This section covers the performance and scale architecture of the VMware SD-WAN Edge. It provides recommendations based on tests conducted on the various Edges configured with specific service combinations. It also explains performance and scale data points and how to use them.
Introduction
The tests represent common deployment scenarios to provide recommendations that apply to most deployments. The test data herein are not all-inclusive metrics, nor are they performance or scale limits. There are implementations where the observed performance exceeds the test results and others where specific services, extremely small packet sizes, or other factors can reduce performance below the test results.
Customers are welcome to perform independent tests, and results could vary. However, recommendations based on our test results are adequate for most deployments.
VMware SD-WAN EdgeVMware SD-WAN Edges are zero-touch, enterprise-class appliances that provide secure optimized connectivity to private, public, and hybrid applications as well as compute and virtualized services. VMware SD-WAN Edges perform deep application recognition of traffic flows, performance metrics measurements of underlay transport and apply end-to-end quality of service by applying packet-based link steering and on-demand application remediation, in addition to supporting other virtualized network services.
Throughput Performance Test Topologies
Test Methodology
This subsection details the performance and scale test methodology used to derive the results.
Performance Test MethodologyThe testing methodology for Edges uses the industry benchmarking standard RFC 2544 as a framework to execute throughput performance testing. There are specific changes to the type of traffic used and configurations set during testing, described below:
- Performance is measured using a fully operational SD-WAN network overlay (DMPO tunnels) test topology in order to exercise the SD-WAN features and obtain results that can be used to appropriately size WAN networks. Testing is conducted using stateful traffic that establishes multiple flows (connections) and are a mix of well-known applications. The number of flows depends on the platform model being tested. Platforms are divided by expected aggregate performance of under 1 Gbps and over 1 Gbps models. Typically, hundreds of flows are needed to fully exercise and determine max throughput of platforms expected to perform under 1 Gbps, and thousands of flows are used to exercise platforms of over 1 Gbps.
The traffic profiles simulate two network traffic conditions:
- Large Packet, a 1300-byte condition.
- IMIX, a mix of packet sizes that average to a 417-byte condition.
These traffic profiles are used separately to measure maximum throughput per profile.
- Performance results are recorded at a packet drop rate (PDR) of 0.01%. The PDR mark provides a more realistic performance result which accounts for normal packet drop that may occur within the SD-WAN packet pipeline in the device. A PDR of 0.01% does not impact application experience even in single link deployment scenarios.
- The device under test is configured with the following DMPO features; IPsec encrypted using AES-128 and SHA1 for hashing, Application Recognition, link SLA measurements, per-packet forwarding. Business Policy is configured to match all traffic as bulk/low priority to prevent DMPO NACK or FEC from executing and incorrectly altering the traffic generator’s packet count tracking.
Test Results
VMware SD-WAN Edge Performance and Scale Results
Performance metrics are based on the Test Methodology detailed above.
Switched Port Performance: VMware SD-WAN Edges are designed to be deployed as gateway routers between the LAN and the WAN. However, the Edges also provide the flexibility of meeting a variety of other deployment topologies. For example, SD-WAN Edges can have their interfaces configured to operate as switched ports—allowing the switching of LAN traffic between various LAN interfaces without the need for an external device.
An Edge with its interfaces configured as switched ports is ideal for small office deployments where high throughput is not required, as the additional layer of complexity required to handle traffic switching reduces the overall performance of the system. For most deployments, VMware recommends using all routed interfaces.
- The Edge device's Maximum Throughput is the sum of throughput across all interfaces of the Edge under test.
- Overall traffic is the “aggregate” of all traffic flows going to and from an Edge device.
