Test Results
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We collected four types of benchmark results in ixChariot: straight cable, point-to-point, bi-directional and mesh. The straight cable results were gathered by connecting the server and client to each other with a patch cable, thus excluding a switch. Point-to-point results were generated by connecting the server and client to each switch and passing information from the server to the client. Bi-directional testing involved connecting the server and client to the switch, and passing data between both at the same time. Mesh testing results came from running the point-to-point test, while also adding three other machines that simultaneously generate traffic to saturate the switch.
In theory, a 1Gb/s connection should be able to move 1 Gb/s. In the real world, however, hardware, software and environmental variables limit maximum performance. A straight cable naturally performs best since there's nothing in the middle to affect the results.
Once you add a switch the mix, you see that Netgear's GS308 beats out the competition in most disciplines. Amped's G8SW takes second place, most notably posting lower mesh and bi-directional results.
Our numbers demonstrate minimal differences between the three switches, except when you get to the mesh metric. Even then, you wouldn't notice that delta in a real-world setting.
Despite fairly consistent response times across all three switches, the Netgear GS308 switch technically take first place. Amped Wireless' G8SW posts a good result as well, but cannot match Netgear's GS308 or ZyXEL's GS-108B.
