[LARTC] Hardware reqs for 10Mbps forwarding and shaping.

[LARTC] Hardware reqs for 10Mbps forwarding and shaping.

[Cameron Kerr]

Greetings.

Environment:
	50ish client PCs running Windows XP
	10Mbps internet connection
	Primary application is internet gaming and some web browsing.

I would like to create a Linux based solution which would provide
network monitoring services, and traffic shaping to prioritise
interactive traffic.

What kind of hardware would I need to use to be able to forward at
10Mbps, with low latency? Has anyone done such a demanding chore with
LARTC?

Ideally I'd like to use a bridged solution, so if it screws up, the user
can simply unplug the cables, and join then with a cable joiner. Is this
just asking for trouble? I know I would have to use 2.5.47???, which I'm
not really familiar with, how stable is 2.5 ATM?

I also have a query about scheduling. I'm thinking that it would be
unwise to use things like preemptive scheduling, since that's more for
user-space apps, not kernel ops. Am I right in thinking this?

Many thanks. I'm trying out LARTC with an old 4/66, but installing takes
bloody ages (Debian)

-- 
Cameron Kerr
Email:   cameron.kerr@paradise.net.nz
Website: http://nzgeeks.org/cameron/

_______________________________________________
LARTC mailing list / LARTC@mailman.ds9a.nl
http://mailman.ds9a.nl/mailman/listinfo/lartc HOWTO: http://lartc.org/

Re: [LARTC] Hardware reqs for 10Mbps forwarding and shaping.

[Stef Coene]

On Tuesday 15 April 2003 14:12, Cameron Kerr wrote:
> Greetings.
>
> Environment:
> 	50ish client PCs running Windows XP
> 	10Mbps internet connection
> 	Primary application is internet gaming and some web browsing.
>
> I would like to create a Linux based solution which would provide
> network monitoring services, and traffic shaping to prioritise
> interactive traffic.
>
> What kind of hardware would I need to use to be able to forward at
> 10Mbps, with low latency? Has anyone done such a demanding chore with
> LARTC?
The hardware depends on how many active classes you will have and how 
complicated your filter rules are.  I once create a few 1000 active classes 
on a 486 shaping 10Mbit and the box survived it.  The filter rules where very 
simple.

> Ideally I'd like to use a bridged solution, so if it screws up, the user
> can simply unplug the cables, and join then with a cable joiner. Is this
> just asking for trouble? I know I would have to use 2.5.47???, which I'm
> not really familiar with, how stable is 2.5 ATM?
You can use kernel 2.4.20 and configure it as bridge.  If you want to control 
the traffic, you also need ebtables (this is iptables for a brdige).

> I also have a query about scheduling. I'm thinking that it would be
> unwise to use things like preemptive scheduling, since that's more for
> user-space apps, not kernel ops. Am I right in thinking this?
Yes (I think).

> Many thanks. I'm trying out LARTC with an old 4/66, but installing takes
> bloody ages (Debian)
Or install it on a fast pc and switch the disks.  Works great :)

Stef

-- 

stef.coene@docum.org
 "Using Linux as bandwidth manager"
     http://www.docum.org/
     #lartc @ irc.oftc.net

_______________________________________________
LARTC mailing list / LARTC@mailman.ds9a.nl
http://mailman.ds9a.nl/mailman/listinfo/lartc HOWTO: http://lartc.org/

Re: [LARTC] Hardware reqs for 10Mbps forwarding and shaping.

[Jay Wineinger]

> > Ideally I'd like to use a bridged solution, so if it screws up, the user
> > can simply unplug the cables, and join then with a cable joiner. Is this
> > just asking for trouble? I know I would have to use 2.5.47???, which I'm
> > not really familiar with, how stable is 2.5 ATM?
> You can use kernel 2.4.20 and configure it as bridge.  If you want to
control
> the traffic, you also need ebtables (this is iptables for a brdige).

I was under the impression that you didnt NEED ebtables for qos as you can
just shape on both interfaces involved in the bridge and use tc filters for
matching packets. Please correct me if Im wrong.

jay

_______________________________________________
LARTC mailing list / LARTC@mailman.ds9a.nl
http://mailman.ds9a.nl/mailman/listinfo/lartc HOWTO: http://lartc.org/

Re: [LARTC] Hardware reqs for 10Mbps forwarding and shaping.

[Jay Wineinger]

> > Ideally I'd like to use a bridged solution, so if it screws up, the user
> > can simply unplug the cables, and join then with a cable joiner. Is this
> > just asking for trouble? I know I would have to use 2.5.47???, which I'm
> > not really familiar with, how stable is 2.5 ATM?
> You can use kernel 2.4.20 and configure it as bridge.  If you want to
control
> the traffic, you also need ebtables (this is iptables for a brdige).

I was under the impression that you didnt NEED ebtables for qos as you can
just shape on both interfaces involved in the bridge and use tc filters for
matching packets. Please correct me if Im wrong.

jay

_______________________________________________
LARTC mailing list / LARTC@mailman.ds9a.nl
http://mailman.ds9a.nl/mailman/listinfo/lartc HOWTO: http://lartc.org/

Re: [LARTC] Hardware reqs for 10Mbps forwarding and shaping.

[Stef Coene]

On Tuesday 15 April 2003 15:55, Jay Wineinger wrote:
> > > Ideally I'd like to use a bridged solution, so if it screws up, the
> > > user can simply unplug the cables, and join then with a cable joiner.
> > > Is this just asking for trouble? I know I would have to use 2.5.47???,
> > > which I'm not really familiar with, how stable is 2.5 ATM?
> >
> > You can use kernel 2.4.20 and configure it as bridge.  If you want to
>
> control
>
> > the traffic, you also need ebtables (this is iptables for a brdige).
>
> I was under the impression that you didnt NEED ebtables for qos as you can
> just shape on both interfaces involved in the bridge and use tc filters for
> matching packets. Please correct me if Im wrong.
Indeed.  You don't need it.  But it can be handy if you want to mark the 
packets and use the fw filter.

Stef

-- 

stef.coene@docum.org
 "Using Linux as bandwidth manager"
     http://www.docum.org/
     #lartc @ irc.oftc.net

_______________________________________________
LARTC mailing list / LARTC@mailman.ds9a.nl
http://mailman.ds9a.nl/mailman/listinfo/lartc HOWTO: http://lartc.org/