Network Emulation, Delay Simulation, Bandwidth Emulator & WAN Simulation

VirtualNetTM GE - 10M/100M/1G Ethernet Network Emulator

Overview

VirtualNet-1G is a high-performance Network Emulator that replicates real world Ethernet network effects such as latency and errors on user traffic in a controlled environment. The VirtualNet-1G emulator uses customized ICs to support full line rate performance at all frame sizes and impairment settings. The emulator can be transparently installed in-line as shown in the diagram below. VirtualNet-1G emulator has an intuitive and easy to use GUI interface and a very powerful TCL based CLI to aid in configuration and testing.

Impairments

•Targeted Impairment

•Bandwidth Control

•Background Traffic

•Frame Drop

•Reorder/Duplication

•Data Corruption

•Data Modification

•L2/IP/TCP/UDP CRC Error

•L2/IP/TCP/UDP CRC Correction

•Delay/Jitter

•Layer1 BER

•Output (Laser) Disable

Features

Performance/Precision

Full line rate (2 Gbps) regardless of the incoming frame sizes, number of impairments, or the specified parameters for impairments. This is very important to run directed test-cases which create same exact impairment behavior every time. This ability is very critical when trying to address complex system interactions which are hard to reproduce.

Transparent Installation

Built-in traffic filter selectively sends user specified DUT traffic for testing while bypassing all other traffic without delay or other impairments. This traffic filter eliminates the need for a separate test-bed and enables in-line installations where normal (production) and DUT network traffic are co-mingled.

Ease of Use

VirtualNet-1G emulator has an intuitive and easy to use GUI interface and a very powerful TCL based CLI to aid in configuration and testing. Due to it's execution speed TCL provides much finer time control to run complex test scenarios.

Port Density

Simultaneous operation on Eight 1G ports or Four 1G+Two 10G ports is supported by single VirtualNet-1G chassis.

Real Time Statistics

Real time statistics for L1/L2 Errors, Interface Traffic and all random/target Impairments are available on GUI/TCL interface. Beyond that all stats can be logged to a CSV file for post-analysis.

Protocol Stack Parsing

Highly flexible protocol parser engine is key to the ease of use as it not only parses various protocol stacks but also identifies key fields in each protocol layer. This ability eliminates the need to calculate Layer 2 offsets for all the supported protocol fields. Additionally if user has a requirement for a specific protocol stack/protocol field than that can be added onto supported protocols as well. Included protocols: VLAN, MPLS, IPV4, IPV6, TCP, UCP, Custom

Target Impairments

Random testing alone is not sufficient for the root cause analysis . Ability to target specific frames for impairments is a key to validating product performance and optimization. VirtualNet-1G emulator is equipped with enhanced ability to target a specific frame using protocol and field drop downs. Various protocol field comparison (=, ?, =, =, Range, Out of Range) results can be combined together using AND/OR terms.

Impairment Duration

Impairments can be specified as having infinite as well as finite duration in units of Time, Frames, and Bytes.

Impairment Burst

Impairment burst allows user to control number of impaired frames every time a frame is selected for impairment. Overall impairment rate will be user configured rate.

Bandwidth Control

Precise emulation of link bandwidth from 1 Kb/s to 1 Gb/s with 0.5 Kb/s increments. VirtualNet-1G emulator controls bandwidth on per packet basis. This eliminates random bursts which may create unintended results.

Background Traffic

Background traffic and scheduling randomizes available BW (configured in BW control) for the DUT traffic. This emulates packet delay variation and queuing tail drop behavior seen in congested networks. User can specify Average and Peak rate for background traffic and it's priority with respect to user traffic.

Frame Drop

VirtualNet-1G emulator supports drop rate from 1E-7% (1E-9) to 100% on random/targeted frames. Supported distributions are Uniform, Periodic and Bursty. Bursty distribution maintains average drop rate but allows for peak drop rate as well to emulate congestion.

Reorder

Some of the common causes for reorder are route change and TCP retransmissions etc. VirtualNet-1G emulator supports block (up to 16KB) reorder as well as single packet reorder to emulate these types of network effects. Users can also specify the delay (Frame/Time based) from the reorder event to when reorder packets will be inserted back into DUT traffic. Targeted frames can be used to start the reorder.

Duplication

Some of the common causes for duplication are route change and TCP retransmissions etc. VirtualNet-1G emulator supports block (up to 16KB) duplication as well as single packet duplication to emulate these types of network effects. Users can also specify the delay (Frame/Time based) from the duplication event to when duplicated packets will be inserted back into DUT traffic. Additionally user can specify duplication count (1 to 255). Targeted frames can be used to start the duplication.

Data Corruption

VirtualNet-1G emulator supports data corruption rate of 1E-2 to 1E-12. Data corruption can be applied on complete frame or partial frame. Partial frame can be selected using easy to use protocol and field drop downs to identify the start and the end corruption locations. VirtualNet-1G emulator can correct L2/IP/TCP/UDP checksums based on user selection.

Data Modification

VirtualNet-1G emulator has 4 modification engines each capable of modifying 32 Bytes (total 256 bytes). Easy to use protocol and field drop downs allow user to select protocol field to be modified. Modification value can be PRBS, Invert or user entered value. User can also use mask to modify only partial field. VirtualNet-1G emulator can correct L2/IP/TCP/UDP checksums based on user selection.

CRC Errors

VirtualNet-1G emulator allows user to corrupt L2/IP/TCP/UDP header checksums for random/targeted frames.

Delay

VirtualNet-1G Emulator supports delay from 50us to 10sec with 8 ns accuracy/increments. User can specify fixed/variable delay distribution. In variable distribution user can enter min and max delay values. User can also specify Private, Managed and Shared WAN network profiles for variable delay distribution.

Layer1 Bit Errors

Layer1 bit errors create lossy link behavior. Bit errors are introduced just before data goes on the wire. User can specify rate from 1E-2 to 1E-12. User can also specify the burst length from 1 to 32767 bits.

Output (Laser) Disable

Unique control allows user to emulate plugging/unplugging of fiber or temporary loss of service without physically doing it. User can precisely control the laser off time. Time range is from 20 ms to 30 sec or infinite.

Dynamic impairment parameters

Impairment parameters can be changed during testing without disrupting traffic stream. VirtualNet-1G switches from one set of conditions to another on a single frame boundary without creating random/unintended intermediate network conditions.

Network Emulation Overview

1G Network Emulator

10G Network Emulator

SAN Emulator


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