Several types of network connectivity are available for you to purchase. Existing connections can, for an additional fee, be upgraded at any time.

You are strongly encouraged to discuss your networking requirements with our staff prior to placing an order; we can help you make sure the network does not get in the way of your applications and help you avoid unnecessary expense.

• 10Mb/s Shared Ethernet: This is a “standard” ethernet connection. This type of connection is suitable for people who use their computers for e-mail, moving files around, printing, and so on.
   

• 10Mb/s Switched Ethernet: This type of connection is for power workstation users or anyone who is using Internet videoconferencing. The main reason to pay for this type of connection would be when steady, reliable rate data transfer is required. You won’t notice a 0.5 second delay in your e-mail delivery, but you sure will notice it in voice and video transmission. Anyone who is continuously transferring very large amounts of data (for example: graphics display of a remote computation; live data collection over the network) would also benefit from this type of connection.
   

• 100Mb/s Switched Ethernet: This type of connection is best used to connect a server to the network. Due to limitations in the design of today’s PC’s, there are very few that can transfer data at or above 10Mb/s; SGI Origin class machines are one exception, but very few end-users happen to use one of those.  Print, file, and e-mail servers are intended to be accessed by multiple people at the same time.  A 100Mb/s connection for a server will help prevent congestion getting to the server over the network.
   

• Computer Lab Switch (100Mb/s uplink:) In situations where you have a need for a large number of network connections in a single room, such as a student computer lab, it is more cost-effective for you to purchase an entire switch to be placed in that room. All network equipment must be purchased and installed by UAB Telecommunications Services (see policy). The “100Mb/s uplink” refers to the speed at which the switch is connected to the building network. Upgrading a lab from shared ethernet to switched ethernet can dramatically improve throughput and end-user satisfaction (see SoB report).
   

• Computer Lab Switch (1 Gb/s uplink): In situations where you have a “server farm” (a large number of servers in a single equipment room, each of which requires a 100Mb/s network connection), or in student labs with a very high volume of traffic in and out of the room, we recommend installation of a switch with a 1Gb/s connection to the building network.

For current pricing and ordering, please call

UAB Telecommunications at 934-0503.