Forwarding performance lab of a quad core Intel Atom C2558E (2.40GHz) with 2+4 Gigabit Intel NIC

This lab will test a Netgate RCC-VE 4860 (dmesg):

• Quad cores Intel Atom C2558 (2.40GHz)
• 2 Gigabit Intel i211
• 4 Gigabit Intel i350
• 8Gb of RAM

For more information about full setup of this lab: Setting up a forwarding performance benchmark lab (switch configuration, etc.).

 +------------------------------------------+    +-----------------------+
 |            Device under Test             |    |     Packet gen        |
 |                  igb2:   198.18.0.209/24 |<===| igb2: 198.18.0.203    |
 |                           2001:2::209/64 |    |     2001:2::203/64    |
 |                     (00:08:a2:09:33:da)  |    | (00:1b:21:c4:95:7a)   |
 |                                          |    |                       |
 |                  igb3:   198.19.0.209/24 |    | igb3: 198.19.0.203    |
 |                    2001:2:0:8000::209/64 |    | 2001:2:0:8000::203/64 |
 |                     (00:08:a2:09:33:db)  |===>| (00:1b:21:c4:95:7b)   |
 |                                          |    |                       |
 |               static routes              |    |                       |
 |      198.19.0.0/16 => 198.19.0.203       |    +-----------------------+
 |      198.18.0.0/16 => 198.18.0.203       |
 | 2001:2::/49        => 2001:2::203        |
 | 2001:2:0:8000::/49 => 2001:2:0:8000::203 |
 |                                          |
 |            static arp and ndp            |
 | 198.18.0.203        => 00:1b:21:c4:95:7a |
 | 2001:2::203                              |
 |                                          |
 | 198.19.0.203        => 00:1b:21:c4:95:7b |
 | 2001:2:0:8000::203                       |
 |                                          |
 |                                          |
 +------------------------------------------+

This device use 2 kinds of Intel NIC:

• igb0 and igb1: Intel i211 with 2 queues, should be used for admin purpose
• igb2 to igb5: Intel i350 with 4 queues (and iPXE support) should be used for forwarding/firewalling purpose

The generator MUST generate lot's of IP flows (multiple source/destination IP addresses and/or UDP src/dst port) and minimum packet size (for generating maximum packet rate) with one of these commands:

Multiple source/destination IP addresses (don't forget to precise UDP port to use for avoiding using number 0 filtered by pf):

pkt-gen -i igb2 -f tx -n 80000000 -l 60 -d 198.19.10.1:2000-198.19.10.20 -D 00:08:a2:09:33:da -s 198.18.10.1:2000-198.18.10.100 -S 00:1b:21:c4:95:7a -w 4 -U

And the same with IPv6 flows (minimum frame size of 62 for having a correct empty UDP packet):

pkt-gen -f tx -i igb2 -n 1000000000 -l 62 -6 -d "[2001:2:0:8001::1]-[2001:2:0:8001::64]" -D 00:08:a2:09:33:da -s "[2001:2:0:1::1]-[2001:2:0:1::14]" -S 00:1b:21:c4:95:7a -w 4 -U

Receiver will use these commands:

pkt-gen -i igb3 -f rx -w 4

First, disable Ethernet flow-control:

echo "dev.igb.2.fc=0" >> /etc/sysctl.conf
echo "dev.igb.3.fc=0" >> /etc/sysctl.conf
service sysctl restart

Second, if NIC drivers is iflib based you should enable TX abdicate (automatically done with BSDRP but not on a generic FreeBSD):

cat <<EOF >> /etc/sysctl.conf
# Enabling Tx abdicate
dev.igb.0.iflib.tx_abdicate=1
dev.igb.1.iflib.tx_abdicate=1
dev.igb.2.iflib.tx_abdicate=1
dev.igb.3.iflib.tx_abdicate=1
dev.igb.4.iflib.tx_abdicate=1
dev.igb.5.iflib.tx_abdicate=1
EOF
service sysctl restart

ICMP redirect is enabled by default on a generic FreeBSD (it's disabled by default on BSDRP), and this feature disable the fast tryforward code path.

cat <<EOF >> /etc/sysctl.conf
# Enabling fastforwarding by disabling ICMP redirect
net.inet.ip.redirect=0
net.inet6.ip6.redirect=0
EOF
service sysctl restart

Configure IP addresses, static ARP entries and static routes.

A router should not use LRO and TSO. BSDRP disable by default using a RC script (disablelrotso_enable=“YES” in /etc/rc.conf.misc).

