Based on our testing it looks like it all has to do with packet size. With small packets the throughput is very low. With what Cisco calls an "internet mix" of packet sizes throughput is much better. When doing max MTU packets, the throughput is of course the best. Also remember that Cisco as well as most other vendors advertise one way traffic only. If you have traffic on the return path, that counts against their numbers. So 400000 pps one way is the same to them as 200000 pps both ways. Interesting thread Thanks. -----Original Message----- From: Gary [mailto:garyb@foundrynet.com] Sent: Tuesday, May 21, 2002 12:12 AM To: Adam Rothschild Cc: nanog@merit.edu Subject: Cisco 7200 VXR with NPE-400 (was RE: The market must be coming back) Adam:

[...] Sort of like buying a GbE interface for a 7200 (It only get's

...

10% throughput... Why waste the money, just buy FE!).

How did the Foundry test lab arrive at those figures, and what substances were consumed at the time?

I used a Cisco 7200 VXR with NPE-400. I used two different 7200's with the exact same results. Bidirectional throughput on 1GbE is a fraction above 10%. Unidirectional is a bit better (23%). Singl line ACL drops it to 8% (permit ip any any). FE performance doesn't start to drop below line rate until you put more than two in the box. I have a powerpoint if you'd like it, but it is not meant to slander Cisco, just to convince my customers NOT to put GbE in a 7200! It is not a GbE platform!