Consider adding them for extra capacity or redundancy.
Consider adding them for extra capacity or redundancy.
I got two free ASUS XG-C100C NICs recently while on the road. They share the same chipset as the Aquantia AQN-107 I use to connect my desktop PC directly to a UnRAID server. I think the first one could fit into UnRAID #2, still plugged into a 1Gb switch, which means it’ll be set up for a future multi-Gb switch. The other one is for less demanding setups—light gaming, couch gaming, bedroom HTPCs, etc. Those usually just need to download from Steam and wouldn’t really benefit from a multi-Gb connection unless I eventually get that internet upgrade. Plus, since they’re free, there’s no cost to install or use them at 1Gb until the day multi-Gb becomes practical.
Consider setting up a multi-gig switch with those devices and a few gigabit cards in an older computer, ensuring all access to the server.
For the cost and energy use, opting for an 8-port 10G switch is more efficient than building a home brew switch with PCIE x4 3.0 cards.