Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sun-barr!olivea!uunet!fjcp60!brinkema
From: brinkema@fjc.GOV (John R. Brinkema)
Newsgroups: comp.benchmarks
Subject: network benchmark ...
Summary: What is around?
Keywords: network, benchmark, Novell
Message-ID: <423@fjcp60.GOV>
Date: 22 May 91 21:01:20 GMT
Distribution: comp
Organization: Federal Judicial Center, Washington, D.C.
Lines: 14

I need to compare a 'open' UNIX - tcp/ip network with a 'closed' Novell
network.  The reference point is the Novell and the workload that is
current on the Novell: file sharing, FoxBase 'db' sharing, printer sharing.
The Novell people claim to be able to easily support over 250 users (given the
appropriate server-box); at any rate they claim that given the *same* box a
Novell server will greatly out perform a UNIX - tcp/ip box.  I would like to
prove/disprove this and determine the outperformance factor.

Does anyone have any idea what a standard Novell user is (rel. the 250
users); anyone done similar testing? gone down this particular road in
hell?

ps. Yes, I know that Novell has a tcp/ip 'stack', but *their* point of
reference always seems to be IPX.     jb.