FTB-860 NetBlazer Series - Ethernet testers

Setting a new GUI standard: unprecedented simplicity in configuration setup and navigation

Intelligent situational configuration setup

• Guides technicians through complete, accurate testing processes (suggestion prompts, help guides, etc.)
• Reduces navigation by combining associated testing functions on a single screen
• Intelligent autodiscovery allows a single technician to perform end-to-end testing

Dedicated quick-action buttons

• Remote discovery to find all the other EXFO units
• Laser on/off
• Test reset to clear the results and statistics while running a test
• Report generation
• Save or load test configurations
• Quick error injection

Assorted notifications

• Clear indication of link status for single or dual ports
• Negotiated speed display for single or dual ports
• Optical power status available at all times for single or dual ports
• Pass/fail indication at all times for all tests

Streamlined navigation

• Remote discovery button available at all times; no reason to leave your current location to scan for a remote unit
• Testing status can be maximized to fill the entire screen by simply clicking on the alarm status button; whether the unit is in your hand or across the room, test results can be easily determined with a simple glance at the display screen
• RFC 2544 configuration is maximized in a single page; no need to navigate through multiple screens to configure individual subtests
• RFC 2544 results and graphs are also maximized in a single page; no need to navigate through multiple screens to view individual RFC subtest results

Rapid, accurate test results at your fingertips

Intelligent network Discovery Mode

Using any NetBlazer series test set, you can single-handedly scan the network and connect to any available EXFO datacom remote tester. Simply select the unit to be tested and choose whether you want traffic to be looped back via Smart Loopback or Dual Test Set for simultaneous bidirectional EtherSAM and RFC 2544 results. No more need for an additional technician at the far end to relay critical information—the NetBlazer products take care of it all.

Smart loopback flexibility

The Smart Loopback functionality has been enhanced to offer five distinct loopback modes. Whether you are looking to pinpoint loopback traffic from a UDP or TCP layer, or all the way down to a completely promiscuous mode (Transparent Loopback mode), NetBlazer has the flexibility to adjust for all unique loopback situations.

Global pass/fail analysis

The NetBlazer series provides real-time pass/fail status via text or icons. Clicking on the pass/fail indicator maximizes this important status to full screen, providing instant, easily understood notification of whether the unit is in the technician’s hands or across the room.

VLAN/MPLS

Today's networks are expected to deliver high performance. To match such high expectations, service providers must rely on various mechanisms, such as Ethernet tagging, encapsulation and labeling. Thanks to these additions, service providers can enhance security, scalability, reliability and performance. The NetBlazer series supports virtual local area network (VLAN) tags, Q-in-Q VLAN tags and multiprotocol label switching (MPLS).

Traffic generation

Unparalleled analog visual gauges combined with user-defined thresholds show instantaneously whether or not the test traffic is in or out of expected ranges.

Additionally, bandwidth and frame size can be modified on-the-fly without navigating away to a different page, giving technicians instantaneous reaction on the gauges. Traffic generation brings together over 10 critical stats in a very visual and organized fashion, ensuring that technicians can quickly and easily interpret the outcome of the test.

Multistream configuration

Configuring multiple streams with proper CoS and QoS bits can be a complex task. NetBlazer makes it simpler, with all streams easily selectable and configurable from one location. With large icons located throughout the stream pages, configuration becomes as simple as a touch of a finger. Technicians can define one configuration profile and apply it to all the background streams simultaneously. From there, it is just a matter of making slight tweaks as needed rather than complete configuration profiles per stream.

Dual-Port and Through Mode testing

The NetBlazer series is equipped for both Through mode or dual-port testing. Through mode allows traffic to pass through either of the NetBlazer's two electrical or optical ports for in-service troubleshooting of live traffic between the carrier/service provider network and the customer's network. This allows technicians to access circuits under test without the need for a splitter. With dual-port testing, the technician can use a single NetBlazer module to launch the test and perform the loopback. With two NetBlazer series modules, the dual-port feature also enables users to run two simultaneous tests to maximize time and efficiency.

Supporting 10 Gigabit Ethernet

The 10 Gigabit Ethernet interface is available in both 10 GigE LAN and 10 GigE WAN modes via a single SFP+ transceiver. All Ethernet testing applications—from BER testing to the full EtherSAM suite—are available for both IPv4 and IPv6. Unique to the 10 GigE WAN interface is the ability to send and monitor SONET/SDH J0/J1 traces and the path signal label (C2). The WAN interface can also monitor SONET and SDH alarms and errors.

EtherSAM: the new standard in Ethernet testing

RFC 2544 used to be the most widely used Ethernet testing methodology. However it was designed for network-device testing in the lab, not for service testing in the field. ITU-T Y.1564 is the new standard for turning up and troubleshooting Carrier Ethernet services. It has a number of advantages over RFC 2544, including validation of critical SLA criteria, such as packet jitter and QoS measurements. This methodology is also significantly faster, therefore saving time and resources while optimizing QoS.

EXFO’s EtherSAM test suite—based on the ITU-T Y.1564 Ethernet service activation methodology—provides comprehensive field testing for mobile backhaul and commercial services.

