Cisco Cisco 5520 Wireless Controller Libro bianco
Cisco vs Aruba Wireless Controllers
7
DR150602D
Copyright © Miercom 2015
18 June 2015
4 - Throughput
Test Objective
To compare the throughputs supported by the Cisco and Aruba Wireless Controllers, with each
other and with their network-connectivity bandwidths.
other and with their network-connectivity bandwidths.
How We Did It
We compared the throughput of two Wireless Controllers with 20 Gbps of network-connectivity
bandwidth – the Cisco 5520 and the Aruba 7210 – and then two Wireless Controllers with 40
Gbps of network-connectivity bandwidth – the Cisco 8540 and the Aruba 7240.
A Spirent test system was used to deliver traffic simulating the flows of multiple simultaneous
wireless clients. The Spirent sent the test data through a Nexus 7000 switch to the Cisco
controller being tested over multiple interfaces. The controller then sent the data back through
the switch to eight simulated APs and out to their simulated clients, which returned it through
the Cisco controller back to the Spirent test system where throughput was carefully measured.
We lacked the facility to simulate APs and clients on the Aruba controllers, as this protocol is
proprietary. Subsequently, raw throughput traffic for the given number of clients was generated
by the Spirent system and sent through the switch to the Aruba controller being tested, which
returned the data back to the Spirent system.
The Spirent system adjusted traffic levels to determine maximum throughput for a specific packet
size, before loss occurred. A more real-world mixture of packets, called IMIX, which comprised
60 percent of 64-byte packets, 25 percent of 594-byte packets and 15 percent of 1,518-byte
packets. The test bed for the throughput tests is shown below.
bandwidth – the Cisco 5520 and the Aruba 7210 – and then two Wireless Controllers with 40
Gbps of network-connectivity bandwidth – the Cisco 8540 and the Aruba 7240.
A Spirent test system was used to deliver traffic simulating the flows of multiple simultaneous
wireless clients. The Spirent sent the test data through a Nexus 7000 switch to the Cisco
controller being tested over multiple interfaces. The controller then sent the data back through
the switch to eight simulated APs and out to their simulated clients, which returned it through
the Cisco controller back to the Spirent test system where throughput was carefully measured.
We lacked the facility to simulate APs and clients on the Aruba controllers, as this protocol is
proprietary. Subsequently, raw throughput traffic for the given number of clients was generated
by the Spirent system and sent through the switch to the Aruba controller being tested, which
returned the data back to the Spirent system.
The Spirent system adjusted traffic levels to determine maximum throughput for a specific packet
size, before loss occurred. A more real-world mixture of packets, called IMIX, which comprised
60 percent of 64-byte packets, 25 percent of 594-byte packets and 15 percent of 1,518-byte
packets. The test bed for the throughput tests is shown below.
Source: Miercom June 2015