IQS-8510B Packet Blazer - Ethernet test module

Interfaces

Traffic generation

• IPv6 testing
• Throughput, back-to-back (burst), latency and frame loss measurement as per RFC 2544 (bidirectional results available through dual test set)
• Multistream traffic generation and advanced filtering capability for in-depth troubleshooting
• Q-in-Q capability for up to three layers of stacked VLANs
• IEEE 802.1 p/Q framing capability to test RFC 2544 in a layer 2 VLAN environment
• Dual port capabilities for simultaneous traffic generation and analysis at 100 % wire speed at any packet size
• EtherBERT™ for bit-error-rate testing of Ethernet devices and systems
• True wire-speed and stateful TCP throughput testing

Additional analysis

• UDP, TCP and IP header integrity validation
• Service disruption time (SDT) measurements
• IPTV testing and analysis
• Packet jitter measurement (IP packet-delay variation as per RFC 3393) to qualify Ethernet equipments for transmission of delay-sensitive traffic such as VoIP and video

Management protocols

• PBB-TE and MPLS support for Carrier Ethernet
• Ethernet in the First Mile 802.3ah OAM testing

User interface

• Easy-to-use smart user interface (SUI) for configuration screens, customization of test suites, reporting on real-time and historical performance
• Expert mode capability to set test thresholds for clear pass/fail test results
• Remote control capability through the Visual Guardian Lite and VNC software

EtherSAM: the new standard in Ethernet testing

ITU-T Y.1564 is the new standard for turning up and troubleshooting Carrier Ethernet services. This methodology is completely adapted to today’s Ethernet services especially mobile backhaul and commercial services. Up to now, RFC 2544 has been the most widely used methodology. However, it was designed for network device testing in the lab, not for services testing in the field. ITU-T Y.1564 is the first testing standard developed for the field. It has a number of advantages over the 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.

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 more accurate validation and much faster deployment and troubleshooting. EtherSAM is comprised of two phases, the service configuration test and the service performance test.

Service configuration test

The service configuration test consists in 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 and a burst test are performed to verify the committed information rate (CIR), excess information rate (EIR), committed burst size (CBS) and excess burst size (EBS).

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—that is the highest level of confidence in service testing.

Ethernet performance validation

Throughput

Throughput is the maximum rate at which none of the offered frames are dropped by the device under test (DUT) or network under test (NUT). For example, the throughput test can be used to measure the rate-limiting capability of a switch. The throughput is essentially equivalent to the bandwidth.

RFC 2544 test suite

The IQS-8510B Packet Blazer can perform the RFC 2544 test suite for 10/100/1000Base-T and optical 100 Mbit/s GigE interfaces at all frame sizes and at full line rate, allowing the provider to certify that the circuit is efficient and error-free at 100 % utilization.

The Packet Blazer supports automated RFC 2544 testing, which helps ensure repeatable results. Automation also provides ease of use for technicians by enabling accurate, efficient measurements and results through a clear and simple pass/fail indication.

Burst (back-to-back)

In this test, fixed-length frames are presented at a rate such that there is the minimum legal separation for a given medium between frames over a configurable period of time, starting from an idle state. The back-to-back value is the number of frames in the longest burst that the DUT/NUT will handle without the loss of any frames.

Frame loss

Frame loss is the percentage of frames that should have been forwarded by a network device under steady state (constant) loads that were not forwarded due to lack of resources. This measurement can be used in reporting the performance of a network device in an overloaded state. This can be a useful indication of how a device would perform under pathological network conditions such as broadcast storms.

Latency

Round-trip latency is the time it takes a bit (cut-through devices) or a frame (store and forward devices) to come back to its starting point. Variability of latency can be a problem. With technologies like voice and video-over-IP, a variable or long latency can cause significant degradation in quality.

TCP throughput

The Internet protocol (IP) and transmission control protocol (TCP) together form the essence of TCP/IP networking. While IP deals with the delivery of packets, TCP provides the integrity and assurance that the data packets transmitted by one host are reliably received atthe destination. Applications such as hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP), e-mail or file transfer protocol (FTP) depend on TCP as their delivery assurance mechanism within networks.

