Does this 10 gigabit Network Setup Make Sense? Will it work correctly?

[JohnSmith2]

I would like to set up 10 gigabit networking between two desktop computers. I have several other laptops that will be on the network, but the fastest they could connect is gigabit since they all have gigabit Ethernet ports. One desktop is a "render server", which is responsible for allocating work out to "render clients" (the laptops) which perform 3D rendering and write frames to the SSD on the render server. A 1 gigabit connection is sufficient for the render clients. However, I do editing on a desktop which needs to access data on the render server's SSD as fast as possible, ideally at 10 gigabit.

 

I'm trying to understand how to set this up. I have created a diagram below showing what I expect this setup would look like:

 

 

Does this make sense? Will this work as I intend? I want to ensure that the editing rig can access files on the render server at 10 gigabit. These are the components I'm looking at, specifically:

 

SFP PCIe Card x2 (one for editing rig and one for server): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LZRSQM9/ref=twister_B08NX3K51F?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

SFP Switch: https://www.amazon.com/MikroTik-CRS305-1G-4S-Gigabit-Ethernet-RouterOS/dp/B07LFKGP1L/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=sfp+switch&qid=1607806524&s=electronics&sr=1-3

SFP+ Cable x2 (one for editing rig and one for server): https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Cable-10G-SFP-SFP-H10GB-CU3M/dp/B01LB06TCK/ref=sr_1_10?dchild=1&keywords=sfp+cable&qid=1607806561&s=electronics&sr=1-10

Router: Any arbitrary router (I don't think it needs any special requirements for 10 gigabit networking, right?)

1 Gigabit Switch: Any arbitrary 1 gigabit switch.

CAT6 Ethernet cables for all "1Gb" connections.

 

With this setup, will the editing rig be able to access files on the render server at 10 gigabit speeds? Assume the SSD is fast enough. Do you recommend different components than what I have linked above?

[Electronics Wizardy]

10 minutes ago, JohnSmith2 said:

SFP PCIe Card x2 (one for editing rig and one for server): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LZRSQM9/ref=twister_B08NX3K51F?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Id either get a cheaper card using a chip like the mellanox connect x3, or get a newer chip like a x540

 

11 minutes ago, JohnSmith2 said:

Router: Any arbitrary router (I don't think it needs any special requirements for 10 gigabit networking, right?)

 

nope, any router will work fine

 

You also don't need the switch at all, you can just do a direct connection between the pc and the file server, and also connect the sytems to main switch.

[JohnSmith2]

1 minute ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

Id either get a cheaper card using a chip like the mellanox connect x3, or get a newer chip like a x540

 

nope, any router will work fine

 

You also don't need the switch at all, you can just do a direct connection between the pc and the file server, and also connect the sytems to main switch.

Really? If they are connected to the main switch with CAT6 cables, won't the fact that the ports on the switch are 1 gigabit limit the speeds? I guess they only need the 1 gigabit switch to see each other over the network, but then use the direct connection to transfer the files? I'm not sure I understand.

[Electronics Wizardy]

Just now, JohnSmith2 said:

Really? If they are connected to the main switch with CAT6 cables, won't the fact that the ports on the switch are 1 gigabit limit the speeds? I guess they only need the 1 gigabit switch to see each other over the network, but then use the direct connection to transfer the files? I'm not sure I understand.

that switch won't limit you as you also have a 10gbe link between the systems the data can go over.

[JohnSmith2]

2 minutes ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

that switch won't limit you as you also have a 10gbe link between the systems the data can go over.

To make sure I'm understanding, you're referring to this, right?

Where the "1Gb" connections are CAT6 Ethernet cables, and the "SFP 10Gb" connection is the one I've linked here? So I would only need to purchase that one cable and two of those PCIe cards?

[Electronics Wizardy]

4 minutes ago, JohnSmith2 said:

To make sure I'm understanding, you're referring to this, right?

Where the "1Gb" connections are CAT6 Ethernet cables, and the "SFP 10Gb" connection is the one I've linked here? So I would only need to purchase that one cable and two of those PCIe cards?

yup that will work fine. will just have to configure the network on the 2 systems to connect.

[JohnSmith2]

Just now, Electronics Wizardy said:

yup that will work fine. will just have to configure the network on the 2 systems to connect.

I don't know what is involved in the "configuration" that you've mentioned. Is there specific software required to make this work? If I simply plug-and-play, will I not be transferring files between the editing rig and the server at 10 gigabit?

[Electronics Wizardy]

Just now, JohnSmith2 said:

I don't know what is involved in the "configuration" that you've mentioned. Is there specific software required to make this work? If I simply plug-and-play, will I not be transferring files between the editing rig and the server at 10 gigabit?

you just have to setup a subnet on both of the systems. Then give it the IP of the 10gbe interface LTT has a video on this. 

 

If you plug and play they won't get a ip, and not traffic will pass.

[JohnSmith2]

17 hours ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

you just have to setup a subnet on both of the systems. Then give it the IP of the 10gbe interface LTT has a video on this. 

 

If you plug and play they won't get a ip, and not traffic will pass.

Thanks, but I wasn't able to find the video. Are the steps mentioned in this article what you're referring to (I assume it's not different whether it's gigabit vs. 10 gigabit, right)?

[Electronics Wizardy]

1 hour ago, JohnSmith2 said:

Thanks, but I wasn't able to find the video. Are the steps mentioned in this article what you're referring to (I assume it's not different whether it's gigabit vs. 10 gigabit, right)?

Yea that will setup network sharing. 

 

try this, start at 4:43 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAks6qM9jlM