Are You Really Getting 400 Gbit/s Performance?

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sterlingperrin 9/12/2013 | 10:35:52 AM

Re: Which network processor tests? Carol,

Whether limitations are universal is the big question. The problem is that ALU was first to market and others (including Cisco) are coming in now, so the testing to determine who performs and who doesn't hasn't been done yet.

At very small byte sizes (ie, 64 bytes), it seems common for high performance chips to perform at less than 100%. I mentioned this in the piece briefly. If you're routing 100 Gbit/s connections, and byte sizes are tiny, that's a big strain on processors. But that's not a real world scenario, so the IMIX tests (and others listed) are far more telling.

Sterling

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mgstrat10 9/11/2013 | 10:27:21 PM

Re: Which network processor tests? If the author's primary conclusion is that Service Providers shouldn't take product performance claims at face value, we agree. But perhaps analysts shouldn't take vendors' tests of other vendors' products at face value either – any vendor can create a test and (mis)config that makes another vendor's product perform below its best (you're welcome to see Cisco routers performing poorly in our lab anytime). If Cisco's customers want to compare routers in their own labs, we welcome the opportunity.

Manish Gulyani

Alcatel-Lucent

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Carol Wilson 9/11/2013 | 5:47:27 PM

Re: Which network processor tests? As a follow-on to Ray's questions -- are these limitations universal? Is everyone coming in below 100%?

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sterlingperrin 9/11/2013 | 5:23:22 PM

Re: Which network processor tests? Ray,

That is the elephant in the room on this piece isn't it?!

It is Cisco's testing of Alcatel-Lucent's 400G processor being referenced specifically ... Since it is a vendor testing another vendor, I didn't want to make that the key takeaway or point of the blog.

It does appear that the move from 100G to 400G silicon, in general, is a very big step for suppliers. All core router and optical suppliers are moving to 400G now, and we will see lots of announcements over the next year. I don't know how other suppliers will perform on these tests, or other relevant performance tests.

Further independent testing of all vendors moving into 400G processors is needed I believe. LR can play a role here I'm sure.

Sterling

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[email protected] 9/11/2013 | 3:50:11 PM

Which network processor tests? You mention "some 400 Gbit/s network processor performance testing in a lab..."

Whose devices were being tested?

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