Data Center Benchmarking Terminology
RFC 8238
Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) L. Avramov
Request for Comments: 8238 Google
Category: Informational J. Rapp
ISSN: 2070-1721 VMware
August 2017
Data Center Benchmarking Terminology
Abstract
The purposes of this informational document are to establish
definitions and describe measurement techniques for data center
benchmarking, as well as to introduce new terminology applicable to
performance evaluations of data center network equipment. This
document establishes the important concepts for benchmarking network
switches and routers in the data center and is a prerequisite for the
test methodology document (RFC 8239). Many of these terms and
methods may be applicable to network equipment beyond the scope of
this document as the technologies originally applied in the data
center are deployed elsewhere.
Status of This Memo
This document is not an Internet Standards Track specification; it is
published for informational purposes.
This document is a product of the Internet Engineering Task Force
(IETF). It represents the consensus of the IETF community. It has
received public review and has been approved for publication by the
Internet Engineering Steering Group (IESG). Not all documents
approved by the IESG are a candidate for any level of Internet
Standard; see Section 2 of RFC 7841.
Information about the current status of this document, any errata,
and how to provide feedback on it may be obtained at
http://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc8238.
Avramov & Rapp Informational [Page 1]
RFC 8238 Data Center Benchmarking Terminology August 2017
Copyright Notice
Copyright (c) 2017 IETF Trust and the persons identified as the
document authors. All rights reserved.
This document is subject to BCP 78 and the IETF Trust's Legal
Provisions Relating to IETF Documents
(http://trustee.ietf.org/license-info) in effect on the date of
publication of this document. Please review these documents
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include Simplified BSD License text as described in Section 4.e of
the Trust Legal Provisions and are provided without warranty as
described in the Simplified BSD License.
Avramov & Rapp Informational [Page 2]
RFC 8238 Data Center Benchmarking Terminology August 2017
Table of Contents
1. Introduction ....................................................4
1.1. Requirements Language ......................................5
1.2. Definition Format ..........................................5
2. Latency .........................................................5
2.1. Definition .................................................5
2.2. Discussion .................................................7
2.3. Measurement Units ..........................................7
3. Jitter ..........................................................8
3.1. Definition .................................................8
3.2. Discussion .................................................8
3.3. Measurement Units ..........................................8
4. Calibration of the Physical Layer ...............................9
4.1. Definition .................................................9
4.2. Discussion .................................................9
4.3. Measurement Units ..........................................9
5. Line Rate ......................................................10
5.1. Definition ................................................10
5.2. Discussion ................................................10
5.3. Measurement Units .........................................11
6. Buffering ......................................................12
6.1. Buffer ....................................................12
6.1.1. Definition .........................................12
6.1.2. Discussion .........................................14
6.1.3. Measurement Units ..................................14
6.2. Incast ....................................................15
6.2.1. Definition .........................................15
6.2.2. Discussion .........................................15
6.2.3. Measurement Units ..................................16
7. Application Throughput: Data Center Goodput ....................16
7.1. Definition ................................................16
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