RE: Snort performance concerns

["Joshua Berry" <JBerry () PENSON COM>]

I use the NAPI driver support for the Intel NIC's and that helps with
performance a little bit as well.

________________________________

From: snort-users-admin () lists sourceforge net
[mailto:snort-users-admin () lists sourceforge net] On Behalf Of Jeff Dell
Sent: Friday, September 30, 2005 9:53 AM
To: 'Larry Wichman'
Cc: 'Snorty S Snortman'
Subject: RE: [Snort-users] Snort performance concerns


I am not sure if you are also using libpcap that supports MMAP mode(Phil
Wood's Ring Buffer), but you might want to try that out too.
 
http://public.lanl.gov/cpw/
 
Cheers,
Jeff


________________________________

        From: snort-users-admin () lists sourceforge net
[mailto:snort-users-admin () lists sourceforge net] On Behalf Of Larry
Wichman
        Sent: Friday, September 30, 2005 10:48 AM
        To: Joel Esler
        Cc: Snorty S Snortman
        Subject: Re: [Snort-users] Snort performance concerns
        
        

        All three boxes have the same OS and hardware configuration

        Linux kernel 2.6 

        1.5 GHz proc

        2 gb RAM

        Mgt network interface card is 3Com Corporation 3c905C-TX/TX-M
[Tornado]

        Promiscuous network interface card is Intel Corp. 82557/8/9
[Ethernet Pro 100]

         Snort version 2.3.2

         

        My output method is database and my database is on the same VLAN
as  all the sensors Mgt interface. It is a high-end Dell server with 4
procs and 4gb RAM and It is running Mysql on Windows 2003. 



        Joel Esler <joel.esler () sourcefire com> wrote: 

                If you are interested in Sourcefire products, we can
definitely put you in touch with someone that will be able to answer all
your questions.. 

                Can you please describe the systems that you have?
Hardware?  RAM, processor... nic card..  OS..

                What is your output method?  database?  unified?  pcap?

                Joel Esler
                SOURCEfire

                On Sep 30, 2005, at 10:25 AM, Larry Wichman wrote:


                        I enabled Performance Monitor on my sensors and
I have some concerns after looking at some of the performance stats.
First, I have three sensors, two of which average 96mb/sec of traffic
and the dropped packets percentage average is about 10% (proc and memory
utilization are high, as expected). I have a third sensor that sees an
average of about 5mb/sec and has the same amount of dropped packets,
memory and proc utilization are minimal. I have implemented all the
suggested optimizations (I think), patched Libpcap, etc....I can
understand that there would be some dropped packets when the traffic is
at a high, continuous load, but the third sensor with the same amount of
dropped packets with only a fraction of the traffic  concerns me.  I am
thinking about upgrading the hardware (faster proc, bus speeds, etc...),
but I might be wasting money if the stats are the same.  Does anyone
have any input as to what is causing the dropped packets? 

                        Also, my boss told me to start evaluating
commercial products. My first choice would be Sourcfire, I really do
like working with Snort, but I need whatever product I choose to be able
to handle the amount of traffic that we have. I would greatly appreciate
any input on this. Cheers.

                        
                         

                        Larry