How I tested

I evaluated the Shunra\Storm STX-100 by connecting the unit to a simple, three-system network. Using a combination of database and workflow load simulation tools (ADO Stress and MAPI Stress from the CSA Research Benchmark Studio platform), I observed the impact of changing network parameters on end-to-end transaction performance.

The test client systems were a pair of Pentium 4 PCs running Windows XP and Windows 2000 Professional, and the server system featured Windows Server 2003 running Microsoft SQL Server 2000.

Both clients were connected through the Storm STX-100 via the front-mounted 100Mbps Ethernet ports. A third control workstation, connected via the management port, was used to interface with the Storm STX-100 device management functions and run the StormConsole diagramming application. During testing, I changed network parameters on-the-fly and compared the results to those obtained after a full shutdown/reset to verify consistency. Overall, the solution worked as advertised and I encountered no significant configuration anomalies.