Benchmarks compare networking performance

New networking benchmarks offer a chance to compare the 1.4GHz MPC7447A from Freescale Semiconductor with the 1GHz 750GX from IBM Microelectronics.

Providing system designers with their first opportunity to compare the performance of devices tested under its new networking benchmarks, the EEMBC has published its scores for the 1.4GHz MPC7447A from Freescale Semiconductor and the 1GHz 750GX from IBM Microelectronics.

The Freescale and IBM devices were tested against a new EEMBC Networking Version 2.0 benchmark suite that includes newly developed quality of service (QoS), IP packet check, IP reassembly, network address translation (NAT) and TCP benchmarks, as well as significantly enhanced versions of the existing OSPF and route lookup kernels.

For devices tested under this new benchmark suite, the previous single-number Netmark has been superseded by two new aggregate "mark" scores: the TCPmark and the IPmark.

The IPmark is the normalised geometric mean of benchmark kernels measuring device performance in Internet protocol (IP), QoS, and NAT tasks, while the TCPmark is the normalised geometric mean of kernels measuring the performance of the device in three network scenarios for handling TCP-layer traffic.

"These new EEMBC benchmarks offer some very interesting insights into the performance of processors used in a variety of networking equipment", said Linley Gwennap, founder and Principal Analyst at The Linley Group.

"To the extent that other suppliers follow the lead of Freescale and IBM in publishing scores based on the EEMBC Networking Version 2.0 benchmarks, network OEMs will have a very useful new tool in determining which processors are best for their applications".

In out-of-the-box tests against the new benchmarks using the identical compiler from Green Hills Software, the Freescale MPC7447A and IBM 750GX showed TCPmark scores of 819.8 and 467.1, respectively.

For the IP benchmarks, the Freescale MPC7447A and the IBM 750GX received IPmarks of 245.1 and 286.1, respectively.

"The differences in TCPmarks between the two processors points out the benefits of the MPC7447A's higher CPU clock speed and interaction with its AltiVec engine", said Markus Levy, EEMBC President.

"On the other hand, the difference in IPmarks points out the beneficial effects of the IBM device's larger L2 cache and faster memory bus".

EEMBC's Networking Version 2.0 benchmarks are the consortium's response to industry demands for benchmarks that represent device performance in networking applications ranging from high-end routers, gateways, and switches to home gateways and other client-side devices.

Compared with EEMBC's popular Networking Version 1.1 suite, the new Version 2.0 benchmarks involve a dramatic increase in the amount of data and number of transactions processed.

Additionally, they use data-generation techniques to simulate the handling of multiple users, one of the most important aspects of networking.

Detailed networking score reports on the Freescale MPC7447 and IBM 750GX are available for free download now from the EEMBC website.

Back to top