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From: Doug Ambrisko <ambrisko@ambrisko.com>
Message-Id: <200110042140.f94LeTT02809@ambrisko.com>
Subject: Re: 64bit Ethernet Card (if_sf driver)
In-Reply-To: <137.296ca27.28edf63e@aol.com>
To: Bsdguru@aol.com
Date: Thu, 4 Oct 2001 14:40:28 -0700 (PDT)
Cc: hackers@FreeBSD.ORG
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Bsdguru@aol.com writes:
| I've been testing the adaptec 64044 card (if_sf driver) which is a 64bit 
| 66Mhz 4 port ethernet. I can have come to one of two conclusions:
| 
| 1) the card sucks
| 2) the driver sucks
| 
| or both. A 32bit Dlink 4 port card outperforms it by a wide margin, as do 
| 32bit eepro100s. "wide margin" being defined as about 40%.
| 
| Given that bus resources are not easily measureable..Im quoting cpu usage for 
| handling the same number of pps. But its pretty difficult to justify using a 
| 64bit slot and rather expensive card with such lousy performance. I cant even 
| justify the bus-bandwidth saving with a card that cant route more than 
| 250Mb/s.
| 
| I guess my question has to do with whether the board is just a dog or the 
| driver needs substantial optimization. The folks at adaptec aren't dopes 
| generally, so I cant imagine that they chose a chipset that was so inferior 
| to the one on their 32bit adapter (which uses the same as the Dlink).
| 
| Anyone with experience or ideas?

I can just confirm your observations.  I found that having it in a 64bit
slot or 32bit made no difference.  I hope it is a driver problem since
Adaptec was selling a DEC based 4 port card that they got when they 
bought Cogent.  I find it hard to believe that they would replace that
with a poorer performance card that probably cost them more to make.

Doug A.

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