Ethernet/IP Tester

Multi-Functional Ethernet Test Solution

Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) Testing Features

PacketExpert™ provides independent Ethernet/VLAN/MPLS/IP/UDP testing at wire speed for applications such as BERT, RFC 2544, and Loopback, also supports optional applications for advanced testing such as Record and Playback, ExpertSAM™, PacketBroker, Multi Stream UDP/TCP Traffic Generator and Analyzer, and ExpertTCP.

Stacked MPLS (up to 3 levels) is supported. Various combinations tests such as single MPLS, multiple MPLS, VLAN + MPLS can be tested for both single and multiple streams.

Ethernet  Test Setup at Stacked MPLS

Ethernet Test Setup at Stacked MPLS

Quality of Service (QoS) and traffic engineering are inherent features of MPLS. Testing essentially involves sending appropriately formatted MPLS packets through an MPLS provisioned network and verifying:

  • Connectivity – traffic is properly routed to the correct destination, i.e., Label Switching Path
  • Performance – Controlling QoS characteristics like Packet Loss, Latency, and Bandwidth within defined limits.

Both end to end testing from customer edge to customer edge as well as testing within the core MPLS network is important. PacketExpert™ does both.
GL’s PacketExpert™ supports MPLS testing with MPLS related statistics like the Packet Counts per Stack position provided for detailed analysis.
GL’s PacketExpert™ MPLS testing supports

  • Up to 3 MPLS stacked labels - Multiple MPLS label stacks are particularly useful in testing MPLS VPN implementations and multiple MPLS providers, and MPLS tunnels. MPLS#1 is the innermost label, while the other two are inserted in the outer levels.
Multiple MPLS Label stack

Multiple MPLS Label stack

  • Configuring the Label value, the CoS bits (also known as the EXP or experimental bits) and the TTL (Time-to-Live) for each label, in addition to selecting the number of MPLS labels.
  • MPLS related statistics like the Packet Count per MPLS stack position are also provided for detailed analysis
  • BERT and RFC 2544 test capabilities over MPLS Layer 2.5 – Supports sending MPLS enabled streams in its BERT and RFC 2544 tests and report various QoS characteristics like Bit Error Rate, Throughput, Frame Loss, and Latency.

MPLS Label Stacking

MPLS Label Stacking

Stacked MPLS Statistics

Stacked MPLS Statistics

Hardware Interface
Buyers Guide