RFC 3511 (rfc3511) - Page 1 of 34

Benchmarking Methodology for Firewall Performance

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Network Working Group                                         B. Hickman
Request for Comments: 3511                        Spirent Communications
Category: Informational                                        D. Newman
                                                            Network Test
                                                             S. Tadjudin
                                                  Spirent Communications
                                                               T. Martin
                                                     GVNW Consulting Inc
                                                              April 2003


           Benchmarking Methodology for Firewall Performance

Status of this Memo

   This memo provides information for the Internet community.  It does
   not specify an Internet standard of any kind.  Distribution of this
   memo is unlimited.

Copyright Notice

   Copyright (C) The Internet Society (2003).  All Rights Reserved.

Abstract

   This document discusses and defines a number of tests that may be
   used to describe the performance characteristics of firewalls.  In
   addition to defining the tests, this document also describes specific
   formats for reporting the results of the tests.

   This document is a product of the Benchmarking Methodology Working
   Group (BMWG) of the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF).

Table of Contents

   1. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  2
   2. Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  2
   3. Scope  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  3
   4. Test setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  3
      4.1 Test Considerations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  4
      4.2 Virtual Client/Servers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  4
      4.3 Test Traffic Requirements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  5
      4.4 DUT/SUT Traffic Flows. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  5
      4.5 Multiple Client/Server Testing . . . . . . . . . . . . .  5
      4.6 Network Address Translation (NAT). . . . . . . . . . . .  6
      4.7 Rule Sets. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  6
      4.8 Web Caching. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  6
      4.9 Authentication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  7



Hickman, et al.              Informational
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