# IPv4 router
gateway_enable="YES"
ifconfig_igb2="inet 198.18.0.209/25 -tso4 -tso6 -lro"
ifconfig_igb3="inet 198.19.0.209/25 -tso4 -tso6 -lro"
static_routes="generator receiver"
route_generator="-net 198.18.0.0/16 198.18.0.203"
route_receiver="-net 198.19.0.0/16 198.19.0.203"
static_arp_pairs="receiver generator"
static_arp_generator="198.18.0.203 00:1b:21:c4:95:7a"
static_arp_receiver="198.19.0.203 00:1b:21:c4:95:7b"

# IPv6 router
ipv6_gateway_enable="YES"
ipv6_activate_all_interfaces="YES"
ifconfig_igb2_ipv6="inet6 2001:2::209 prefixlen 64"
ifconfig_igb3_ipv6="inet6 2001:2:0:8000::209 prefixlen 64"
ipv6_static_routes="generator receiver"
ipv6_route_generator="2001:2:: -prefixlen 49 2001:2::203"
ipv6_route_receiver="2001:2:0:8000:: -prefixlen 49 2001:2:0:8000::203"
static_ndp_pairs="generator receiver"
static_ndp_generator="2001:2::203 00:1b:21:c4:95:7a"
static_ndp_receiver="2001:2:0:8000::203 00:1b:21:c4:95:7b"

We start the first test by starting one packet generator at gigabit line-rate (1.488Mpps) the pkt-gen receiver output:

378.931863 main_thread [2514] 1.126 Mpps (1.127 Mpkts 541.181 Mbps in 1001661 usec) 10.97 avg_batch 1014 min_space
379.933862 main_thread [2514] 1.124 Mpps (1.126 Mpkts 540.628 Mbps in 1002000 usec) 10.79 avg_batch 1015 min_space
380.934863 main_thread [2514] 1.122 Mpps (1.123 Mpkts 539.050 Mbps in 1001000 usec) 10.87 avg_batch 1015 min_space
381.936861 main_thread [2514] 1.121 Mpps (1.123 Mpkts 539.214 Mbps in 1001999 usec) 10.94 avg_batch 1015 min_space
382.938075 main_thread [2514] 1.122 Mpps (1.123 Mpkts 539.200 Mbps in 1001213 usec) 11.11 avg_batch 1015 min_space
383.938862 main_thread [2514] 1.121 Mpps (1.122 Mpkts 538.636 Mbps in 1000788 usec) 11.26 avg_batch 1014 min_space
384.940861 main_thread [2514] 1.121 Mpps (1.123 Mpkts 539.078 Mbps in 1001999 usec) 11.40 avg_batch 1015 min_space
385.979862 main_thread [2514] 1.121 Mpps (1.165 Mpkts 558.969 Mbps in 1039001 usec) 11.38 avg_batch 1014 min_space
386.980862 main_thread [2514] 1.121 Mpps (1.122 Mpkts 538.379 Mbps in 1000999 usec) 11.69 avg_batch 1015 min_space
387.982862 main_thread [2514] 1.121 Mpps (1.123 Mpkts 539.269 Mbps in 1002001 usec) 12.01 avg_batch 1015 min_space
388.983863 main_thread [2514] 1.120 Mpps (1.121 Mpkts 538.263 Mbps in 1001000 usec) 12.33 avg_batch 1016 min_space
389.998864 main_thread [2514] 1.121 Mpps (1.138 Mpkts 546.116 Mbps in 1015001 usec) 11.92 avg_batch 1014 min_space

It's able to forward at about about 1.12 Mpps.

This test will generate 2000 different flows by using a mix of 20 different sources IP and 100 different destination IP.

Firewalls configurations used on github.

scale information about Gigabit Ethernet:

• 1.488Mpps is the maximum paquet-per-second (pps) rate with smallest 46 bytes packets.
• 81Kpps is the minimum pps rate with biggest 1500 bytes packets.

Intel NIC drivers are netmap ready… what's about the rate with the netmap's packet generator/receiver ?

As a receiver (the sender is emitting at 1.48 Mpps):

[root@BSDRP]~# pkt-gen -i igb2 -f rx -w 4
186.632724 main [1705] interface is igb2
186.632937 extract_ip_range [289] range is 10.0.0.1:0 to 10.0.0.1:0
186.632963 extract_ip_range [289] range is 10.1.0.1:0 to 10.1.0.1:0
186.957406 main [1896] mapped 334980KB at 0x801dff000
Receiving from netmap:igb2: 4 queues, 1 threads and 1 cpus.
186.957504 main [1982] Wait 4 secs for phy reset
190.958543 main [1984] Ready...
190.958678 nm_open [456] overriding ifname igb2 ringid 0x0 flags 0x1
190.958863 receiver_body [1238] reading from netmap:igb2 fd 4 main_fd 3
191.960540 main_thread [1502] 0 pps (0 pkts in 1001704 usec)
192.022046 receiver_body [1245] waiting for initial packets, poll returns 0 0
192.962539 main_thread [1502] 0 pps (0 pkts in 1001999 usec)
193.040557 receiver_body [1245] waiting for initial packets, poll returns 0 0
193.964552 main_thread [1502] 329506 pps (330169 pkts in 1002013 usec)
194.966546 main_thread [1502] 1488135 pps (1491104 pkts in 1001995 usec)
195.968552 main_thread [1502] 1488144 pps (1491128 pkts in 1002005 usec)
196.970547 main_thread [1502] 1488091 pps (1491060 pkts in 1001995 usec)
197.972545 main_thread [1502] 1488169 pps (1491142 pkts in 1001998 usec)
198.974550 main_thread [1502] 1488141 pps (1491125 pkts in 1002005 usec)
199.976507 main_thread [1502] 1488138 pps (1491052 pkts in 1001958 usec)
200.978546 main_thread [1502] 1488118 pps (1491151 pkts in 1002038 usec)
201.980545 main_thread [1502] 1488143 pps (1491118 pkts in 1001999 usec)
202.982551 main_thread [1502] 1488145 pps (1491130 pkts in 1002006 usec)
203.984386 main_thread [1502] 1488136 pps (1490867 pkts in 1001835 usec)
204.985545 main_thread [1502] 1488137 pps (1489862 pkts in 1001159 usec)
205.987544 main_thread [1502] 1488135 pps (1491110 pkts in 1001999 usec)
206.989545 main_thread [1502] 1488113 pps (1491091 pkts in 1002001 usec)
207.991543 main_thread [1502] 1488143 pps (1491116 pkts in 1001998 usec)
208.993545 main_thread [1502] 1488147 pps (1491126 pkts in 1002002 usec)
209.994551 main_thread [1502] 1488135 pps (1489632 pkts in 1001006 usec)
210.995544 main_thread [1502] 1488116 pps (1489595 pkts in 1000994 usec)
211.997543 main_thread [1502] 1488145 pps (1491120 pkts in 1001999 usec)
212.998542 main_thread [1502] 1488153 pps (1489638 pkts in 1000998 usec)

