Tuning mbuf pool performance

The network subsystem uses a memory management facility that revolves around a data structure called an mbuf.

Mbufs are mostly used to store data in the kernel for incoming and outbound network traffic. Having mbuf pools of the right size can have a positive effect on network performance. If the mbuf pools are configured incorrectly, both network and system performance can suffer. The upper limit of the mbuf pool size, which is the thewall tunable, is automatically determined by the operating system, based on the amount of memory in the system. As the system administrator, only you can tune the upper limit of the mbuf pool size.