High-Speed Ethernet/IP Bit Error Rate Testing (BERT)
up to 100G
BER Traffic generation and verification across all layers - Ethernet, VLAN, MPLS, IP and UDP
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Overview
PacketExpert™ 100G supports Wire speed BERT up to 100Gbps simultaneously over Layer 1, Framed Ethernet (Layer 2), Stacked VLAN (Q-in-Q), Stacked MPLS (Layer 2.5), IPv4/IPv6, and UDP. It can transmit and receive various bit patterns including industry standard PRBS patterns and user-defined patterns. The device can also intentionally introduce bit errors and frame check sequence errors. Wire speed BERT is supported on two 100 Gbps Optical ports.
- BERT test can be performed on various link speed such as 1G, 10G, 25G, or 100G
- In this case, Source and Destination PacketExpert™ 100G applications are located in different IP networks
- These 2 networks are connected through a router. Refer to the diagram, shows 2 LANs connected through a router
PacketExpert™ 100G - Bit Error Rate Testing
A simple BER test can help validate the routers’ ability to route IP packets correctly at various speeds and the ability of various other routers on the path to forward IP packets without dropping and in sequence. PacketExpert™ provides layer-wise wirespeed Bit Error Rate Testing (BERT) implemented at all layers – Ethernet, VLAN, MPLS, IP and UDP. BERT application allows BER Traffic generation and verification, Bit Error Insertion, FCS Error Insertion, various Pattern Types, and BERT measurements. It also provides a real time graphical representation of the Bit Error count plotted over time.
All ports BERT test setup at Layer 3/4 involves connecting PCs through IP routers and LAN switches, which acts as the DUT.
In layer 3 test setup, the Source and the Destination PacketExpert™ applications are located in different IP networks. These 2 networks are connected through a router.
A simple example above shows 2 LANs connected through a router. Layer 4 test setup is similar to test setup for Layer 3, as UDP is carried on IP. At Layer 4, proper UDP packets are sent (instead of raw IP packets as in the case of Layer 3 testing). This verifies the ability of the IP network to sequentially route the UDP packets to the destination. For Layer 4 testing, source and destination UDP ports need to be configured in addition to MAC and IP addresses.
Loading BERT Application
Wirespeed Ethernet BER Testing
The PacketExpert™ 100G can measure bit error rates over Layer 1, Framed Ethernet (Layer 2), MPLS (Layer 2.5), IP and UDP layers. Users can choose various PRBS patterns such as 29-1, 211-1, 215-1, 220-1, 223-1, 229-1, and 231-1. Other patterns include All Ones, All Zeroes, Alternating Ones and Zeroes and user-defined test patterns ranging from 1 bit to 32 bits. Out of sequence packets and packet loss can be measured through the use of an optional sequence number inserted into each packet. The 'Process FCS Error Frames' option allows receiving FCS frames in BERT, as if they were normal BERT frames.
Both BERT and Loopback support Stacked VLAN and Stacked MPLS. BERT can be configured to send/receive streams with Stacked VLAN/Stacked MPLS frames.
In addition, the PacketExpert™ 100G allows sending traffic of specific frame length and rate.
Tx Rx BERT Configuration
Flexible Options:
BERT and Loopback functionality can be accessed via various combinations, according to the testing needs:
- All Port BERT – Both Port 1 and Port 2 run BERT (at full wire speed, simultaneous Tx and Rx) per unit
- One Port BERT/one port Loopback – one port run BERT, while other port run Loopback per unit
- All Port Loopback – Both Port 1 and Port 2 run Loopback per unit
User can select the application to load, depending on the testing needs.
Traffic Configuration
PacketExpert™ 100G includes Traffic options, which allow technician to generate Ethernet to IP frames with user-configurable frame size.
- Constant Rate Type: This option allows to specify a single fixed Frame Length in bytes, ranging from 86 bytes to 1518 for normal frame sizes and up to 16000 bytes for Jumbo frames.
Traffic Configuration (Constant Rate)
Rate can be configured with various units including % , Kbps, Mbps, Gbps, Bps, KBps, MBps, and GBps.
BERT Summary
PacketExpert™ 100G provides options to view the summary of the test along with the Graph.
BERT Summary
BERT Results (with LEDs)
PacketExpert™ 100G analyzes the received BER pattern and provides various vital measurements such as Bit Error Rate, Bit Error Count, Bit Error Seconds, Sync Loss Count, Sync Loss Seconds, Error Free Seconds, No Rx Data Count/Seconds, and Bert Status.
All Port BERT – Results
Error Insertion
PacketExpert™ 100G provides Bit Error Insertion which allows inserting Bit Errors into the outgoing Tx traffic.
In Bit Error Insertion, single as well as Rate Error Insertion is supported. Single error insertion allows user to manually introduce a single Bit Error. Rate Error insertion allows the user to select a constant error rate, ranging from 10-4 to 10-9, to be introduced into the outgoing stream.
Bit Error Insertion
BERT Results with Bit Error Insertion
Port-wise Frame Statistics
Detailed statistics per port are provided. In addition to statistics like Frame Count, Frame Rate, Link Utilization (Layer1 line rate in %), Data Rate (Layer 2 data rate in Mbps), etc., statistics are provided based on various categories like Frame Type (Broadcast, Multicast, VLAN), Frame Lengths (64, 65-127, 1024-1518, Oversized, Undersized), Protocol Type (IPv4, IPv6, UDP, TCP, ICMP, IGRP etc.)
- Statistics for Stacked VLAN and Stacked MPLS are provided for detailed analysis. Statistics based on the Packet Count per VLAN/MPLS stack position are provided.
Tx and Rx Frame Statistics
- 'All Ports' result screen for BERT displays consolidated Frame Statistics for Tx / Rx, Bert Status, and Bert Statistics results for both the ports.
All Port BERT Statistics
Generate Report
PacketExpert™ 100G includes report generation option to generate consolidated reports in CSV and PDF file formats. The following sample CSV and PDF reports generated for ‘All Ports BERT' test includes Interface, BERT Statistics, Tx/Rx Statistics, Tx/Rx Configuration details for 100G ports.
BERT Report Generated in PDF File Format
BERT Report Generated in CSV file format