When we speak about GigabitEthernet, we are to be carefully about the installation and deployement of Giga infrastructure.

Actually, we can't upgrade from 100Mbits/s to 1Gb/s as the same way that from 10Mb/s to 100Mb/s.

Some limitations appear, like OS, hardware, TCP/IP and we have to tune correctly all these parameters in order to avoid bad throughtput (150/200Mb/s).

In VTHD we deployed a small lab. The main goal was to find the best parameters to switch and tune in order to have decent capabilities.

5 PIII800Mhz , mothercard Asus PIIIBF, 256 Mo SDRAM, 10/100 card. (clients)
2 PIII800Mhz , mothercard Asus PIIIBF (PCI 32), 256 Mo SDRAM, 10/100  card + 3Com 3C985SX Giga card. (serveurs)

All these computers are linked by Cisco catalyst. The 10/100 servers' card are connected on experimental network.
Kernel Linux 2.2.14
It exists exactly the same topology at Rocquencourt. we can join it via VTHD.

following, different tests done :

-> 3Com

1) bulk tests without any tuning
2) Same, in back-to-back Ttcp
3) tuning tests
4) misc. tests (sophia -> rocquencourt, etc.)

-> Pro Intel 1000 (copper and fiber)

Tests was done by Semir, let's have a look on their results

CONCLUSION

Informations on this card :

Intel is proposing 2 Gigabit Ethernet card, one is the PRO/1000 F (fiber) and the other one is Intel PRO/1000 T (copper).

the copper model of Intel Gigabit adaptator seems to have rather the same behaviour than the fiber model. May be it is due to the Intel GigaEther controller 82543GC because both cards use it. Performance are improved in using bipro servers. A decrease of interruptions appears, and even if results obtained by monoprocessor coniguration are correct, there is no still enough power for applications (10 or 15% only).

Intel cards accept Jumbo Frame (MTU 9000), but these cards don't accept to mark packets.

Below, throughtput given for the Intel cards (configuration : 24 clients mono/bipro on server Compaq ML370 bipro800, 512 MRAM, Windows2000 Advanced Server):

mono :

bipro

Tests Semir :

tests done between two servers.

Copper card :

 

Conclusion :