NetWare MultiProtocol Router
Configuring for Performance    September 25, 1992

The NetWare MultiProtocol Router is an NLM based software product capable
of full 32 bit processing and can be installed on a variety of 386 or 486
PCs using many types of ODI certified Network Interface Cards.  By
considering the amount of traffic that travels across the router and
choosing the right PC and Network Interface Cards, you can build a router
that is just right for your application.

Choosing a PC based Router 
Before you purchase a PC or a Network Interface Card for a PC based router,
you should evaluate the performance and cost trade offs of each available
configuration.  The major considerations are: 
   - PC bus
   - CPU
   - Network Interface Cards.

PC Bus
There are three choices available: Industry Standard Architecture (ISA),
the Enhanced Industry Standard Architecture (EISA), and the Micro Channel
Architecture (MCA).  The following table represents the instantaneous
transfer rates for a burst of words at the bus speed of 8 MHZ (using BCLK).

You should use an MCA or EISA PC for high performance routing.

Bus Type                  Peak Transfer Rate
--------                  ------------------
ISA 8-bit                 1 MBps
ISA 16-bit                2 Mbps
EISA 32-bit burst         33 Mbps
MCA 32-bit burst          40 Mbps

CPU 
A 80386 or 80486 processor is a good choice for PC based routers.  Common
clock speeds are 16MHz, 25MHz, 33MHz, and 40Mhz for 80386; and 25 Mhz, 33
Mhz, and 50 Mhz for 80486 platforms.  You should use a 80486/50MHz machine
for high performance routing.

When NetWare v3.11 is loaded, it performs a system speed test.  This test
ranks a file server's or router's performance with respect to CPU types,
clock speeds, memory, and cache.  A higher rating indicates a faster
system.

PC Platforms Table
 PC Platform                  Speed Rating
 80386/16 Mhz                 121
 80386/25 MHz                 242
 80386/33 MHz                 322
 80486/25 MHz                 686
 80486/33 MHz                 982
 80486/50 MHz                 1382

Network Interface Cards 
There are two types of adapters: bus-mastered adapters and slave adapters. 
Bus mastered adapters have an on board processor that will place the packet
in the buffer of the PC without intervention from the CPU, reducing
processing cycles and increasing performance.  Slave adapters require that
the PC's CPU remove the packet from the card and place it in the machine's
buffer.  This could adversely impact the router's performance.

* Classifying Router Applications *
According to the type of traffic, the number of users, and the LAN or WAN
media, a router application can be placed in the low, medium, or high speed
category.  Examples of these three categories are shown below 5.  Once a
router application is placed in a category, the appropriate components can
be selected and a router configured that delivers reliable connectivity at
a reasonable price.  For more information on these categories refer to
MPRRUL.TXT.

Example of Low Speed Router Configuration
-----------------------------------------
20 MHz 386SX
ISA Bus
8 MB RAM
LAN and WAN Boards:       Synchronous/+ Adapter
                          NE1000
                          NE2000
                          Intel EtherExpress TPE Hub (ISA)
                          other 8 or 16 bit boards
Network Configurations:   1 LAN and 1 WAN, or 2 LANs

Example of Medium Speed Router Configurations
---------------------------------------------
33MHz 386DX or 486SX
ISA Bus
8 MB RAM
LAN and WAN Boards:       Synchronous/+ Adapter
                          NE2000
                          Intel EtherExpress TPE Hub (ISA)
                          other 16-bit boards
Network Configurations:   1 LAN, 1 WAN or
                          1 LAN and 4 WANs, or 2 to 4 LANs

Example: High Speed Router Configurations
-----------------------------------------
50 MHz 486DX
EISA or MCA Bus
16 M RAM
LAN and WAN Boards:       Synchronous/+ Adapter (MCA)
                          NE3200
                          NE/2 -32
                          Intel EtherExpress TPE Hub (EISA)
                          other EISA or MCA boards
Network Configurations:   1 LAN and up to 4 WANs * or 
                          2 to 6 LANs 
                          * using 2 or more ports/board

* Evaluating Performance Benchmarks *
Types of Benchmarks
Performance measurements for routers are usually based on packets per
second (pps).  Managers who select routers on this type of performance
measurements usually spend more money for the routers than they need to.

