[c-nsp] GEIP+ high CPU

[Cameron.Dry at didata.com.au]

You could probably push 800Mbps through the GEIP+
using only 1500 bytes packets. You could also likely
push 200 Kpps through it as well using only 64 byte
packets. 

But what you can't do is achieve either of these results
with _no_ packet loss, or with any features turned on.



-----Original Message-----
From: cisco-nsp-bounces at puck.nether.net
[mailto:cisco-nsp-bounces at puck.nether.net] On Behalf Of jlewis at lewis.org
Sent: Tuesday, 21 December 2004 12:39 PM
To: rodunn at cisco.com
Cc: jnh at atlantic.net; cisco-nsp at puck.nether.net
Subject: Re: [c-nsp] GEIP+ high CPU


On Mon, 20 Dec 2004, Rodney Dunn wrote:

> As it appears you have found out this is
> about all that card can do.

What?  He did say GEIP _'+'_, right?

According to cisco literature, the GEIP can do (and I quote)

"The GEIP has a maximum aggregate throughput of 400 Mbps and a Layer 3
packet switching performance of about 110 Kpps, full duplex."

Of course, since the GEIP is a VIP2-50 with some minor code mods, I
think we all know the above is wishful thinking and don't bet on passing
anywhere near that amount of 'real traffic'(TM) through it...cause it
just isn't going to work.

But he's got the GEIP+...the upgraded model based on the VIP4-80, which
the literature says can do up to 800mbps...though the GEIP+ data sheet
doesn't bother to list a claimed pps rate.

http://cio.cisco.com/en/US/products/hw/modules/ps2033/products_data_shee
t09186a0080091ce7.html

And he's running out of gas at about 330mbit/s aggregate traffic?

> Your CPU gets too busy to service the rx interrupts.
>
> Move some load off or get a device that is designed
> to handle this type of load.

Does cisco have a similarly flexible _router_ that takes similar density
interfaces, and can really handle say at least several gbit/s of real
world traffic?  I see there's the 12000 series, but there I have to buy
a 4-port OC3 card for my single OC3.  At least it does have some low
density GE options...though I could easily fill up a 3-port GE card.

> As others said this board was developed just
> to give customers a gige *connection* to the backbone
> and was never meant to do close to line rate.

>From the data sheet:
"The GEIP and GEIP+ differ primarily in their performance. The GEIP+
provides up to 800 Mbps of aggregate throughput, while the GEIP performs
at a more moderate level. In addition to performance, the GEIP+ is based
on VIP4 technology, provided many benefits including error correcting
code
(ECC) circuitry for improved availability. The GEIP+ significantly
extends Gigabit Ethernet performance on the Cisco 7500 series router,
providing high performance solutions for Gigabit uplinks from the
enterprise edge and data center, as well as in service provider points
of presence."

> I need to go back and do some homework but if I remember correctly 
> each VIP slot is a 300 Mbps connection to the backplane so that's all 
> you can get anyway.

That can't be right...or the data sheets for GEIP and GEIP+ were just an
exercise in creative writing.

I wanted badly for us to buy several of these (GEIP or + version), but
we ended up doing etherchannel on FEs instead.  Now I'm glad we didn't
since I'd have been blamed for wasting our money on GigE cards that I
knew wouldn't do full line rate...but I foolishly believed the 400mbps &
800mbps rates and didn't figure in the cisco reality divisor.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
 Jon Lewis                   |  I route
 Senior Network Engineer     |  therefore you are
 Atlantic Net                |
_________ http://www.lewis.org/~jlewis/pgp for PGP public key_________
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