Abstract

Extreme Networks, Inc. commissioned The Tolly Group to benchmark the performance of its BlackDiamond 6808 Switch configured with 48 fiber Gigabit Ethernet ports. Extreme Networks requested that The Tolly Group measure the BlackDiamond 6808 switch for Layer 3 throughput and latency in a full-mesh configuration and compare the results to those of a Cisco Systems, Inc. Catalyst 6509 switch with 256 Gigabit Crossbar Fabric, also with 48 ports in a full-mesh configuration. The Catalyst 6509 was tested in two configurations-with Cisco=s WSX-6816 Module with Fabric Enabled with Distributed Fiber Card (DFC) and with Cisco's WSX-6516 Module with Fabric Enabled without DFC. The Extreme switch has a total of 10 slots and the Catalyst 6509 has 9 slots. Even though both Cisco configurations were able to support more than 48 Gigabit ports per system, only a 1300-watt power supply was available, so tests were limited to 48 Gigabit ports. Extreme Networks also requested that The Tolly Group calculate the cost-per-Gigabit for the systems under test as well as document other cost of ownership issues related to the systems under test.

Test Highlights: The Extreme BlackDiamond 6808 delivered 100% of theoretical max. throughput with 64-byte frames across 48 GbE ports, compared to Cisco's 69% with its Distributed Forwarding Card (DFC) and 33% without the DFC. Extreme showed 100% zero-loss throughput in full-mesh tests of 1,518-byte packets across 48 GbE ports compared to the Cisco Catalyst 6509 that delivered 89% of line-rate traffic tests with DFC and 53% of line-rate traffic in tests without DFC. Extreme demonstrated a latency of 28 microseconds in tests of 64-byte packets at zero loss and 100% load compared to the Cisco Catalyst 6509 with a latency of 15 microseconds at zero loss and 1,295 microseconds at 100% load. Extreme delivers a cost-per-Gigabit that is 201% less than the Catalyst 6509 outfitted with a DRC and 380% less than the Catalyst 6509 without DFC in tests of 1,518-byte packets.