VMware SD-WAN Edge | 510, 510N | 510-LTE | 520 | 520V | 540 | 610, 610C, 610N | 610-LTE | 710-W |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Maximum Throughput Large Packet (1300-byte) | ||||||||
Routed Mode All Ports | 850 Mbps | 850 Mbps | 850 Mbps | 850 Mbps | 1.5 Gbps | 850 Mbps | 850 Mbps | 950 Mbps |
Maximum Throughput Internet Traffic (IMIX) | ||||||||
Routed Mode All Ports | 300 Mbps | 300 Mbps | 300 Mbps | 300 Mbps | 650 Mbps | 300 Mbps | 300 Mbps | 350 Mbps |
Routed Mode All Ports with Edge Intelligence activated. | 200 Mbps | 200 Mbps | 200 Mbps | 200 Mbps | 500 Mbps | 200 Mbps | 200 Mbps | 265 Mbps |
Routed Mode All Ports with IPS, Malicious IP Filtering, and Stateful Firewall activated. | 150 Mbps | 150 Mbps | 150 Mbps | 150 Mbps | 350 Mbps | 175 Mbps | 175 Mbps | 250 Mbps |
Routed Mode All Ports with Edge Intelligence, IPS, Malicious IP Filtering, and Stateful Firewall all activated. | 150 Mbps | 150 Mbps | 150 Mbps | 150 Mbps | 350 Mbps | 175 Mbps | 175 Mbps | 250 Mbps |
Other Scale Vectors | ||||||||
Maximum Tunnel Scale | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 100 | 50 | 50 | 50 |
Flows Per Second | 2,400 | 2,400 | 2,400 | 2,400 | 4,800 | 2,400 | 2,400 | 4,000 |
Flows Per Second with Edge Intelligence activated | 1,200 | 1,200 | 1,200 | 1,200 | 1,200 | 1,200 | 1,200 | 3,200 |
Maximum Concurrent Flows | 225K | 225K | 225K | 225K | 225K | 225K | 225K | 225K |
Maximum Concurrent Flows with Edge Intelligence activated. | 110K | 110K | 110K | 110K | 110K | 110K | 110K | 110K |
Maximum Concurrent Flows with IPS, Malicious IP Filtering, and Stateful Firewall activated. | 110K | 110K | 110K | 110K | 110K | 110K | 110K | 110K |
Maximum Concurrent Flows with Edge Intelligence, IPS, Malicious IP Filtering, and Stateful Firewall activated. | 110K | 110K | 110K | 110K | 110K | 110K | 110K | 110K |
Maximum Number of BGP Routes | 100K | 100K | 100K | 100K | 100K | 100K | 100K | 110K |
Maximum Number of Segments | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 |
Maximum Number of NAT Entries | 225K | 225K | 225K | 225K | 225K | 225K | 225K | 225K |
VMware SD-WAN Edge | 640, 640C, 640N | 680, 680C, 680N | 840 | 2000 | 3400, 3400C | 3800, 3800C | 3810 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Maximum Throughput Large Packet (1300-byte) | |||||||
Routed Mode All Ports | 5 Gbps | 8 Gbps | 6 Gbps | 15 Gbps | 10 Gbps | 15 Gbps | 15 Gbps |
Maximum Throughput Internet Traffic (IMIX) | |||||||
Routed Mode All Ports | 2 Gbps | 3 Gbps | 2 Gbps | 6 Gbps | 3.5 Gbps | 6.4 Gbps | 6.4 Gbps |
Routed Mode All Ports with Edge Intelligence activated. | 1 Gbps | 2 Gbps | 1.5 Gbps | 5 Gbps | 3 Gbps | 5 Gbps | 5 Gbps |
Routed Mode All Ports with IPS and Stateful Firewall activated. | 700 Mbps | 1.5 Mbps | 1 Gbps | 3.5 Gbps | 1.7 Gbps | 3.5 Gbps | 3.5 Gbps |
