MO>Could anyone please tell me what I CAN do to increase the 
network-throughput
  >What must I upgrade? Memory? Cpu? Nic?
ES> First, for only four workstations, you should be on a Peer to peer
ES> network without a server. However, since you are using one, the file
ES> server is the single most important part.
ES> Rule 1. Never skimp when it comes to the file server. Don't use cheep
ES>         parts just to save a buck, or some work. If this crashes, your
ES>         whole network is useless. None of that Cyrux or AMD processors,
ES>         or DTK motherboards or cheep Packard Hell systems...
What is the problem with AMD CPUs? I can understand your reluctance to use 
Cyrix CPUs in a server, because although they are quite a bit faster than 
Intel CPUs and carries a lower price tag, there have been problems with a few 
motherboards, and besides it runs rather hot. But AMD?
ES> Rule 2. Memory is power. You should never, and I repeat NEVER have less
ES>         than 16 Megs of memory in a file server.
This is absolutely true.
ES> Rule 3. It is only as fast as it's slowest part. The hard drives,
ES>         processor, memory, controllers, NICs, and Workstations all
ES>         contribute to the speed of the network. The processor determins
ES>         the speed of which information is processed. But, the real
ES>         factor is how fast it is passed. The 10Base-T/2 NIC is probably
ES>         the fastest part of the network.
Err...
ES>                                          Transmitting 10 Million bits of
ES>         information per second. The hard drives almost never go that
ES>         fast unless you are using a SCSI2 drive.
10Mbit/s is 1.25Mb/s. Any modern SCSI hard drive should be capable of 
delivering data at least twice as fast. I'd say that 10base2/10baseT is about 
to become the bottleneck of the network.
- KR -
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