Re: [ANNOUNCE] Dolphin PCI-SCI RPM Drivers 1.1-4 released

[Pekka Pietikainen]

On Tue, Jan 30, 2001 at 10:19:58AM -0700, Jeff V. Merkey wrote:
> On Mon, Jan 29, 2001 at 09:41:21PM -0700, Todd wrote:
> 
> Sparc servers.  The adapters these drivers I posted support are a bi-CMOS 
> implementation of the SCI LC3 chipsets, and even though they are 
> bi-CMOS, the Link speed on the back end is still 500 MB/S --
> very respectable.
Sounds impressive (and expensive)
> 
> in another system with **NO COPYING**.  Ethernet and LAN networking always 
> copies data into userspace -- SCI has the ability to dump it directly 
> into user space pages without copying.  That's what is cool about SCI, 
Well, my GigE card does that too. Not with TCP, though :)
(see http://oss.sgi.com/projects/stp)
> processor utilitzation will be high, and there will be lots of 
> copying going on in the system.   What numbers does G-Enet provide 
> doing userspace -> userspace transfers, and at what processor 
> overhead?  These are the types of things that are the metrics for 
What I get is 102MB/s with 4% CPU use on a dual pIII/500 32/66 box sending to
a dual pII/450 32/33 box (about 10M/s less the other way around, so 
I'm assuming I'd get somewhat more with real 64/66 PCI buses on both 
machines) 

> I could ask Dolphin for a GaAs version of the LC3 card (one board would
> cost the equivalent to the income of a small third world nation), and 
> rerun the tests on a Sparc system or Sequent system, and watch G-Enet
> system suck wind in comparison.  
Or you can buy an Alteon-based Netgear 620 for under $300. It all 
depends on your budget and needs :)

-- 
Pekka Pietikainen