It support the maximum Ethernet frame rate (1.48Mpps) with netmap as a receiver.

As a packet generator:

[root@BSDRP]~# pkt-gen -i igb2 -f tx -w 4 -c 2 -n 80000000 -l 60 -d 2.1.3.1-2.1.3.20 -D 00:1b:21:d4:3f:2a -s 1.1.3.3-1.1.3.100
550.392443 main [1705] interface is igb2
550.392739 extract_ip_range [289] range is 1.1.3.3:0 to 1.1.3.100:0
550.392771 extract_ip_range [289] range is 2.1.3.1:0 to 2.1.3.20:0
550.717236 main [1896] mapped 334980KB at 0x801dff000
Sending on netmap:igb2: 4 queues, 1 threads and 2 cpus.
1.1.3.3 -> 2.1.3.1 (00:00:00:00:00:00 -> 00:1b:21:d4:3f:2a)
550.717342 main [1958] --- SPECIAL OPTIONS: copy

550.717352 main [1980] Sending 512 packets every  0.000000000 s
550.717361 main [1982] Wait 4 secs for phy reset
554.743524 main [1984] Ready...
554.743659 nm_open [456] overriding ifname igb2 ringid 0x0 flags 0x1
554.743854 sender_body [1064] start, fd 4 main_fd 3
555.753521 main_thread [1502] 1466573 pps (1480787 pkts in 1009692 usec)
556.754522 main_thread [1502] 1488145 pps (1489635 pkts in 1001001 usec)
557.756031 main_thread [1502] 1488145 pps (1490391 pkts in 1001509 usec)
558.756528 main_thread [1502] 1488112 pps (1488852 pkts in 1000497 usec)
559.757526 main_thread [1502] 1488130 pps (1489615 pkts in 1000998 usec)
560.759520 main_thread [1502] 1488142 pps (1491109 pkts in 1001994 usec)
561.761527 main_thread [1502] 1488130 pps (1491105 pkts in 1001999 usec)
562.763520 main_thread [1502] 1488135 pps (1491113 pkts in 1002001 usec)
563.764527 main_thread [1502] 1488119 pps (1489619 pkts in 1001008 usec)
564.766519 main_thread [1502] 1488164 pps (1491127 pkts in 1001991 usec)
565.768520 main_thread [1502] 1488116 pps (1491094 pkts in 1002001 usec)
566.770520 main_thread [1502] 1488151 pps (1491127 pkts in 1002000 usec)
567.771520 main_thread [1502] 1488112 pps (1489600 pkts in 1001000 usec)
568.773518 main_thread [1502] 1488140 pps (1491113 pkts in 1001998 usec)
^C568.885112 sigint_h [326] received control-C on thread 0x801806800
568.885184 sender_body [1162] flush tail 350 head 350 on thread 0x801806800
568.885222 sender_body [1170] pending tx tail 628 head 582 on ring 0
568.885280 sender_body [1170] pending tx tail 637 head 582 on ring 0
568.885315 sender_body [1170] pending tx tail 659 head 582 on ring 0
568.885393 sender_body [1170] pending tx tail 685 head 582 on ring 0
568.885450 sender_body [1170] pending tx tail 709 head 582 on ring 0
569.775515 main_thread [1502] 165737 pps (166068 pkts in 1001997 usec)
Sent 21022355 packets, 60 bytes each, in 14.15 seconds.
Speed: 1.49 Mpps Bandwidth: 713.30 Mbps (raw 998.62 Mbps)

No problem in this direction too: Gigabit line-rate is a piece of cake with netmap on this platform.