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Spirent TestCenter: How do I configure RFC 2544 test using TestCenter?

Answer

What is the RFC2544 test?

Tests based on RFC 2544, Benchmarking Methodology for Network Interconnect Devices.
The RFC 2544 with VLAN Network Device Benchmark Test Package is an essential tool enabling network testers to measure the performance of Layer 2 and Layer 3 switches and the networks on which they will be deployed. A component of the Spirent TestCenter, the test package provides a framework to test modern routing features within the guidelines of well-established standards.

How to configure a simple two port RFC2544 test?

  1. Reserve 2 ports using STC GUI
  2. Select RFC2544 Benchmarking test from Wizards
    enlightenedYou can can find RFC2544 test wizard under: Wizards  -> Benchmarking -> RFC 2544

  1. Select Test to Perform
  • Refer to RFC2544 Tests to a detail explanation about test cases you can select.
    • Back-to-Back Frames Test
    • Frame Loss Test
    • Latency Test
    • Throughput Test
    • RFC 5180 IPv6 Benchmarking Test
    • Reserve two ports
  1. Then continue through the Menus selecting required parameters:
  1. Select Ports
  2. Configure Endpoints
  3. Configure Traffic
IMPORTANT: There are two available options for Devices and streamblocks that will be used for these RFC2544 tests:
 
  1. (BEST OPTION yes) You can just run the RFC2544 Wizard and create Devices and StreamBlocks within the Wizard
  • That means you can just open STC GUI, reserve ports and then run RFC2544 Wizard and after Select Test and select ports:
    1. Configure Endpoints section will drive you to Devices creation
  1. Configure Traffic section will drive you to Streabmblock creation, you will have two options:
    1. Generate traffic based on configured end points
      • This option will create a streamblock automatically based on endpoints settings
      •  
    2. Use existing streamblocks or create new stream blocks for the test:
    • This option will allow you to configure/edit your stream options such as name, frame, frame size
 
OR,
 
  1. You can First Create Devices and StreamBlocks and use them in the Wizard
 
  1. Create Devices from All Devices section though Device wizard

 
  1. Create Streamblocks from all Stream Blocks section through Traffic Wizard
 
Once you have Devices / Streamblocks created, you will be able to select those devices / streamblocks from RFC 2544 - Wizard and use those to run your tests.
 
 
  1. Configure Test Options
  2. Throghput Parameters

We recommend use the GUI online Help to obtain instructions for RFC2544 Benchmark Testing, specially for Test Options available and Throughput Parameters:
 
Help -> Contents -> Benchmark Testing -> RFC 2544 Test Package ->
 
RFC 2544 Test Package
A configuration wizard simplifies the setup for RFC 2544 testing.
To run one or more RFC 2544 test:
1.     Complete port setup steps, including reserving ports. See Reserving and Configuring Ports. You can use ports from a connected chassis or offline ports.
2.     On the toolbar, click Wizards.
3.     Under Benchmarking, select RFC 2544 and click Next.
4.     Select Test. Select one or more RFC 2544 tests. Use the Reset button to reset the wizard to defaults at any time. The RFC-5180 IPv6 Benchmarking Test option is available for the Frame Loss, Latency and Throughput tests. Select Enable Traffic Group Test Options to use traffic groups in the test. Traffic groups are not compatible with RFC5180 IPV6 benchmarking. Selecting one disables the other.
5.     Select Ports
Select one or more ports to use for the test, or click the Select All button to choose all ports in the list.
6.     Configure Endpoints
This window shows a grid containing existing devices. Create devices if necessary by clicking Add to launch the Device Wizard. If necessary, configure other options in the additional tabs. If RFC-5180 is selected, configure both IPv4 and IPv6 endpoints.
Use the Edit Interface button to configure encapsulations.
7.     Configure Traffic Groups
Available when Enable Traffic Group Options is selected on the Select Test Step.
Click Add to create traffic groups. Traffic groups are created to characterize traffic, or stream blocks, between configured endpoints. A traffic group is characterized by a set of associated profiles, such as a service profile, frame size profile, burst size profile and traffic profile. Every traffic group is associated with one or more stream blocks.
8.     Configure Traffic or Configure IPv6 Traffic (if RFC-5180 is selected)
Note: When Enable Traffic Group Test Options is cleared on the Select Test step, Configuration Mode options are available at the top of the pane to either automatically create stream blocks based on endpoints or manually configure stream blocks.
When Enable Traffic Group Test Options is selected, only the Use existing stream blocks or create new stream blocks for the test method is available.
9.     Use existing stream blocks or create new stream blocks for the test: To configure traffic with more than one encapsulation type, manually create one or more stream blocks for each encapsulation using this option.
10. Generate traffic based on configured endpoints: To generate traffic based on configured endpoints, edit the parameters on the End Points tab and the IP Header tab.
11. Use existing stream blocks or create new stream blocks for the test: If you have previously created stream blocks using the Traffic Wizard, select the stream blocks you wish to use for the test. Otherwise, click Add to run the Traffic Wizard to create new stream blocks with the Traffic Wizard. Click Edit to modify an existing stream block with the Stream Block Editor. Click the Layer Fields tab to view the values of layer 2+ header fields. The fields on this tab are read-only. Use the Interface Editor to configure them.
12. Assign Stream Blocks:When Enable Traffic Group Options is selected on the Select Test step, an Assign Stream Blocks button is enabled to associate a traffic group with one or more stream blocks. Select one or more stream blocks in the left window (using Ctrl or Shift to select multiple rows) and one traffic group in the right window, and click Assign. To disassociate one or more stream blocks from a traffic group, select the stream blocks and click Unassign.
9.     Configure IPv4 Traffic. Available if RFC 5180 is selected in the Select Test step. Use the procedure in the Configure IPv6 Traffic step to configure IPv4 traffic. Create IPv4 traffic. Select Active to use an existing stream block or click Add to run the Traffic Wizard to create new stream blocks with the Traffic Wizard. Click Edit to modify an existing stream block with the Stream Block Editor.
10. Configure Test Options
See Optional Test Parameters for descriptions of the parameters.
11. IPv6 Test Parameters. Available if RFC 5180 is selected in the Select Test step. Configure the RFC 5180 test parameters.
12. Test-specific Parameters
Each test has a screen to set configurable parameters.
·         Back-To-Back Frames Test Parameters
·         Frame Loss Test Parameters
·         Latency Test Parameters
·         Throughput Test Parameters
13. Configure Traffic Group Profile Options
Available when Enable Traffic Group Options is selected on the Select Test step. A tab is available for each traffic group created in the Configure Traffic Groups step. For each tab, configure the traffic group parameters.
Click the Finish button at the bottom of the wizard to complete the test configuration. The wizard automatically adds the appropriate test command to the Command Sequencer. See Command Sequencer for RFC Tests for more information.
Execution
To run the test, either click the Run button at the bottom of the wizard or use the Command Sequencer.
Results
When the test has completed, Spirent TestCenter automatically launches the Results Reporter to display the test results. For descriptions of the results that Results Reporter displays for this test, see RFC Test Results.

Product : Benchmarking,Spirent TestCenter,RFC 2544