usually performs better than other hardware devices that is a common solution for handling big amount of data. However, no matter how big CPU and memory is how high-end the hardware is, the network card is usually neglecting and the computer gets easily down when adopting cheap networking gateway. The main reason for the computer to be down is not because of the mainframe but because the over loading for the network card. Besides, the quantity of network card matters. A router might include three segments; therefore three PCI cards should be plugged that will cause a lack of efficiency and occupied slots.
Differences among network cards
Some told the writer that the network card enables a computer to connect networks so will it be different to use a US$5 network card or a US$50 one? A higher priced network card can undertake higher loading and the best advantage of it is less CPU utilization and higher stability to prevent the crash. The below is the CUP utilization comparison of two network cards.
Resources: NIC LAB, http://www.geocities.co.jp/SiliconValley/6445/
To select a good network card can sustain the performance of backbone gateway and network. Moreover, the high efficiency will keep the network flow to elevate working competence. Therefore, to spend US$45 more is worthy.
The application of Multi-Port card
Even a single high performance network card can work steadily, the slots might be insufficient in a PC. The multi-port card can be a solution to save this problem. A multi-port card is a good fit for a backbone network or gateway. Each single chip multi-port serial card can be detected in the operating system with individual reconfiguration and reboot of the individual partitions. Not only a better resource utilization but also an effective use of slot and easy to install, many enterprises are framed the backbone network in this way. It might take hundred or thousand US dollars to achieve the same performance but a multi-port serial card adding with the cost of PC might not more than US$300.
Resource: http://www.computex.biz/portwell/default.aspx?PageType=ProductDetail&pdt_id=15121&pcode=JW200
The best choice in the economic crisis
When the global economic recession continues, enterprises’ IT budgets are cut down in half. With the limited budget, it is the best timing for IT department shows its value to elevate the IT performance. A full-function unified threat management (UTM) will cost US$4,000 but it will only take US$700 to install the firewall on Linux Base. The price difference can be up to six times but the performance result is the same. For some examples that the write knew enable a 4-port PC to become an UTM plus the solution for three segment routers. When the multiport serial card has been a mature product, it will definitely create the new IT values for enterprises in this cost sensitive time. Taiwan-based multi-port serial card manufacturers include Portwell Inc., Ruby Technology Corp., Lycom Technology Inc., Ovislink Corp. and Wynn Tech Co., Ltd. The writer believes these manufacturers can offset the economic crisis to grow just like on-line game industry.