The Network Processing Forum switch fabric benchmark specifications: an overview

The Network Processing Forum chartered a fabric benchmarking task group to establish a set of switch fabric benchmark specifications that allows the characterization of a wide range of switch fabrics for diverse networking applications. A unique characteristic of the benchmarks is their ability to produce comparable performance results for different switch fabrics, regardless of their underlying architecture and technology. This article provides an overview of the NPF fabric benchmark specifications by describing the various topics addressed by the standard as well as their potential impact.