Customers deploying such applications expect not only physical and link-level SLAs from their service providers, but assurance that their TCP traffic requirements will be supported across the network. The TCP throughput feature on the Packet Blazer™ offers Ethernet service providers the capability of measuring and validating that the services offered to their customers support the TCP traffic performance they expect.

MPLS, MPLS-TP and PBB-TE: carrier Ethernet transport solution testing

Service providers worldwide are evolving their transport infrastructures to support bandwidth- and quality-intensive services such as voice and video. Network equipment providers must therefore offer IP convergence equipment to the edge/metro networks in a cost-effective and quality-assured manner. Ethernet has long been accepted as an inexpensive, scalable data networking solution in LAN environments. The stringent QoS expectations require solutions that tap into the cost-effectiveness of Ethernet without sacrificing the benefits of connection-oriented (albeit it costly) TDM solutions such as SONET/SDH.

Ethernet tunneling technologies such as Provider Backbone Bridge-Traffic Engineering or PBB-TE (also referred to as PBT) and transport MPLS address these requirements. These technologies enable connection-oriented Ethernet, providing carriers with a means of offering scalable, reliable and resilient Ethernet services. The PBB-TE and MPLS options on the IQS-8510B Packet Blazer offers a comprehensive tool to efficiently qualify Ethernet services from end-to-end, validating metro and core tunneling technologies.

Ethernet advanced troubleshooting

The IQS-8510B provides a number of advanced features essential for in-depth troubleshooting. The advanced filtering option allows the user to configure up to ten filters—each with up to four operands—which will be applied to the received Ethernet traffic. Detailed statistics are available for each configured filter, providing the user with critical information required to pinpoint specific problems. Additionally, the IQS-8510B supports a traffic scan feature that allows quick identification and monitoring of VLAN and MPLS flows on the network. This can help clearly identify top bandwidth users.

The IQS-8510B also supports full-line-rate data capture and decode. This key troubleshooting tool enables field technicians to easily identify complex network issues. The comprehensive capture feature includes the capability to configure capture filters and triggers to quickly zero-in on network events.

IPTV testing and analysis

The IPTV software option, available on the IQS-8510B, leverages the current frame-analysis engine, delivering high performing measurement capabilities and providing users with over 35 different IPTV metrics and statistics. The key features and capabilities provided with this software option include RFC 4445 media delivery index (MDI)*, TR 101 290 priority 1 metrics, in addition to program clock reference jitter, IGMP support, stream rate and bandwidth utilization on 100 simultaneous MPEG-2, MPEG-4 or VC-1 streams. Usability features include user-configurable alarm thresholds for MDI and other selected metrics, enabling customizable test sequences as well as an auto-stream detection capability that automatically discovers valid IPTV streams within the Ethernet layer. Additionally, stream IP addresses can be linked to a user-definable stream name through an alias table typically containing the name of the broadcast channel.

The combination of an IQS platform and the IQS-8510B Packet Blazer with the IPTV software option offers service providers the most effective tool to quickly and efficiently test and monitor IPTV streams over their network. For more information on the IQS-8510B Packet Blazer IPTV option, please refer to the IPTV Test Option specification sheet.

* The MDI feature of the IPTV software option is not available in the USA.

EtherBERT™

Since the transparent transport of Ethernet services over physical media is becoming common, Ethernet is increasingly carried across a variety of layer 1 media over longer distances. This creates a growing need for the certification of Ethernet transport on a bit-per-bit basis, which can be done using bit-error-rate testing (BERT).

BERT uses a pseudo-random binary sequence (PRBS) encapsulated into an Ethernet frame, making it possible to go from a frame-based error measurement to a bit-error-rate measurement. This provides the bit-per-bit error count accuracy required for the acceptance testing of physical-medium transport systems. BERT-over-Ethernet should usually be used when Ethernet is carried transparently over layer 1 media, in cases such as Ethernet over DWDM, CWDM or dark fiber.

