Re: Force10 Gear - Opinions

[Jo Rhett <jrhett () netconsonance com>]

On Sep 4, 2008, at 10:03 AM, Paul Wall wrote:
> > You and I (and any real network operator) must have different  
> > definitions of
> > "forward at line rate".
>
> "forwards a gig-e full of 64 byte packets, random src/dst, when you
> hook a smartbits/ixia up to it" is mine.  What's yours?


Forwards a mixed bag of small and large packets from tens of thousands  
of streams (not random)

1. at sub-millisecond latency
2. no packet loss at full line rate on multiple ports
3. deals appropriately with multiple ports at full line rate leading  
to a single port

And finally, is responsive to operator control even when full line  
rate is directed at switch itself.

Note the "not random" comment.  People love to use the random feature  
of ixia/etc but it rarely displays actual performance in a production  
network.

--
Jo Rhett
Net Consonance : consonant endings by net philanthropy, open source  
and other randomness