High packet per second rates are achieved using minimum (64 byte) packets. 
An actual network often uses a mixture of small and large packet sizes.  A
64 byte packet is associated with data requests and terminal emulation,
while 516 byte packets are used with data and file transfers.

Selection Criteria - A User's Perspective
Network managers should evaluate data throughput instead of packets per
second. End users will perceive a network as fast when data throughput
capabilities are high, regardless of the packets per second measurement. 
They will also perceive the network as slow if data throughput is low.

Bandwidth Utilization 
Bandwidth utilization, the percentage of channel capacity consumed by a
router, is an important measure of performance.  The total bandwidth of a
LAN or WAN determines how much data can pass through a network.  In theory,
the maximum bandwidth of an Ethernet LAN is 10 Mbps (14,880 pps).  A Token
Ring LAN has either a 4 Mbps or 16 Mbps (28,985 pps) bandwidth limitation. 
Wide area network bandwidth utilization is expressed in kilobits per second
(Kbps).  

Bandwidth limitations for WANs:
   - X.25 services are generally available at 19.2 Kbps.  In Western Europe
   and the United States they are available at 64 Kbps.
   - T1/E1 at 1.544/2.048 Mbps.

In a typical LAN environment, the average bandwidth utilization is 30 to 40
percent.  Short bursts of data can consume up to 80 percent of the
available bandwidth.  Routers that forward packets with utilization rates
of 40 percent or more provide adequate performance for most LANs.  For wide
area connections, bandwidth utilization rates greater than 10% can saturate
a T1/E1 link.

* Test Results *
The following charts show the bandwidth utilization, data throughput, and
packets per second measurements of various router configurations.  Please
note that for large packet sizes, the MultiProtocol Router achieves more
than 90 percent bandwidth utilization for both Ethernet and Token Ring,
implying that the router can completely saturate a LAN.  Driver limitations
are responsible for lower performance, not the router software.

Routers can be configured using a high performance system and LAN cards. 
One of the more interesting results is the 386SX with two NE2000 cards.  It
has 54 percent Ethernet bandwidth consumption.  Most LANs run at rates far
below this number, allowing customers to use a low-cost system and
interface card on many LAN-to-LAN routers.

* Testing Methodology *
The performance test results were compiled by LANQuest Labs, an independent
test lab.  Packet generation and measurement equipment include:
 - Novell LANAlyzer
 - Bytex LAN test set
 - LANQuest Lab's FrameThrower

Measurements were recorded at a sustained pps rate which is the number of
packets received by the router equal to the number of packets routed out of
the router without any packet loss.

Novell encourages all network interface card and PC vendors to participate
in LANQuest Lab's compilation of the MultiProtocol Router Benchmark.  The
MultiProtocol Router Benchmark provides users with information that will
help them in choosing the right system for building manageable, global
networks.  For more information on LANQuest Lab's MultiProtocol Router
Benchmark, call 1-800-487-7779.

Benchmark Summary for IPX Routing with Ethernet
System NIC     Ports   Packet  Data        Packets     % of                 
                       Size    Thruput     per         Bandwidth  
                               Kbps        Second      Utilization   
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Epson  NE2000  1 to 1  64      140         2180        11                
320sx                  516     531         1029        42                
20MHz                  1516    675         445         54              

Compaq NE3200  1 to 1  64      207         3229        17                
486                    516     932         1807        75                
33MHz                  1516    1114        735         89              

               2 to 2  64      393         6135        16/port             
                       516     1843        3572        74/port            
                       1516    2210        1458        88/port     
Note: The number in the Packets/Second column is the forwarding rate of the
router.  On a 2 to 2 configuration, this number is a combined       
throughput total.