Ethernet QoS measurements

Data services are making a significant shift toward supporting a variety of applications on the same network. Multiservice offerings such as triple-play services have fuelled the need for QoS testing to ensure the condition and reliability of each service. The IQS-8510B Packet Blazer allows simultaneous simulation and qualification of different applications through its multistream application. The user has the capability to configure up to ten streams with different Ethernet and IP QoS parameters such as VLAN ID (802.1Q), VLAN Priority (802.1p), VLAN stacking (802.1ad Q-in-Q), ToS and DSCP. Specific stream profiles to transmit VoIP, video and data can be selected for each stream. Throughput, latency, frame loss and packet jitter (RFC 3393) measurements are also available simultaneously for each stream, allowing fast and in-depth qualification of performance criteria.

Fibre Channel network integrity testing

EXFO’s IQS-8510B Packet Blazer module also supports comprehensive Fibre Channel testing.

Interfaces

This module supports the following Fibre Channel interfaces:

Applications

Since most storage area networks cover large distances and Fibre Channel has stringent performance attributes that must be respected, testing at each phase of network deployment is imperative to ensure appropriate service levels. EXFO’s IQS-8510B Fibre Channel option provides full wire-speed traffic generation at FC-0, FC-1 and FC-2 logical layers, allowing BER testing for link integrity measurements. Latency, buffer-to-buffer credit measurements for optimization, and login capabilities are also supported.

Buffer-to-buffer credit estimation

Buffer-to-buffer credits are part of the flow control engine for Fibre Channel connections. 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 IQS-8510B module is capable of estimating buffer-to-buffer credit values with respect to latency by calculating the distance according to the round-trip latency time.

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 processing time inside each piece of network equipment. Latency is the total accumulation of delays between two endpoints. 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. From the latency measurement that they perform, the IQS-8510B Packet Blazer estimates buffer-to-buffer credit value requirements.

Efficient testing leads to reliable performance

Remote management

The Visual Guardian Lite™ remote management software, supported on all the Transport Blazer and Packet Blazer modules, provides the user with a remote connection to the instrument’s graphical user interface (GUI). This identical view of the GUI is supported on any Windows-based workstation and allows for simplified remote testing and data analysis, as well as remote monitoring. Up to five simultaneous Visual Guardian Lite sessions can be supported per test module via a standard Ethernet connection to the platform. For remote testing applications, the Visual Guardian Lite software must be ordered separately.

Automated test scripting

All Packet Blazer modules support SCPI-compliant commands. The IQS-8510B Packet Blazer comes with a built-in macro-recorder, which allows users to easily record their test actions and automatically create test scripts; this also enables them to build standard test routines that can easily be accessed and run by technicians with little or no manual intervention. The Packet Blazer test modules include an extensive SCPI command set for automating test cases and routines using a GPIB or LAN interface. Complete documentation and technical support is provided to facilitate the integration of the instrument into your application.

Test logger and reporting

EXFO’s IQS-8510B Packet Blazer module supports a detailed test logger and test reporting tools, enabling users to view any errors/alarms that occurred during the test interval, which can then be used for post-processing of results or SLA conformance validation.

IQS-600 integrated qualification system

The IQS-8510B Packet Blazer modules are housed in the IQS-600 Integrated Qualification System, a scalable modular rack-mount platform that is comprised of a controller, expansion units and a comprehensive range of plug-in test modules—ideal for manufacturing, lab and R&D environments. The IQS-600 platform offers up to ten slots, which can support any combination of modules from EXFO’s full range of industry-proven protocol and optical test modules. Systems can be expanded to support up to 100 test modules. The IQS-600 family is comprised of the IQS-610P (a ten-slot control unit that can support up to nine IQS-610E ten-slot expansion units), and the IQS-605P (a five-slot control unit with an integrated touch screen). Combined with the built-in IQS Manager software, the IQS-600 platform provides an easy-to-use environment to manage your modules, configure your system, launch applications and analyze results. The IQS-600 can be controlled using local applications or through GPIB, RS-232 or Ethernet interfaces.