[c-nsp] RE: Routing performance database

[Michael Markstaller]

This is really a great idea ! I'd be happy to supply results, I have an
excel-sheet with results from approx. 10 different lower-end platforms..
(so not blaming anybodys 6509 ;)

But I also see some problem wether there are legal issues ? (it's not
only that we are fed with marketing-papers but also not allowed to talk
about the real-world..)

I also don't why it shouldn't make sense to build up such a database due
to differences in environments and/or platforms as long as it can be
documented which feature were used (i.e.
IOS-version/Switching-path/NAT/CBAC/IPSec/COMP-LZS/GRE/L2TP etc.) and
how it was tested (streams,packet-size etc.), at least it will be much
more realistic than the pps and megabits of IMIX-3DES which is very far
away from reality..
An episode why I think this would be important to have such a database
for anybody: I had a month-taking case/disussion with Cisco some time
ago, that a 2621 was unable to deal with > 1Mbit IPSec-traffic under
load and I wished something like that was available.. they told me that
the routers are simply to slow for the job of dealing 1 MBit IPSec with
CBAC instead of confirming that the packets shouldn't get
process-switched. 
the problems disappeard after some 12.2(x)T improvement in CBAC
magically without Cisco ever confirming me, that it the problem was
CBAC-pkts getting process-switched, in my case only with IPSec and
HW-crypto (which was the real reason for the slow performance)..
some weeks later this appeared:
http://www.cisco.com/univercd/cc/td/doc/product/software/ios122/122newft
/122t/122t8/ftfirewl.htm
and I had no more performance-troubles since then, the 2621 push through
2Mbit with ease, but it took me weeks to find out..

when purchasing IOS-boxes it'd be helpful to see wether at least
1/6-1/10 of the in several whitepapers specified IMIX 3DES-performance
is somewhat realistic with real-world features..
BTW: the miercom-reports for the new x8xx platforms go the right
direction but the most interesting details are unfortunately missing..

Michael

> -----Original Message-----
> From: cisco-nsp-bounces at puck.nether.net 
> [mailto:cisco-nsp-bounces at puck.nether.net] On Behalf Of Sam Stickland
> Sent: Thursday, September 30, 2004 1:33 PM
> To: cisco-nsp at puck.nether.net
> Subject: Routing performance database (Re: [c-nsp] 10 Mb 
> internet traffic ona 3640?)
> 
> 
> 
> There's been a lot of questions lately (as always!) about the 
> performance
> of various routers. Would there be any legal issues about 
> with setting an
> a site where people can list their real world experiences with the
> performance of various pieces of kit?
> 
> I guess it wouldn't really be any different from a hardware 
> review, but
> there's often clauses in licenses that prevent this sort of stuff.
> 
> Anybody know? I don't mind setting it up.
> 
> Sam