Does the fxp driver encryption offload?

youngadmin · Dec 28, 2006, 4:10 AM

Hi all. I've been taking a look at the Intel PRO/100 S dual port server adapters.
http://www.intel.com/network/connectivity/products/pro100dport_adapter.htm
I'm planning to use a few of them to manage 4 WAN connections.

One of the features listed is encryption offload. I read somewhere that the fxp drivers support checksum offloading, (sorry, can't find the link) but would it support encryption offloading, or is this feature only available in Windows installations? If it is supported, does anyone have an idea of the performance boost for IPSec?

Thanks for listening.

sullrich · Dec 28, 2006, 4:57 AM

No, I don't think those bits exist in FreeBSD but I could be wrong about this one.

billm · Dec 28, 2006, 5:50 PM

@youngadmin:

Hi all. I've been taking a look at the Intel PRO/100 S dual port server adapters.
http://www.intel.com/network/connectivity/products/pro100dport_adapter.htm
I'm planning to use a few of them to manage 4 WAN connections.

One of the features listed is encryption offload. I read somewhere that the fxp drivers support checksum offloading, (sorry, can't find the link) but would it support encryption offloading, or is this feature only available in Windows installations? If it is supported, does anyone have an idea of the performance boost for IPSec?

Thanks for listening.

Unless FreeBSD see's this as a crypto accelerator (I'm reasonably confident it doesn't), then you won't get any crypto help. Even if it did, you'd only get the increase of one crypto board, not the cumulative total of all boards. You're better off with a dedicated crypto board or a VIA CPU with their built in crypto.

–Bill