Routed Mode All Ports with Edge Intelligence, IPS, and Stateful Firewall all activated. | 600 Mbps | 1.5 Gbps | 800 Mbps | 3.5 Gbps | 2.5 Gbps | 4 Gbps | 4 Gbps |
Other Scale Vectors | |||||||
Maximum Tunnel Scale | 400 | 800 | 400 | 6,000 | 4,000 | 6,000 | 6,000 |
Flows Per Second | 19,200 | 19,200 | 19,200 | 38,400 | 38,400 | 38,400 | 38,400 |
Flows Per Second with Edge Intelligence activated | 9,600 | 9,600 | 9,600 | 19,200 | 19,200 | 19,200 | 19,200 |
Maximum Concurrent Flows | 1.9M | 1.9M | 1.9M | 3.8M | 1.9M | 3.8M | 3.8M |
Maximum Concurrent Flows with Edge Intelligence activated | 960K | 960K | 960K | 960K | 960K | 960K | 960K |
Maximum Number of Routes | 100K | 100K | 100K | 100K | 100K | 100K | 100K |
Maximum Number of Segments | 128 | 128 | 128 | 128 | 128 | 128 | 128 |
Maximum Number of NAT Entries | 650K | 650K | 650K | 960K | 960K | 960K | 960K |
- Large Packet performance is based on a large packet (1300-byte) payload with AES-128 encryption and DPI turned on.
- Internet Traffic (IMIX) performance is based on an average packet size of 417-byte payload with AES-128 encryption and DPI turned on.
- Edge Intelligence peformance numbers were measured with a 400-byte payload.
- IPS and Stateful Firewall performance numbers were measured using TREX setup with an average packet size of 400-bytes.
For example: Edge 1 with public WAN links A, B, C, and D connects to Edge 2 with public WAN links E, F, G, and H. Edge 1's WAN link A establishes a tunnel with each of Edge 2's WAN links E, F, G, and H for a total of 4 tunnels for WAN link A to Edge 2. And this follows for Edge 1's other WAN links B, C, and D. Each establishes tunnels with Edge 2's four public WAN links and so four WAN links with 4 tunnels each results in Edge 1 having 16 total tunnels to Edge 2. In this example, no additional tunnels can be established between the two Edges if an additional WAN link is added to either Edge as the maximum has been reached.
Edge Model | 520V | 620, 620C, 620N | 640, 640C, 640N | 680, 680C, 680N | 840 | 3400, 3400C | 3800, 3800C | 3810 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Max. Throughput with FW VNF (1300-byte) | 100 Mbps | 300 Mbps | 600 Mbps | 1 Gbps | 1 Gbps | 2 Gbps | 3 Gbps | 3 Gbps |
Edge Model | 510, 510N | 510-LTE | 520, 520v | 540 | 610, 610C, 610N | 610-LTE | 710-W |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Maximum Throughput (IMIX) Across Enhanced HA Link | 220 Mbps | 220 Mbps | 220 Mbps | 480 Mbps | 220 Mbps | 220 Mbps | 260 Mbps |
Edge Model | 640, 640C, 640N | 680, 680C, 680N | 840 | 2000 | 3400, 3400C | 3800, 3800C | 3810 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Maximum Throughput (IMIX) Across Enhanced HA Link | 1 Gbps | 2 Gbps | 1 Gbps | 4 Gbps | 2.5 Gbps | 5 Gbps | 5 Gbps |
- There is a performance impact of up to 20% when analytics are activated.
- Flow capacity is reduced by half when analytics are activated due to the additional memory and processing required for analysis.
