Quote:
Originally Posted by pawaan
I mean network scalability
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Here are a couple of factors:
- The feature set of the NIC's hardware, & the matching software driver both determine basic throughput. Not all hardware is alike, & not all driver implementations exploit the underlying chips to their fullest potential. If you are looking for the "best" performance, study the archives of the project mailing lists to find the developer's opinions.
- Secondly, other optimizations to the network stack fall under the purview of the operating system itself. Issues such as how network packets are traced through kernel code influence performance.
For most desktop-level hardware, NIC choice & driver issues are critical. Operating system design choices don't typically enter the picture until gigabit NIC's are involved
(ie. enterprise level).