An Introduction to Performance Analysis
and SmartBits from Netcom Systems
Performance Analysis
SmartBits
Basic Setup Overview
Example #1
Example #2
Example #3

Performance Analysis

    Users, administrators, and designers of computer systems are all interested in performance evaluation, since their goal is to obtain or provide the highest performance at the lowest cost.  This goal has resulted in continuing evolution of higher performance and lower cost systems leading to today's proliferation of workstations and personal computers, many of which show better performance than earlier so-called super computers. (Jain)
    There are three techniques for performance evaluation are analytical modeling, simulation, and measurement.  There are many considerations that aid in determining the technique to be used such as time required, tools required, accuracy and more.  In the case of this experiment, since the SmartBits is a measurement tool, we will be using the measurement technique only.

Metrics - units for performance measurements such as throughput, delay, etc...
Parameters - list of system and workload characteristics that affect performance
Factors - the parameters that are to be varied to gauge affects on performance

Metrics
Throughput - measured in packets/sec or MB/sec
Delay - measured in nano-seconds per hop
Error Rate - measured in errors/sec
Time of Execution - time elapsed during execution

Parameters
Background Traffic - prefer isolated test network
Background Processes - may affect Router forwarding rates
Interference and Noise - mechanical, electrical, or magnetic
User Adjustable Factors

Factors
Packet Size - Ethernet varies from 64 -1500 bytes
Packet Rate - Speed at which packets are offered into the network in packets per second
Inter Packet Gap - delay time between offered packets


 
 
Performance Analysis
Smartbits
Basic Setup Overview
Example #1
Example #2
Example #3