Platform Independent Edge Scale Numbers
Feature | Supported Number | |
---|---|---|
IPv4 | IPv6 | |
Maximum number of Port Forwarding rules on a single segment | 128 | 128 |
Maximum number of Port Forwarding rules across 16 segments | 128 | 128 |
Maximum number of Port Forwarding rules across 128 segments | 128 | 128 |
Maximum number of Outbound Firewall Rules on a single segment | 2040 | 2040 |
Maximum number of Outbound Firewall Rules across 16 segments | 2040 | 2040 |
Maximum number of Outbound Firewall Rules across 128 segments | 2040 | 2040 |
Maximum number of 1:1 NAT rules on a single segment | 128 | 128 |
Maximum number of 1:1 NAT rules across 16 segments | 128 | 128 |
Maximum number of 1:1 NAT rules across 128 segments | 128 | 128 |
Maximum number of LAN side NAT rules on a single segment | 256 | - |
Maximum number of LAN side NAT rules across 16 segments | 256 | - |
Maximum number of LAN side NAT rules across 128 segments | 256 | - |
Maximum number of Object Groups (1000 business policies, each business policy assigned to one object group, each object group supports 255 address groups) | 1000 | 1000 |
Virtual Edge
Edge Device | Maximum Throughput | Maximum Number of Tunnels | Flows Per Second | Maximum Concurrent Flows | Maximum Number of Routes | Maximum Number of Segments | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ESXi Virtual Edge (2-core, VMXNET3) | 1.5 Gbps (1300-byte) 900 Mbps (IMIX) |
50 | 2400 | 240K | 35K | 128 | |
KVM Virtual Edge (2-core, Linux Bridge) | 800 Mbps (1300-byte) 250 Mbps (IMIX) |
50 | 2400 | 240K | 35K | 128 | |
KVM Virtual Edge (2-core, SR-IOV) | 1.5 Gbps (1300-byte) 900 Mbps (IMIX) |
50 | 2400 | 240K | 35K | 128 | |
ESXi Virtual Edge (4-core, VMXNET3) | 4 Gbps (1300-byte) 1.5 Gbps (IMIX) |
400 | 4800 | 480K | 35K | 128 | |
ESXi Virtual Edge (4-core, SR-IOV) | 5 Gbps (1300-byte) 1.5 Gbps (IMIX) |
400 | 4800 | 480K | 35K | 128 | |
KVM Virtual Edge (4-core, Linux Bridge) | 1 Gbps (1300-byte) 350 Mbps (IMIX) |
400 | 4800 | 480K | 35K | 128 | |
KVM Virtual Edge (4-core, SR-IOV) | 4 Gbps (1300-byte) 1.5 Gbps (IMIX) |
400 | 4800 | 480K | 35K | 128 | |
ESXi Virtual Edge (8-core, VMXNET3) | 6 Gbps (1300-byte) 2 Gbps (IMIX) |
800 | 28800 | 1.9M | 35K | 128 | |
ESXi Virtual Edge (8-core, SR-IOV) | 6 Gbps (1300-byte) 3 Gbps (IMIX) |
800 | 28800 | 1.9M | 35K | 128 | |
KVM Virtual Edge (8-core, SR-IOV | 6.5 Gbps (1300-byte) 3.2 Gbps (IMIX) |
800 | 28800 | 1.9M | 35K | 128 |
2 vCPU | 4vCPU | 8vCPU | 10vCPU | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Minimum Memory (DRAM) | 8 GB | 16 GB | 32 GB | 32 GB |
Minimum Storage | 8 GB | 8 GB | 16 GB | 16 GB |
Supported Hypervisors | Software version 4.0 and above:
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Supported Public Cloud | AWS, Azure, GCP, and Alibaba | |||
Support Network I/O | SR-IOV, VirtIO, VMXNET3 | |||
Recommended Host Settings | CPUs at 2.0 GHz or higher CPU configuration:
VMware ESXi required settings:
|
Public Cloud
AWS Instance Type | c5.large | c5.xlarge | c5.2xlarge | c5.4xlarge |
