Hot Hardware's Test Systems

Something Old, Something New...

Test Machine A

MSI KT3 Ultra ARU Motherboard
AMD AthlonXP 1900+.

512MB Corsair XMS2400 (2-2-5-2)

2 IBM GXP 120 7200RPM 82GB HDs
ATI All-In-Wonder Radeon 8500

D-Link DFE-530TX+ NIC

Creative 52X CD-ROM

Hercules Game Theater 6.1 Sound

Standard Floppy Drive

Windows XP Professional

DirectX 8.1

ATI Display Drivers Ver. 6.13.10.6043

Test Machine B

Shuttle AK35GT2/R Motherboard
AMD AthlonXP 1800+.

256MB Corsair XMS2400 (2-2-5-2)

2 IBM GXP 60 7200RPM 40GB HDs
eVGA e-GeForce4 Ti4600 w/ACS

Intel Pro/100+ NIC
Creative 52X CD-ROM

On-Board Audio

Standard Floppy Drive

Windows XP Professional

DirectX 8.1

Detonator 28.32

Test Machine C

DFI CS60-EC Motherboard
Pentium III 1GHz.

256MB Mushkin Rev.3 SDRAM

1 Western Digital WD300B 7200RPM 30GB HD
X-Micro GeForce2 MX

D-Link DFE-530TX+ NIC
Creative 52X CD-ROM

Sound Blaster Live

Standard Floppy Drive

Windows ME

DirectX 8.1

Detonator 28.32

Network performance is not an exacting science, nor are we aware of any standard when it comes to benchmarking networking equipment. With various computers running an inordinate combination of hardware, it is virtually impossible to come up with a balanced test routine that would yield consistent results every time. Nevertheless, we've outlined three test scenarios that transfer a set amount of data between three test machines to demonstrate how well the network performs. Each test was performed using the Compex DSR2216 DynaStack 16-Port Switch as well as a NetGear DS524 Hub. To run these tests, we used a handy command line utility call NetCPS. NetCPS is unique in the sense that it can transfer a specific amount of data across a network without relying on a systems hard drive. Hopefully by the end of the three tests, we will have a clear example of the how a switch based network is superior to a hub based network. Let's get on with it!

Test Scenario 1: In this test, computer A was configured in to transfer 500MBs of data to computer B.
Test Scenario 2: Here, both computers A and B were configured to transfer 500MBs of data simultaneously between each other.

Test Scenario 3: Finally, computer A was configured to transfer 500MBs of data to computer B, while computer B was transferring the same to computer C as well as computer C to computer A. This put a fair amount of load on the network and will show the greatest difference between the Switch and the Hub.

In the chart below, we listed the average Megabytes per second the transfer ran during each test, followed by the total time it took to complete the transfer of 500MB of data.

Clearly the virtues of a network running the DynaStack DSR2216 16-Port switch can be seen above. With the first test there was very little difference in performance between the DSR2216 and the NetGear DS524 Hub. However, as traffic increased on the network, you can clearly see that the hub is at a disadvantage versus the DSR2216. As traffic increased with each test, more collisions occurred with the NetGear DS524 hub, severely degrading performance. The Compex DynaStack DSR2216, on the other hand, maintained a steady transfer rate through out, barely affected by the increase in network traffic. Essentially, the Compex DSR2216 DynaStack Switch dropped roughly 8.5% from test scenario 1 to test scenario 3, while the NetGear Hub dropped an average of 72% overall!

If you routinely work on a small to mid-sized network, then you are already aware of the importance of running a fast, efficient network. As we've demonstrated with a few simple tests, the advantages of a switch based network over a Hub based one is easily seen. The importance of having good, quality equipment driving your network cannot be stressed enough. After reviewing the DynaStack DSR2216 16-Port Rack-Mountable Switch, we believe that Compex has a solution for you. The DSR2216 has an excellent variety of features to insure that the it will have the ability to easily grow as your networking needs grow. The DSR2216 is a cost effective 16-Port switch that retails for around $100 at major retailers and carries a $10 rebate through the end of June. When you consider its price point and features, the DynaStack DSR2216 16-Port Rack-Mountable Switch offers a lot of value for the dollar.

For excellent quality, documentation, and overall performance, we give the DynaStack DSR2216 16-Port Rack Mountable Switch from Compex a Hot Hardware Heat Meter Rating of an 9.