Contrary to other methodologies, EtherSAM supports new multiservice offerings. It can simulate all types of services that will run on the network and simultaneously qualify all key SLA parameters for each of these services. Moreover, it validates the QoS mechanisms provisioned in the network to prioritize the different service types, resulting in better troubleshooting, more accurate validation and much faster deployment. EtherSAM is comprised of two phases, the service configuration test and the service performance test.

Service configuration test

The service configuration test consists of sequentially testing each service. It validates that the service is properly provisioned and that all specific KPIs or SLA parameters are met. A ramp test is performed to verify the committed information rate (CIR), excess information rate (EIR) and traffic policing.

Service performance test

Once the configuration of each individual service is validated, the service performance test simultaneously validates the quality of all the services over time.

EtherSAM bidirectional results

EXFO’s EtherSAM approach proves even more powerful as it executes the complete ITU-T Y.1564 test with bidirectional measurements. Key SLA parameters are measured independently in each test direction, thus providing 100 % first-time-right service activation—the highest level of confidence in service testing.

FTTA testing

The times are constantly changing and the telecommunications industry is rapidly evolving to keep pace. This is especially true when it comes to mobile network operators (MNOs) and the delivery of their services. Bandwidth-hogging applications like high-definition TV, media-rich content and interactive mobile applications are being introduced at an ever-increasing rate. The wireless infrastructure has to be modernized to keep up with the continuous, high bandwidth growth and to minimize latency. To meet these expectations, MNOs are now switching their infrastructures from legacy "copper to antenna" to fiber-to-the-antenna (FTTA). With the introduction of FTTA, MNOs can offer better performance with lower base-station costs. One key component of evolving to FTTA requires the addition of either the common public radio interference (CPRI) or the open base station architecture initiative (OBSAI).

Incorporating either CPRI or OBSAI, the actual base stations can be located in much less challenging locations, where size, climate and availability of power are much more easily managed. In addition, wireless network providers can maximize the base-station output by having multiple antennas per offsite base station.

With the NetBlazer series of modules, field techs can perform FTTA tests (CPRI or OBSAI). Whether the need is for 2.5 or 3.1 Gbit/s, the NetBlazer modules can perform a BER test that validates the fiber from the remote base station all the way to the remote radio head.

Efficiently assessing performance of Fibre Channel services

The NetBlazer Series modules provide comprehensive testing capabilities for Fibre Channel network deployments, supporting multiple Fibre Channel interfaces.

Applications

Since most storage area networks (SANs) cover large distances, and because Fibre Channel has stringent performance requirements, it is imperative to test at each phase of network deployment to ensure appropriate service levels. EXFO’s NetBlazer series modules provide full wire-speed traffic generation at the FC-2 layer, which allows BER testing for link integrity measurements. The NetBlazer series also supports latency, buffer-to-buffer credit measurements for optimization as well as login capabilities.

Latency

Transmission of frames in a network is not instantaneous, and is subject to multiple delays caused by the propagation delay in the fiber and by the processing time inside each piece of network equipment. Latency is the total accumulation of delays between two end points. Some applications, such as VoIP, video and storage area networks, are very sensitive to excess latency.

It is therefore critical for service providers to properly characterize network latency when offering Fibre Channel services. The NetBlazer series modules estimate buffer-to-buffer credit value requirements from the performed latency measurement.

Buffer-to-buffer credit estimation

In order to regulate traffic flow and congestion, Fibre Channel ports use “buffers” to temporarily store frames. The number of frames a port can store is referred to as a “buffer credit”. Each time a frame is received by a port, an acknowledgement frame is sent. The buffer-to-buffer credit threshold refers to the amount of frames a port can transmit without receiving a single acknowledgement.

This is a crucial configuration parameter for optimal network performance. Usually, network administrators calculate the value by taking the traveled distance and the data rate into consideration; however, since latency issues are not considered, poor accuracy is to be expected. The NetBlazer series modules are capable of estimating buffer credit values with respect to latency by calculating the distance according to the round-trip latency time. This value can then be used by network administrators to optimize the network configuration.

Login testing

Most new-generation transport devices (xWDM or SONET/SDH mux) supporting Fibre Channel are no longer fully transparent; they also have increased built-in intelligence, acting more as Fibre Channel switches. With switch fabric login ability, the NetBlazer series modules support connections to a remote location through a fabric or semitransparent network.

The login process not only permits the unit to connect through a fabric, but it also exchanges some of the basic port characteristics (such as buffer-to-buffer credit and class of service) in order to efficiently transport the traffic through the network.

The login feature allows automatic detection of port/fabric login, login status (successful login, in progress, failure and logout) and response to remote buffer-to-buffer advertised credit.

EXFO Connect

EXFO Connect pushes and stores test equipment and test data content automatically in the cloud, allowing you to streamline test operation from build-out to maintenance.

EXpert Test Tools

EXpert Test Tools is a series of platform-based software testing tools that enhance the value of the FTB-1 platform, providing additional testing capabilities without the need for additional modules or units.