Benchmark Summary for IPX Routing with Token Ring 16M
-----------------------------------------------------
System NIC       Ports   Packet  Data        Packets     % of               
                        Size    Thruput     per         Bandwidth  
                                 Kbps        Second      Utilization   
----------------------------------------------------------------------  
Epson   Madge AT 1 to 1  64      140         2182        7             
320sx   (16 M)           516     547         1060        27             
20MHz                    4100    1144        279         57           

Compaq  Madge    1 to 1  64      535         8354        27           
486     EISA             516     1789        3468        89            
33MHz   (16 M)           4100    2005        489         100          

AST      Olicom  1 to 1  64      368         5748        18           
486      EISA            516     1003        1943        50            
33MHz    16/4            4100    1160        284         58          

IBM      Olicom  1 to 1  64      273         4266        14             
PS/2     MCA 16/4        516     1009        1955        50            
Model 95                 4100    1255        306         63           

IBM      Olicom  2 to 2  64      246         3845        6/port       
PS/2     MCA 16/4        516     1062        2058        27/port       
Model 95                 4100    1263        308         32/port      
Note: The number in the Packets/Second column is the forwarding rate of the
router.  On a 2 to 2 configuration, this number is a combined throughput
total.

Benchmark Summary for AT Routing with Ethernet
----------------------------------------------
System  Interface  Ports  Packet  Data     Packets/    % of
        Card              Size    Thruput  Second    Bandwidth            
                                  (Kbps)             Utilization 
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Compaq  NE3200     1 to 1   64      196     3060      16          
Ethernet                    516     949     1839      76         
                   2 to 2   64      281     4383      11/port              

                            516     1660    3218      66/port      
Note: The number in the Packets/Second column is the forwarding rate of the
router.  On a 2 to 2 configuration, this number is a combined         
throughput total.

Benchmark Summary for AT Routing with Token Ring 16M
----------------------------------------------------
 System  Interface  Ports  Packet  Data        Packets/  % of 
         Card              Size    Throughput  Second    Bandwith        
                                   (Kbps)                Utilization 
-------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Compaq  Madge      1 to 1  64      272         4256      14     
486     EISA               516     1325        2567      66     
33MHz   (16 M)

AST     Olicom     1 to 1  64      224         3498      11           
486     EISA               516     869         1685      43          
33MHz   16/4

IBM     Olicom     1 to 1  64      221         3459      11          
PS/2    MCA 16/4           516     953         1847      48          
Model 95
                   2 to 2  64      208         3246      5/port     
                           516     1015        1986      25/port     
Note: The number in the Packets/Second column is the forwarding rate of the
router.  On a 2 to 2 configuration, this number is a combined throughput
total.

Benchmark Summary for IP Routing with Ethernet
----------------------------------------------
System  Interface  Ports  Packet  Data     Packets/  % of    
        Card              Size    Thruput  Second    Bandwidth       
                                  (Kbps)             Utilization  
--------------------------------------------------------
Compaq  NE3200     1 to 1  64      205      3199      16             
486                        516     930      1802      74
33MHz                      1516    1092     720       87           

                    2 to 2  64      392     6121      16/port       
                            516     1831    3584      74/port        
                            1516    2233    1473      89/port      
Note: The number in the Packets/Second column is the forwarding rate of the
router.  On a 2 to 2 configuration, this number is a combined throughput
total.

Benchmark Summary for IP Routing with Token Ring 16M
----------------------------------------------------
System  Interface  Ports  Packet  Data        Packets/  % of                
       Board             Size    Thruput     Second    Bandwidth        
                                  (KBps)                Utilization 
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Compaq  Madge     1 to 1  64      488         7631      24           
486     EISA              516     1677        3250      84           
33MHz   (16 M)            4100    1976        482       99    

AST     Olicom    1 to 1  64      367         5731      18   
486     EISA              516     1001        1939      50          
33MHz   16/4              4100    1197        292       60          

IBM     Olicom    1 to 1 64      259         4044      13   
PS/2    MCA 16/4         516     1006        1950      50          
Model 95                 4100    1259        307       63          

                  2 to 2 64      241         3768      6/port      
                         516     1005        1947      25/port     
                         4100    1251        305       31/port     
Note: The number in the Packets/Second column is the forwarding rate of the
router.  On a 2 to 2 configuration, this number is a combined throughput
total.

The specifications detailed in this document are subject to change without
notice.