metrotek Bercut-ET, Operation Manual

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5. Analysis. Typical tasks and solutions
5.1 Typical tasks
The main task for the Ethernet-network testing is the estimation of com-
pliance of the tested services with the service level agreement (SLA) between
operators and subscribers. In the first place, the task concerns the guaran-
teed Quality of Service (QoS) providing described by the following parameters:
throughput, frame loss rate, latency, and back-to-back. These parameters are
tested according to the RFC 2544 methodology. To test availability of specific
address within or out of a network and to analyze routes of data transmission,
Ping and Traceroute utilities are used. The Loopback mode allows redirecting
traffic at the physical, data link, network and transport OSI layers.
5.2 RFC 2544 methodology
The RFC 2544 methodology defines a specific set of tests to measure and
report the performance characteristics of network devices.
According to the RFC 2544, for Ethernet-network test the following frame
sizes are recommended to be used: 64, 128, 256, 512, 1024, 1280, and
1518 bytes. Taking into consideration the tests defined by the methodology
(throughput, latency, frame loss rate, and back-to-back), this methodology is
the de-facto standard for analyzing the Ethernet-network performance.
Bercut-ET analyzer supports four standard tests defined by the RFC 2544
methodology.
1. Throughput. This test allows to determine the maximum possible rate
for the Ethernet-networks equipment
.
Throughput — the fastest rate at which the number of test frames
transmitted by the DUT is equal to the number of test frames sent to
it by the test equipment.
1
When measuring the throughput, specific number of frames with min-
1
The following terms are synonyms in the tests descriptions: frame, datagram, and
packet.
Bercut-ET. Operations manual