Best in Test Finalists: Protocol analyzers

-- Test & Measurement World, 12/22/2008 2:00:00 AM

→ IxYukon Load Module, Ixia
→ N5309A-COM Compliance Assured Test Package, Agilent Technologies
→ TestCenter 3000 Series Module, Spirent Communications
→ Xgig FCoE Test Platform, Finisar

IxYukon Load Module
Ixia
www.ixiacom.com

With 96 10GbE ports in a 10U rack-mount module, the IxYukon XM load module offers service providers a high-density Layer 2–7 IP test tool for their 10-GbE (Gigabit Ethernet) networks. The 96-port configuration provides four times the port density of the nearest competitor, according to Ixia, while a 16-port model allows portability.

IxYukon enables providers to realistically test 10-GbE devices and networks with high-powered CPUs and extensive memory per port. Leveraging Ixia's converged testing applications, IxYukon tests networking functions at scale, including switching, routing, VPN, and application performance.

IxYukon's scalability and price minimizes capital expenditure by eliminating the need for multiple systems. Additionally, IxYukon generates and analyzes up to 1 million flows/port for real-time latency, inter-arrival time, packet loss, and data integrity. It requires one-quarter the laboratory space, one-half the power consumption, and lower heat generation than other testing solutions, claims Ixia.

For network equipment manufacturers and carriers, IxYukon supports the design and evaluation testing of infrastructure and services within 10-GbE networks. IxYukon ensures QoE by generating real-world traffic, emulating video, data, and voice, and allowing providers to see how they run before deployment.

The load module costs $36,000/port.

N5309A-COM Compliance Assured Test Package
Agilent Technologies
www.agilent.com

Testing protocol stack implementations in PCI Express used to be a long-term project with exerciser tools, analyzer tools, and a team of designers manually analyzing protocol analyzer traces against the standards. Validating the PCI Express 2.0 protocol just got easier with the Compliance Assured Test Package.

This suite of 180 tests automatically generates different conditions to test branches of the protocol implementation. At the end of the test, a color-coded summary report gives you an overview of percentage pass/fail as well as a detailed report for each test case to ensure you can further troubleshoot the issue at hand.

Even though the PCI-SIG offers compliance testing, the SIG compliance tests only cover a small subset of the standard. While the SIG tests are important for interoperability, they do not address the full range of test cases that customers are looking for. Agilent says that with 180 test cases, the Compliance Assured Test Package takes a big step forward, compared to what is available on the market today, to give designers the confidence that their design is within the protocol specifications.

The N5309A-COM PCI Express Compliance Assured Test Package costs $16,000.

TestCenter 3000 Series Module
Spirent Communications
www.spirentcom.com

Today’s high-density enterprise routers and switches are multifunctional with advanced security features and application awareness. Testing with upper-layer protocols for data, video, and voice becomes essential to improve the quality of these products. The TestCenter 3000 Series module offers Layer 2–7 testing at line rate through a single 1-GigE (Gigabit Ethernet) port. It delivers both the performance and the highest port density possible at the 1-GigE line rate, says Spirent, to ensure realistic emulation and validation of real-world network traffic.

TestCenter comprises hardware and software that accelerate conformance, functional, and performance testing in converging networks. Port densities range from two ports to 144 ports in a single chassis. Each port can generate realistic traffic at different layers and analyze specific metrics for each layer. TestCenter modules can simultaneously correlate data plane tests with control plane traffic, such as routing, to provide the most realistic performance measurements.

With the Spirent TestCenter, engineers can characterize complex user experience scenarios at line rate while leveraging the benefits of a system that accommodates comprehensive routing and a mix of access protocols on a single platform. Users have a comprehensive set of run-time results that they can use to troubleshoot performance issues. (See related article, "Spirent renames its Best in Test-winning protocol-analysis module.")

Xgig FCoE Test Platform
Finisar
www.finisar.com

The test capabilities of the Xgig analyzer address the most recent standard proposals for FCoE (Fibre Channel over Ethernet). Xgig's multiprotocol platform monitors and analyzes the same traffic passing through different transportation protocols by uniting the different analyzer port identities under the same time sync domain. For FCoE networks where the Fibre Channel network connects to the Ethernet network and merges with other types of traffic, Xgig is a useful tool for analyzing the migration process from Fibre Channel to Ethernet.

With Xgig, users can measure the impact on performance of native Fibre Channel networks in a converged environment and address FCoE protocol issues, such as real-time monitoring and flagging of CRC errors on both the Ethernet packet and embedded Fibre Channel frame. In addition, Xgig Expert provides extensive network architecture and performance information about the converged network environment, as well as expert metrics that allow developers to more quickly troubleshoot FCoE networks.

The Xgig platform comprises a universal chassis and a variety of analyzer blades. By inserting various blades, users can turn Xgig into a multiprotocol, multifunction, and multispeed tool. Current applications include the protocol analyzer, traffic generation, and BERT, all available with no hardware changes.

Go back to the complete list of Best in Test finalists.

Average Rating:

(0)

Rate this:

Talkback

We would love your feedback!

»MORE

Featured Company

Texas Instruments

Texas Instruments serves the world's most innovative electronics companies, helping them develop new ideas that change the way we live. By providing semiconductor technologies that promote greater power efficiency, enable more features, enhance... more
Fluke Corporation

Fluke Corporation is the world leader in the manufacture, distribution and service of electronic test tools and software. Since its founding in 1948, Fluke has helped define and grow a unique technology market, providing testing and... more