dperf is a high-performance network load testing tool based on DPDK that generates traffic and measures network performance from a single server.
The tool addresses the need for efficient network performance testing by leveraging DPDK to bypass the kernel networking stack. This approach enables a single x86 server to generate massive traffic volumes, achieving tens of millions of HTTP connections per second, hundreds of gigabits per second throughput, and billions of concurrent connections. The tool provides real-time statistics including connections per second, transactions per second, packets per second, packet drops, socket errors, and HTTP status counts, with visibility into every packet drop or error.
dperf suits organizations testing Layer 4 load balancers, gateways, and cloud infrastructure. It works well for network performance benchmarking, evaluating NIC and CPU packet processing capabilities, and scenarios requiring a high-performance HTTP server or client. The tool's ability to sustain high performance with moderate CPU usage makes it practical for production-grade testing environments where traditional kernel-based tools would be insufficient.
The project maintains active development with regular updates to its codebase and documentation. Contributions are actively welcomed through a defined contribution process. The project includes a granted patent covering its testing methodology, indicating substantial technical innovation in the network testing domain.
