Question

A company wants to run some additional cables to connect two floors. There is a rack on each floor with a dedicated switch. The solution has to support gigabit file transfers while minimizing the cost. What will the technician need to use?

Answer 1

To connect two floors with dedicated switches on each floor for gigabit file transfers, the technician will need to use Cat6 network cables and switches with Gigabit Ethernet ports. To minimize costs, they can use a single, longer cable and compare prices from different vendors.

Step-by-step explanation:

To connect two floors with dedicated switches on each floor, the technician will need to use network cables. The most common type of network cable for gigabit file transfers is a Cat6 cable. It provides high bandwidth and supports faster speeds compared to previous versions, such as Cat5e.

The technician will also need to use switches that support gigabit speeds. These switches should have Gigabit Ethernet ports, which allow for faster data transfers between devices. Additionally, the switches should have enough ports to connect all the devices on each floor.

To minimize costs, the technician can consider using a single, longer cable instead of multiple shorter ones by estimating the cable length needed and using a cable of appropriate length. The technician should also compare prices from different vendors to find the most cost-effective options for network cables and switches.

Answer 2

The three options the technician can use to connect the two floors with gigabit speeds while minimizing cost are Gigabit Ethernet cables, RJ-45 connectors and Patch panels.

Gigabit Ethernet cables: This is the most essential component for enabling gigabit file transfers. Cat5e or Cat6 cables are sufficient for gigabit speeds, and they are relatively inexpensive compared to other options.

RJ-45 connectors: These connectors are used to terminate the ends of the Ethernet cables and plug them into the network ports on the switches. Choose high-quality RJ-45 connectors to ensure a reliable connection.

Patch panels: While not strictly necessary, patch panels can help organize the cables and make it easier to manage the network. They provide a centralized point for connecting all the cables, which can save time and effort when troubleshooting or making changes to the network.

Here are some additional options that the technician could consider, depending on the specific needs and budget:

Fiber optic cables: These offer even faster speeds than Cat6 cables, but they are more expensive and require specialized equipment to install and terminate.

Wireless bridges: This could be an option if running cables between the floors is not feasible. However, wireless bridges typically have lower speeds and higher latency than wired connections.

By using the options listed above, the technician can create a reliable and cost-effective solution for gigabit file transfers between the two floors.