---|---|---|---|---|
Maximum Throughput | 100 Mbps (1300-byte) 50 Mbps (IMIX) |
200 Mbps (1300-byte) 100 Mbps (IMIX) |
1.5 Gbps (1300-byte) 450 Mbps (IMIX) |
4 Gbps (1300-byte) 1 Gbps (IMIX) |
Maximum Tunnels | 50 | 400 | 800 | 2,000 |
Flows Per Second | 1,200 | 2,400 | 4,800 | 9,600 |
Maximum Concurrent Flows | 125,000 | 250,000 | 550,000 | 1.9M |
Maximum Number of Routes | 35,000 | 35,000 | 35,000 | 35,000 |
Maximum Number of Segments | 128 | 128 | 128 | 128 |
Azure VM Series | D2d v4 | D4d v4 | D8d v4 | D16d v4 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Maximum Throughput | 100 Mbps (1300-byte) 50 Mbps (IMIX) |
200 Mbps (1300-byte) 100 Mbps (IMIX) |
1 Gbps (1300-byte) 450 Mbps (IMIX) |
1 Gbps (1300-byte) 450 Mbps (IMIX) |
Maximum Tunnels | 50 | 400 | 800 | 2000 |
Flows Per Second | 1,200 | 2,400 | 4,800 | 4,800 |
Maximum Concurrent Flows | 125,000 | 250,000 | 550,000 | 550,000 |
Maximum Number of Routes | 35,000 | 35,000 | 35,000 | 35,000 |
Maximum Number of Segments | 128 | 128 | 128 | 128 |
Azure VM Series | Ds3 v2 | Ds4 v2 | Ds5 v2 | D4d v5 | D8d v5 | D16d v5 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Maximum Throughput | 2.5 Gbps (1300-byte) 1.5 Gbps (IMIX) |
5.3 Gbps (1300-byte) 2.7 Gbps (IMIX) |
6.5 Gbps (1300-byte) 3.1 Gbps (IMIX) |
4.5 Gbps (1300-byte) 1.3 Gbps (IMIX) |
6.3 Gbps (1300-byte) 2.7 Gbps (IMIX) |
6.4 Gbps (1300-byte) 2.9 Gbps (IMIX) |
Maximum Tunnels | 400 | 800 | 2000 | 400 | 800 | 2000 |
Flows Per Second | 2,400 | 4,800 | 4,800 | 2,400 | 4,800 | 4,800 |
Maximum Concurrent Flows | 250,000 | 550,000 | 550,000 | 250,000 | 550,000 | 550,000 |
Maximum Number of Routes | 35,000 | 35,000 | 35,000 | 35,000 | 35,000 | 35,000 |
Maximum Number of Segments | 128 | 128 | 128 | 128 | 128 | 128 |
- Azure Accelerated Networking is supported only from release 5.4.0.
- Accelerated Networking is supported only on Connect-X4 and Connect-X5 NICs.
GCP Instance Type | n2-highcpu-4 | n2-highcpu-8 | n2-highcpu-16 |
---|---|---|---|
Maximum Throughput | 850 Mbps (1300-byte) 500 Mbps (IMIX) |
4.5 Gbps (1300-byte) 1.6 Gbps (IMIX) |
6.5 Gbps (1300-byte) 1.9 Gbps (IMIX) |
Maximum Tunnels | 50 | 400 | 800 |
Flows Per Second | 1,200 | 2,400 | 4,800 |
Maximum Concurrent Flows | 125,000 | 250,000 | 550,000 |
Maximum Number of Routes | 35,000 | 35,000 | 35,000 |
Maximum Number of Segments | 128 | 128 | 128 |
Use of DPDK on VMware SD-WAN Edges
To improve packet throughput performance, VMware SD-WAN Edges take advantage of Data Plane Development Kit (DPDK) technology. DPDK is a set of data plane libraries and drivers provided by Intel for offloading TCP packet processing from the operating system kernel to processes running in user space and results in higher packet throughput. For more details, see https://www.dpdk.org/.
Edge hardware models 620 and higher and all virtual Edges use DPDK by default on their routed interfaces. Edges do not use DPDK on their switched interfaces. A user cannot activate or deactivate DPDK for an Edge interface.