From owner-freebsd-questions  Mon Oct  2  7: 3:52 2000
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Date: Mon, 02 Oct 2000 10:00:46 -0400
From: Nathan Vidican <webmaster@wmptl.com>
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To: graphics <lart@mfn.org>
Cc: questions@freebsd.org
Subject: Re: High Performance NICs
References: <019d01c02c15$f2b72c80$c991f280@mfn.org>
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graphics wrote:
> 
> Greetings,
> 
>     We have several very-high throughput boxen (>300 GB/day each)
> sitting on an Arrowpoint CS100 switch.  Our problem is that at these
> sustained throughput levels, our NICs just crumble :-(
> 
> We've tried
> 3 Com 905B (garbage)
> 3 Com 509 (so-so)
> A variety of Realtek based TX cards (slow...)
> and a DEC 21140 based card (great when it works, but seems to
> crap out at the high end of the traffic curve)
> 
> FreeBSD handles some of the highest loaded sites in the world,
> so I *know* it can handle it with the right NIC.  My question
> should be obvious: what NICs do the readers recommend?
> 
> Thanks!
> 
> J.A. Terranson
> sysadmin@mfn.org
> 
> (Please CC off list, as we are not subscribed: thanks!)
> 
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I tend to agree with whoever it was that posted the reply to this as
well, go with the Intel EtherExpress Pro. We've got one on-board (built
into the Intel 440LX dual PII server board), and it works REALLY well
under load. I try to use these cards for most applications, but when
cost is an issue, I tend to go with the 'No-Name' Realtek based cards.

-- 
Nathan Vidican
webmaster@wmptl.com
Windsor Match Plate & Tool Ltd.
http://www.wmptl.com/


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