PfSense is a versatile home router offering advanced networking features.
PfSense is a versatile home router offering advanced networking features.
Perhaps Realtek has enhanced their performance since your last attempt. What operating system were you using on the servers? It's interesting that experts in networking still favor Intel despite some people recommending Realtek—maybe it comes down to whether you have a solid chipset or a problematic one. This logic also fits with how onboard audio technology has advanced significantly over time.
Linux isn't necessary for server tasks. Realtek's performance has improved—though I haven't tested it directly. My experience suggests it might be working well, but I don’t have enough data to confirm. I’ve had no problems with Realtek or Intel NICs before.
It's possible the issue lies solely with the Linux drivers. This has always been a challenge for me since my main storage is on the NAS connected via NFS to my desktop, causing consistent performance problems. I currently avoid Intel in servers because their 10G cards are costly; instead, I use an Aquantia Corp. AQC107 NBase-T/IEEE 802.3bz Ethernet Controller (ASUS brand).