DNCA Throughput

The following components can affect how Unica DiscoverNetwork Capture Application processes hit data that is forwarded to the DNCA.

Note: Review the recommended DNCA requirements to optimize the performance of the DNCA.
Table 1. DNCA components and how each component affects performance
Component Affect on performance
Network interface cards (NICs)

The network interface card represents the upper limit of what a specific instance of the DNCA server can capture and process. For example, using NICs that are only capable of 100 megabits per second, limits the maximum throughput for a DNCA server. If 1 gigabit per second NICs are used, you can achieve up to 10 times more throughput.
CPU cores The DNCA benefits when installed on a server with eight or more CPUs. With extra available cores, you can install more instances of the Unica DiscoverNetwork Capture Application.
RAM More RAM on the DNCA server enables more resources for processing of captured data.
SSL Secure traffic is CPU-intensive and can have a large impact on overall throughput. For example, if a DNCA can handle 700 megabits per second of non-SSL traffic throughput, processing the same traffic over SSL might result in achieving only 70 megabits per second throughput.
Virtual environments

Your VMware virtual machine settings must be configured to meet the same operating system and hardware requirements as a physical server that is hosting Unica Discover DNCA. If the virtual machine does not meet the same requirements as a physical server, you might experience performance-related issues.

Limit throughput to no more than 500 Mbps. The Network Capture Application supports throughput for up to 500 Mbps. Environments with throughput rates greater than 500 Mbps can experience packet loss at the Network Capture Application.