[Sunhelp] 100Mhz needed for each port in use

[Beecher, Bob]

Sun recommends it based on "QA testing". It's also a
requirement for their optional trunking software.

I pulled this snippet from a Sunsolve document:

Number of QFE's (X1049) presently supported in various platforms:
  
 The Quad FastEthernet Adapter has 4 10/100 Ethernet ports and therefore
 requires more CPU than our single port adapters.  To achieve maximum 
 performance, we recommend a minimum of 500 MHz per adapter.  

          Ultra 2                         1

          Ex000 systems        4 per system. 

 UPDATE:  The number of Quad FastEthernet Adapters supported in
          Enterprise 3000/3500, Enterprise 4000/4500, Enterprise 5000/5500,
          and Enterprise 6000/6500 has been raised to four per system.


 We are working on extending the support to many more than this.
        
          Notes:
          -  It is highly recommended (based on QA testing) that you have
             500 MHz of CPU per QFE card for maximum performance.         
          -  For Trunking, you also need 500 MHz per card, with the
additional
             requirement that one of the CPU's be at least 167 MHz.

          -  These numbers are based on maximum performance at heavy loads.

 Comments:
  The limitation is due to it having been found that multiple cards can
 experience system wide performance degradation under ttcp load testing.

The root of this problem is under investigation and reported in Bug 4100881.
Sun Network Products Group (NPG) is working with Enterprise Server and
Storage 
Group (ESSG) and SunSoft to determine the root cause of this problem.

If  running ports at 10Mb and/or without this type of link level full load
then
the problem is greatly reduced.
 Reference:
  Bug Id: 4100881 
  Synopsis: qfe testing shows performance problems.
  
 -------------

 Why is there a limit on cards supported on EX000 platforms?
 A:  Ideally we would like to support four to six, and we are trying to get 
      there.  Both the Sunfire/Starfire groups and NPG have agreed to two
cards 
      maximum as of today, but are working together to find ways to increase
      the performance and the number of cards supported.

  Q:  Why only 1 card in Ultra 2?
  A:  CPU limitation.  Can't get 500Mhz per card for more than one card.
  
  Q:  Did you say 500 Mhz per card?
  A:  Yes.  This can be in any configuration.  You can have two 250 MHz
CPU's,
      three 167's, five 110's, etc.  How you get 500 Mhz is up to you and
your
      customer.
      
  Q:  What do you mean "at least a 167 Mhz CPU for trunking"?
  A:  For trunking, all the interrupts that occur are managed by one CPU.
With
      such a heavy load on one CPU, you need to have at least a 167 CPU to
handle
      this.  You cannot choose 110 CPU's or 75 CPU's.


-----Original Message-----
From: Glover, Duke [mailto:duke.glover at verizon.com]
Sent: Thursday, October 12, 2000 5:11 PM
To: sunhelp at sunhelp.org
Subject: [Sunhelp] 100Mhz needed for each port in use


Hello SUN gods,

I was told by a SUN rep that you needed 100Mhz worth of processor for each
Ethernet port in use on a qfe card.  In other words, if you wanted to use
all 4 Ethernet ports you needed to have 400Mhz worth of processor.  I have
been unable to find any documentation supporting this.  Has anyone ever
heard this before ?  Or can anyone point me to some documentation that might
discuss this.  Is anyone out there running a system using all 4 ports with
less than 400Mhz ?

AtDhVaAnNkCsE,

Duke Glover
desk = 813-978-5682
page = 888-510-6042
duke.glover at verizon.com
Verizon / Enterprise Information Protection Services
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