From: cmilono@netcom.com (Carlo Milono)
Subject: Re: ethernet vs. 16mb token ring
Date: Fri, 14 Aug 92 04:45:37 GMT
Organization: Netcom - Somewhere in the S.F. Bay Area
Keywords: throughput, token ring, ethernet

In article <750@dowjone.UUCP> sethd@dowjone.UUCP (Seth Dworken) writes:
>We are currently designing a new network application that will have periods
>of heavy network usage -- heavy loading, lots of traffic.
>
>We are wondering if anyone out there in net.land can comment on whether
>ethernet or 16mbps token ring would be better for us.
>
>The real question is, how do they both perform under heavy loading conditions.

THE REAL real question is: "What protocol(s) do you wish to use? and what
OS and Network Boards have been chosen?"
>
>We realize that token ring will be better because there aren't collisions and
>the performance should not degrade like ethernet, but how big will the
>difference be???

O.K., so you have answered your own question, yes?  IMHO, you have bandwidth
and users and 16Mbps is greater than 10Mbps, so logically, you might want
to pick TR.  In truth, I have seen more inefficient code for TR such that
it performed much less than many other Enet boards - LAN Magazine had a
'Drag Race' in 1990 and 1991 and except for a proprietary Novell Implementation
on Madge, there were many Enet boards on top.  

Another question to ask yourself:  at what price interoperability?  The only
'advantage' that I have seen on TR is the frame_size, which if you use this
'advantage' will preclude you from using any other media.  Also, with the
difference between Multicast addressing and Functional Addressing in TR, you
will be left high&dry in the future if another protocol comes down the pike.

If you *really* want to see data being trashed, just keep rebooting a PC
on a TR lan - the time that your mechanical relay operates takes quite a bit
longer than what you will see in a collision in 802.3.

For my vote, go with Enet and something like a Kalapaana EtherSwitch.
>
>Any info, comments, thoughts or experiences would be appreciated.
>
>Please respond directly to an address below.  I will summarize if warranted.
>
>Many thanks.  Regards,  Seth
>
>================================================================================
>Seth M. Dworken             Voice (w/mail): 609-520-5454
>Dow Jones & Co., Inc.       Fax:            609-520-5089
>Engineering Department      
>			    Internet:       sethd!sethd%dowjone@Princeton.EDU
>P.O. Box 300                uunet:          sethd%dowjone@uunet.uu.net
>Princeton, NJ 08543-0300    UUCP:	    ...!princeton!dowjone!sethd
>			    AppleLink:      DJ.SD
>Route 1 & Ridge Road        
>South Brunswick, NJ 08852 
>================================================================================


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|  Carlo Milono:  cmilono@netcom.com                                       |
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Xref: sparky comp.dcom.lans.misc:655 comp.dcom.lans.ethernet:1659