Subject: Re: x86 Port outperforms SPARC64 port on NetBSD v2.0.2
To: Timo Schoeler <timo.schoeler@riscworks.net>
From: John Nemeth <jnemeth@victoria.tc.ca>
List: port-sparc64
Date: 10/05/2005 03:34:49
On Feb 25,  5:49am, Timo Schoeler wrote:
} Chris Fuhrman wrote:
} > 
} > If you do a lot of crypto, consider purchasing a Crypto accelerator
} > from Sun.  If you want to watch OpenSSH crawl, try logging into
} > something like a SPARCstation 2 ... it is an exercise in patience ;)
} 
} regarding the last paragraph in special, but it's also important to the 
} former ones: maybe the compiler is crucial? i.e. build NetBSD for your 
} SS2 with optimization flags and your SSH connection will significantly 
} speed up :)
} 
} so with bad compiler output (e.g. from gcc, even more w/o optimization) 
} compared to a surely good-optimizing gcc for i386, that's not very fair. 
} try to run the software on Solaris and build it with Sun compilers ;)

     Hmm, I've done it on Solaris, but using GCC.  It is very slow:

vtn1% time ssh vifa2 id
jnemeth@vifa2's password:
uid=139(jnemeth) gid=10(staff) groups=10(staff),0(wheel)
0.0u 0.0s 0:27 0% 0+0k 0+0io 0pf+0w

vifa2 is a Sparc IPX running SunOS 4.1.3 (aka Solaris 1.1.1).  Note
that it only took me a couple of seconds to enter my password.  Also,
it doesn't have a /dev/random, so it is using prng to generate random
numbers.  This adds to the speed penalty.  I am currently putting
together another box to replace it.

} however, yes, it's true -- SPARC is left behind in raw power, especially 
} compared to such nice beasts like POWER...

     How about things like USIII, especially the dual core stuff?  It
probably won't ever be the fastest, but current stuff should be pretty
decent.  It does have other important attributes, though.

}-- End of excerpt from Timo Schoeler