Desperately seeking fast networking for InDesign workgroup

[davebublitz]

Do you know everything there is to know about Mac OS X networking? If so can you please help?

I manage three users in a simple network. The goal is for all three of us to be able to work on InDesign files, and associated images. Right now we are connected using Personal File Sharing. Connected users are experiencing long waits (spinning beachball), especially when opening and saving InDesign files, or changing out images.

Setup:
Internet via Motorola Cable modem SBG900 (combo wireless router)
ethernet cable goes to Cisco/Linksys 5-Port 10/100/1000 Gigabit Switch
ethernet cable to the three Macs

Host
PowerMac G5 (PowerPC Dual 2 Ghz)
Mac OS 10.4.11
Memory 2.5 GB
Hard Drive #1 (boot) 750 GB Western Digital (WD7500AAKA)
Hard Drive #2 (share) 750 GB Western Digital (WD7500AAKA)

User #1
PowerMac G5 (PowerPC Dual 2 Ghz)
Mac OS 10.4.11
Memory 2.5 GB
Hard Drive #1 (boot) 320 GB Seagate

User #2
iMac Intel Core 2 Duo 2.16
Mac OS 10.4.11
Memory 1 GB
Hard Drive #1 (boot) 250 GB

I am looking for any suggestions you may have to speed up production. Please help as I have a designer rebellion going on! I will make any changes necessary to make this work faster.

Thank you in advance for your help

[Eiríkr]

I'm more familiar with Linux to be honest, but I've had pretty good luck sharing via NFS from a Linux server to Mac clients. NFS is old hat for Unixy systems, and from all I've heard its overhead is pretty low. Does anyone have any other ideas, or instructions on how to set up a Mac NFS server?

Cheers,

Eiríkr

[Yellowbeard]

I would say that your 1st most obvious problem is that you want to stop using your "file sever" as a workstation which is what you appear to be doing. Any activity while you work on it will bog down the performance of other users. I would try working off a NAS try drobo i hear it's cool as hell: http://www.drobo.com/products_drobo.aspx

[Kees Buijs]

Originally Posted by Yellowbeard

I would say that your 1st most obvious problem is that you want to stop using your "file sever" as a workstation which is what you appear to be doing. Any activity while you work on it will bog down the performance of other users. I would try working off a NAS try drobo i hear it's cool as hell: http://www.drobo.com/products_drobo.aspx

Also check what connection speed the MAC's (not mentioned) have as it is nice to have a gigabit switch, but if connections are 100mbit, you leave 90% speed unused. At least the SERVER should be gigabit to begin with.


Good luck, Kees

[Yellowbeard]

I was guess I am under the assumption that all G5s and Intel Macs ship with Gigabit ethernet?

Additionally that I was once told that even on 100mbit you will hit the ceiling of the drives maximum write/read speed with multiple requests before you max out even the 100mbit?

[macworks]

Add more RAM to the one with 1GB. Move the task of being server away from the workstation (even a cheaper old G4 or G5 tower could handle the job of file server). The key is dedicating a machine to the job of being "file server".

Avoid Western Digital, Maxtor, Trashiba, LaCie, Fujitsu ... etc. ... Choose Hitachi or Seagate.

[Satcomer]

The largest problem ALL of you graphic designers is you don't think about the network space and suffer in your ignorance. I don;t know how many times I pointed out in my life the simple fact the if you want higher speeds you have to upgrade the old cable (see the definition at Wikipedia. Next is the simple and relatively cheap switches (no Hubs-they will slow down your network file sharing).

Do underestimate simple wiring and switch can do to speed your network up.

[davebublitz]

I like the cable suggestion, thanks Satcomer. Just purchased all new cat 6 cables.

So would I be better off hosting from an old 667Mhz TiBook G4 that would be dedicated as a server? I can run a SATA external raid from the PC card slot.