Abstract

3Com Corp. commissioned The Tolly Group to evaluate its EtherLink Server 10/100 PCI with 3 XP Processor, a Fast Ethernet server adapter outfitted with an onboard dedicated encryption co-processor, for throughput and CPU utilization in a variety of multi-adapter configurations in conjunction with an 800-MHz Compaq Corp. ML530 ProLiant dual-processor server running Microsoft Corp. Windows NT 4.0 or Windows 2000 Server. In addition, 3Com requested that The Tolly Group test Intel Corp.’s PRO/100 S Server Adapter, also a PCI-based Fast Ethernet server adapter, in the same set of tests. The Tolly Group quantified the performance and CPU efficiency characteristics of these adapters in 4-adapter link aggregation configurations with and without IPSec secure connections between clients and the server. Throughput and CPU consumption data were used, at 3Com’s request, to calculate the Ziff-Davis “Performance/Efficiency” score. For a detailed description of the interaction between The Tolly Group and Intel, see the Technical Support Diary.