End-System (Host) Tuning

This section contains hints for tuning end systems (hosts) for maximum performance.

• Considerations for sizing TCP buffers
• Tuning hints for specific Operating Systems:
  • BSD
  • Linux (Interface queue lengths)
  • MacOS/X
  • Solaris
  • MS-Windows
• Implications of Host architecture (e.g., Bus architecture and performance)
• Scaling servers for many connections and high throughput
• Adapters and Drivers
  • Large-Send Offload (LSO)
  • Interrupt Coalescence (or "Interrupt Moderation")
  • Checksum Offload
  • TCP Offload Engines (TOEs)

References

• Enabling High Performance Data Transfers - System Specific Notes for System Administrators (and Privileged Users), Web page edited by Matt Mathis and Raghu Reddy (PSC). Covers performance basics and includes tuning hints for many Unix variants as well as Windows.
• TCP Tuning Guide, by Brian L. Tierney (LBNL). A short guide on TCP buffer tuning, with specific sections on Linux, FreeBSD, and Solaris.
• Unix IP Stack Tuning Guide by Rob Thomas (Team Cymru). Slightly dated but compact and covering many Unix variants.
• Wikipedia article: <i>TCP Tuning</i>

-- Main.SimonLeinen - 31 Oct 2004 - 23 Jul 2009

– Main.PekkaSavola - 17 Nov 2006