DevAuto wrote:

> Hi,
> 
> I have a question about performance differences between a P-90 and the
> Soekris 4501 board. I am currently running m0n0 1.2b3 on the following
> platforms:
> 
> Platform 1: P-90, 80 mb ram, 6gb hard drive, 3 nics (don't remember
> which ones, but 2 are pci and one is isa)
> 
> Platform 2: Soekris 4501, 64 mb ram, 128 mb flash card
> 
> What I have noticed is (according to the Status: System page in the
> web interface) that the Soekris consistently runs at approximately
> 6%-12% cpu usage and 35%-45% memory usage and by contrast the P-90
> runs at 45%-55% cpu usage and 65%-75% memory usage.
> 
> The rule sets and the configurations, while not identical, are not too
> different, mostly basic services, nothing exotic, no VPN, no heavy
> logging, etc. The Soekris is deployed on an ADSL connection and the
> P-90 is deployed on a cable connection. Inbound traffic appears to be
> about the same on both networks. Neither system is offering wireless
> services.
> 
> I expected the Pentium class m0n0 with 80mb ram would run circles
> around the 486 class Soekris with 64mb ram, but the indications are
> that the opposite is occurring.

I would think just the opposite. The Soekris has a higher clock speed.
I doubt many of the Pentium instructions are used when routing. Also,
what kind of RAM is in that p-90? EDO? or worse, maybe FPM? The soekris
boxes use SDRAM, which is quite a bit faster and more CPU efficient than
EDO or FPM.

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Jesse Guardiani, Systems Administrator
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