HD-PacketExpert Offers BERT in Multi-Port Environments

By Steve Anderson
Contributing Writer

Ethernet testing got a major new advance recently with the appearance of the HD-PacketExpert system. This powerful new testing tool offers significant new opportunities in the field, allowing for multi-stream traffic to take place simultaneously, while also working well with 12 or 24 port operations.

The HD-PacketExpert can generate either 24 or 48 Gbps traffic speeds, while at the same time allowing for RFC 2544 testing on either three or six Port Pair environments. It can generate a mix of Layer 2 and Layer 3 streams, each running with a different MAC / IP address, as well as a slate of VLAN tags. HD-PacketExpert will even work with Ethernet Service Activation built around Y.1564, a huge development.

 Perhaps best of all is the appearance of Basic Bit Error Rate Testing (BERT) systems, which allows for testing of Layer 2, Layer 3, and Layer 4 frames all sent at the full line rate. Forwarded traffic from the resulting switch is then analyzed for a string of errors, ranging from pattern sync to bit errors and beyond, and the end result is measured accordingly. It's perhaps the most basic of testing, but a great way to establish a baseline reading to figure out where potential problems may be emerging, or are about to emerge down the line.

 Just to round it out, the system comes with a graphical user interface (GUI) for added capability, as well as command line interface (CLI) options for various functionalities. Real time results and detailed testing results complete the package. The multi-stream traffic proves particularly valuable in terms of producing valid tests; with multi-stream, the various packets with different MAC addresses and IP addresses all have to be processed, and forwarded, correctly without impairment. It improves the chance of an error state being spotted and thus more readily addressed.

 All told, it's safe to say that the HD-PacketExpert will deliver substantial testing capability on just about every front, including the Ethernet testing. That's good news; a system that's versatile enough to handle these various kinds of tests from one package largely eliminates the need to have several different testing platforms. That's added value, and makes the HD-PacketExpert that much more valuable to its user base. A valuable system is more likely purchased, and once customers get accustomed to the HD-PacketExpert, it's a safe bet they won't be buying into other companies' operations.

 The HD-PacketExpert has a real chance to become a standard feature in Ethernet and other testing, and with all the various things it brings to the table, it's easy to see why.