Date: Fri, 25 May 2007 10:53:23 -0400 From: Stephen Clark <Stephen.Clark@seclark.us> To: Dominic Marks <dom@helenmarks.co.uk> Cc: freebsd-stable@freebsd.org Subject: Re: network performance 6.1 stable vs 4.9 Message-ID: <4656F863.20302@seclark.us> In-Reply-To: <4643.195.12.22.194.1180097506.squirrel@mail.helenmarks.co.uk> References: <4656D0FB.5070200@seclark.us> <4643.195.12.22.194.1180097506.squirrel@mail.helenmarks.co.uk>
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Dominic Marks wrote: >Stephen Clark wrote: > > >>Hello List, >> >>We have a network appliance that is currently based on 4.9. We are in >>the process of releasing >>a new version based on 6.1 stable. >> >> > >You are going to get asked this, so I'll ask first. > >Whats the reason behind not running a more recent STABLE? I understand >developing a product on a moving platform is not ideal, but its going to >be mentioned! > > > >>In our testing using nttcp thru the appliance we see insignifant >>difference in thruput between the 2 >>versions in a controlled environment - aproximately 94mbs on a 100mb lan. >> >>We have a person that is testing the both system inhouse surfing out >>over the internet on our T1 >>link and he complains that he is consistently seeing the 6.1 version >>being much slower than the >>4.9 version (on the same hardware). >>He has been comparing the 6.1 system to 4.9 system for a couple of weeks >>and continues to insist the 6.1 version is much slower. >> >> > >You don't mention what the appliance actually does beyond just moving >packets about? Surfing implies some sort of proxy or gateway device? > > > >>Are there any sysctl tunables that may affect performance going over the >>internet >>with a slower link, dropped packets, etc that could cause this? >> >>Any ideas would be appreciated. >> >> >> > >Dominic > > > Hi Dominic, The appliance is basically a firewall/nat/vpn device. We started on 6.1 last year and it has taken us a while to get things tested, plus I don't like to use a brand new release. If we go to a later release it means we have to do complete regression testing, etc. We are basically using a GENERIC config for our kernel. We, meaning the R&D team don't see any performance issues in a controlled environment - 6.1 performs just as well as 4.9. In subjective tests R&D has done using the following setup we see "no" problem: freebsd+firefox <--100mbs lan---> 6.1 network appliance <----T1 link----> internet freebsd+firefox <--100mbs lan---> 4.9 network appliance <----T1 link----> internet One of our testers has the same setup but is using winblows/ie in place of freebsd+firefox and subjectively says the 6.1 system is slower than the 4.9 system. I was just wandering if there were any tunables that might cause this. Thanks, Steve -- "They that give up essential liberty to obtain temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety." (Ben Franklin) "The course of history shows that as a government grows, liberty decreases." (Thomas Jefferson)
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