Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!swrinde!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!lll-winken!sun-barr!newstop!eastapps!bodleian!geoff From: geoff@bodleian.East.Sun.COM (Geoff Arnold @ Sun BOS - R.H. coast near the top) Newsgroups: comp.protocols.tcp-ip.ibmpc Subject: Re: packet drivers losing packets or getting confused? Message-ID: <5426@eastapps.East.Sun.COM> Date: 9 Apr 91 20:32:19 GMT References: <17713@uudell.dell.com> <1991Apr6.173657.47299@cc.usu.edu> Sender: news@East.Sun.COM Reply-To: geoff@east.sun.com (Geoff Arnold @ Sun BOS - R.H. coast near the top) Organization: Sun Microsystems PC-NFS Engineering Lines: 23 Quoth jrd@cc.usu.edu (in <1991Apr6.173657.47299@cc.usu.edu>): # Heavy traffic is kind of vague. I have no trouble monitoring with #either package when the packet rate reaches 500 pkts/sec around here, on #a WD8003E board in a Dell 310 386-20. As we know only too well, real SUN #machines are reputed to shorten the normal small breathing space #between packets to a smidgeon, and hence the reputation SUN machines have. #If this were the case then it is possible to overwhelm a regular Ethernet #board with too many back to back SUN style packets, especially with a #slower monitoring system. Example: WD8003E board in a NetWare 3.10a server #using a 386/SX-16 and a dozen SUNs on the same side of the bridge zaps the #board a couple of times per day; the SUNs were doing NFS and X for EE CAD #things. However let me emphasize that this stuff about Suns is simply an old rumor... it's not true, never was true. We use LANCEs and 82586s just like everyone else, we don't play with their clocks... WD8003Es fall over all the time under load, and not just from Suns. -- Geoff Arnold, PC-NFS architect, Sun Microsystems. (geoff@East.Sun.COM) -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ -- Sun Microsystems PC Distributed Systems ... -- -- ... soon to be a part of SunTech (stay tuned for details) --