cpu needed to NAT 45mbs

Thu Nov 8 19:56:58 UTC 2007

>From my experience, a fast P4 linux box with 2 good NICs can NAT 45Mbps easily.  I am NAT/PATing >4,000 desktops with extensive access control lists and no speed issues.  This isn't over a 45Mb T3--this is over 100 Mb Ethernet.

--Patrick Darden
--ARMC, Internetworking Manager

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-nanog at merit.edu [mailto:owner-nanog at merit.edu]On Behalf Of
Carl Karsten
Sent: Thursday, November 08, 2007 2:25 PM
To: nanog at merit.edu
Subject: cpu needed to NAT 45mbs

I do the networking in my house, and hang out with guys that do networking in 
small offices that have a few T1s.   Now I am talking to people about a DS3 
connection for 500 laptops*, and I am bing told "a p4 linux box with 2 nics 
doing NAT will not be able to handle the load."   I am not really qualified to 
say one way or the other.  I bet someone here is.

* for wifi, going to be using this system:
http://wavonline.com/vendorpages/extricom.htm
March 13-17 (testing a week or 2 before) for PyCon in Chicago.
If anyone wants to see it in action, etc.  drop me a line.

Carl K