Suggestion for future firmware

[Jason Scott]

I wonder if it would be possible to add something like iperf to switch firmware, enabling users to run a performance test from the switch to a target ip address. This would be a great aid in baselining and testing the network without having to access or place an end point device at one end.

[Geir Olav Skei .]

Hi Jason,

I have to agree with you, this is a very good idea and a preformance tool would definitely be handy to have.

However, to get such a feature (or any other feature) implemented you have to go through ProCurve sales in your local country - and file something called an "Enhancement request" with them. The request in turn will be forwarded to the engineers dealing with implementation of new ideas and alike.

--Geir Skei

[Matt Hobbs · Accepted solution]

Being a sales driven process, it also helps if there is a large deal pending that requires such a feature.

For a feature like this I would imagine that it would take significant CPU performance which may not be available in many switches. It would also mean that you would have to address traffic to the switches IP address itself which would have be handled by its management CPU, very possibly causing a denial of service. This is why it's a good idea to keep your switches management address on a different VLAN or protected by an ACL.

There's a good free and simple program similar to iperf which is easier to implement on end nodes. Ixia Qcheck.

[Jason Scott]

Thanks, I'll look into it. I though the biggest issue would be processing power to run such a test, but I thought todays kit was pretty powerful? :)

[Richard Brodie_1]

"I thought todays kit was pretty powerful?"

It's the custom hardware that does most of the heavy lifting, not the management processor. You'ld never get the processor to sustain anything like the load the switch fabric is capable of.