Introducing PacketExpert™ 100G: The Ultimate High-Speed Ethernet and IP Testing Solution

Welcome to the latest issue of GL's Newsletter! We are excited to announce the release of PacketExpert™ 100G. This is the latest version in the PacketExpert™ series of products, which have been widely adopted by Internet Service Providers, Equipment Manufacturers, Government Agencies, and Contractors worldwide. The device performs wirespeed Ethernet and IP testing for troubleshooting, service validation and monitoring purposes. Available in both rack-mount and portable form factors, the device can handle diverse network environments and use cases.

PacketExpert™ 100G

Overview

GL’s PacketExpert™ 100G is a hardware platform with a web-based interface, designed for wirespeed Ethernet and IP testing at speeds up to 100 Gbps. It functions as a fully integrated PC, featuring specialized network interface cards, GL’s proprietary PacketExpert™ software, optimized RAM, storage, processing, and cooling systems. The Ethernet ports support speeds of 1 Gbps, 10 Gbps, 25 Gbps, 40 Gbps, and 100 Gbps. The appliance offers up to eight ports, all capable of generating and receiving wirespeed traffic simultaneously.

High-Speed Connectivity with Multi-Speed Support

The PacketExpert™ 100G hardware platform includes high-speed 100 Gbps QSFP ports. These versatile ports support optical connections at 1 Gbps, 10 Gbps, 25 Gbps, 40 Gbps, and 100 Gbps using adapters with corresponding SFP modules. GL also offers a complete accessory kit with QSFPs, fiber optic cables, and adapters.

Flexible and Scalable Multi-Port Configurations

Available in both portable and rack-mount configurations, the PacketExpert™ 100G supports up to eight ports within a single appliance. Users can select configurations ranging from a single port pair to eight ports, depending on their specific needs. For multi-port appliances, port pairs can operate at different supported rates, providing exceptional flexibility for testing multiple speeds simultaneously. For example, in a four-port appliance, two ports can operate at 100 Gbps while the other two run at 40 Gbps.

Comprehensive Support for Forward Error Correction (FEC)

The PacketExpert™ 100G supports various FEC techniques as defined by IEEE 802.3 and Ethernet Consortium standards, enabling robust testing of high-speed networks with FEC. FEC enhances network reliability and performance by detecting and correcting bit errors during data transmission. By incorporating error-detection and correction information, FEC minimizes the risk of data loss or corruption, ensuring dependable data communication. PacketExpert™ 100G supports FEC methods such as Fire Code FEC, RS-FEC (528, 514), and RS-FEC (544, 514).

Advanced Testing Methodologies for Network Analysis

The PacketExpert™ 100G supports a wide range of testing methodologies, including Bit Error Rate Testing, Smart Loopback Testing, RFC 2544 Testing (covering throughput, packet loss, back-to-back, and latency measurements), ExpertSAM™ (ITU-T Y.1564 for service-level agreement verification), and Multi-Stream Traffic Generator and Analyzer. These applications enable comprehensive testing at Layer 2 (Ethernet), Layer 2.5 (VLAN/MPLS), Layer 3 (IPv4 and IPv6), and Layer 4 (UDP).

Advanced Multiservice Testing

ITU-T Y.1564 is a carrier Ethernet service activation test methodology designed to fully validate Ethernet Service-Level Agreements in a single comprehensive test. The PacketExpert™ 100G features ExpertSAM™, a multi-service testing application based on Y.1564, capable of measuring the maximum performance of devices and networks. Each port supports up to 16 streams, enabling the testing of 32 services under full load conditions. ExpertSAM™ evaluates Ethernet services' ability to handle voice, data, and video traffic effectively, addressing the limitations of traditional RFC 2544 testing, particularly in Wide Area Networks.

Multi-Stream Traffic Generation and Analysis

The Multi-Stream Traffic Generator and Analyzer generates multiple Ethernet traffic streams with customizable protocol headers, packet sizes, and payloads. Supporting up to 16 streams per port, it is ideal for end-to-end Wide Area Network testing at speeds up to 100 Gbps. Key metrics measured include Throughput, Packet Loss, Delay, Jitter, and more.

Multi-User Web-based Access

The PacketExpert™ 100G features an intuitive web-based interface, enabling multi-user and multi-location access. Users can configure test parameters, control tests, monitor real-time graphs, and export results in PDF or CSV formats. Additionally, individual users can independently control pairs of ports simultaneously, providing enhanced flexibility for collaborative and efficient testing.

Remote Control with Python APIs

PacketExpert™ 100G supports Python automation, enabling seamless integration into automated testing environments. With PacketExpert™ Python client APIs, users can remotely control all device functionalities, making it ideal for regression testing in network validation setups.


Key Features

  • PCIe based hardware supports up to 8 x 100G ports in either portable or rack-mount form factors
  • Provides 1 Gbps, 10 Gbps, 25 Gbps, 40 Gbps, and 100 Gbps speeds on the same ports with suitable adapters and breakout cables
  • Supports QSFP28 form factor
  • Supports DAC (Direct Attach Cable) and AOC (Active Optical Cable), offering cost-effective, low-latency, and energy-efficient solutions for short-distance connectivity in data centers. These cables are compatible with data rates such as 10G SFP+, 25G SFP28, 40G QSFP+, and 100G QSFP28
  • Supports Fire Code FEC, RS-FEC (528, 514), and RS-FEC (544, 514) FECs to work with a variety of interfaces such as 10G, 25G, 40G, 50G and 100G
  • Detects Layer 1 alarms and errors
  • Simultaneously generate and receive Ethernet traffic at 100% wirespeed (bidirectional 100 Gbps rate)
  • Generates traffic from Layer 2 to Layer 4 at up to 100 Gbps with varying protocol headers and packet sizes
  • Generate frames with lengths ranging from 64 bytes to Jumbo frames (up to 16,000 bytes)
  • Bit Error Rate Testing supports industry standard PRBS patterns including 29-1, 211-1, 215-1, 220-1, 223-1, 229-1, and 231-1, as well as user defined patterns
  • Bit Error Rate tests at Ethernet (Layer 2), Stacked VLAN (Q-in-Q), Stacked MPLS (Layer 2.5), IP (Layer 3) and UDP (Layer 4)
  • Capable of handling full wirespeed BERT, in both directions Electrical/Optical ports
  • Real-time graphs of Throughput, Bit Error Rate and Sync Loss count
  • Supports smart loopback with auto layer detection, and allows swapping source and destination addresses at MAC, IP and UDP layers
  • RFC 2544 can be tested on Ethernet, VLAN, MPLS, IPv4, IPv6 and UDP layers. Supports Throughput, Latency, Frame Loss, and Back-to-Back performance tests
  • Displays graphs and statistics for all the RFC 2544 tests
  • Generates traffic at the Committed Information Rate (CIR), Excess Information Rate (EIR) and Traffic Policing Rates to test Ethernet Service Level Agreements
  • Supports multiple streams with customizable configurations, including MAC/VLAN/IP/UDP headers, rate, and frame size, allowing prioritization of different traffic types (e.g., voice, video, data)
  • Measures Packet Loss, Delay, and Jitter for each stream, providing real-time graphs to visualize these metrics across all streams
  • Test automation and regression testing via Python and REST APIs
  • Generate reports in PDF and CSV formats including graphs

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