RFC Optional Test Parameters

Set up optional test parameters for scheduling, latency, and learning by configuring the fields described in the table below. Availability depends on the selected test.

Field Description Values Default
Scheduling
Start traffic delay Enter the delay (in seconds) before test traffic is transmitted. This delay occurs after the learning period, when test frames are sent to determine whether the DUT/SUT correctly forwards frames to their destination. 1-3600 2
Stagger start

Enter the delay between each transmission (microseconds). Spirent TestCenter multiplies the value you enter by 64. For example, if you enter 5, the staggered start is 320 microseconds between each port starting traffic. A non-zero value causes the test ports to transmit test traffic in sequence. A zero value causes the test ports to send traffic all at once.

 0-65535 0
Delay after transmission

Enter the delay (in seconds) after the specified transmission period that allows transmission of test frames to complete during an iteration.

For example, assume a port transmits test frames for 10 seconds, and the wizard calculates that 100,000 frames can be sent in that time. During transmission, the port monitors the transmission time and the number of frames transmitted. At the end of the 10 seconds, if fewer than 100,000 frames have been sent, the port can wait the additional period of time specified by this field to allow the remaining frames to be sent.

 1-3600 15
Latency Type
Latency Type

Select one of the following latency calculation methods:

  • LILO: Calculates the latency as the time interval from when the end of the frame is transmitted from the source test port to when the end of the frame is received at the destination test port.
  • LIFO (Store and Forward): Calculates the latency as the time interval from when the last bit of the input frame reaches the test destination port to when the first bit of the output frame reaches the test destination port.
  • FIFO (Bit Forwarding): Calculates the latency as the time interval from when the first bit of the input frame reaches the test destination port to when the first bit of the output frame reaches at the test destination port.
 LILO, LIFO, FIFO LILO
External Process (RFC 2889 only)
Run External Process Before Traffic

Select the checkbox to specify that an external process is to be launched before the traffic starts for the test. To specify the name of the script or executable file for the process, enter its name and path in the text box, or click the Browse button to select the file. This field appears only for an RFC 2889 test.

 N/A Cleared
Learning (RFC 2544 and RFC 8239 only)
Enable Learning Select the checkbox to enable the learning options described below N/A Cleared
Mode Select either L2 Learning or L3 Learning for the learning mode. This field appears only for an RFC 2544 test. An RFC 2889 test applies only to layer 2. You can easily switch between L2 and L3 Learning modes without having to manually change the existing test configuration. L2 Learning, L3 Learning L3 Learning
Delay before learning Enter the time (in seconds) to wait after the test has started before learning starts 0-3600 2
Rate

Enter the rate (in frames per second) at which learning frames are sent to the DUT/SUT

 1-148809 1000
Retry count Enter the number of learning retries if transmission, learning verification, or link errors occur 1-100 5
Cyclic address resolution Select the checkbox to enable layer 3 cyclic address resolution. Clear the checkbox to disable cyclic address resolution. This field appears only if Mode is set to L3 Learning in an RFC 2544 test. N/A Selected
Frequency

Select one of the following frequency options for sending learning frames:

  • Learn once: Sends learning frames once before the test starts
  • Learn every trial: Sends learning frames before each trial begins
  • Learn every frame size: Sends learning frames upon each iteration in frame size
  • Learn every iteration: Sends learning frames before each iteration begins.

This field appears only for an RFC 2544 test.

 See table Learn once
Traffic Verification
Verification Frequency Mode

Verifies that the DUT can forward test frames.

Available when Enable Verification is selected.

Pass: One or more frames are received for each stream

Fail: One or more streams receive zero frames

Sending verification traffic before every iteration may be useful to wake up a DUT that aggressively save power, or to populate the forwarding table of the DUT before the actual iteration starts.

 Verify every trial, Verify every frame size, Verify every iteration Verify every iteration
Tx Frame Rate Number of verification traffic frames per second to send from each port 0-14880952 1000
Tx Frame Count Number of frames of verification traffic to send from each port 0-32767 100
Abort test if traffic verification fails Stops the test if a fail result is detected on any port or stream N/A Selected
Options
Use Spirent TestCenter IQ

Available for RFC 2544, RFC 3918 and RFC 8239 tests

Select to save iteration results to Spirent TestCenter IQ.

 N/A Cleared
Use Classic Results

Available for RFC 2544 and RFC 3918 tests

Select to save iteration results to Results Reporter.

 N/A Selected
Save detailed stream results with every iteration

Available when Use Classic Results is selected

Select the checkbox to record the following data in addition to standard test statistics:

  • Transmit and receive counts per stream
  • Port latency per Analyzer port
  • Out of sequence errors per Generator port
 N/A Selected
Measure Jitter

Select the checkbox to run the test in Jitter mode. This mode is recommended for the following RFC tests:

  • RFC 2544 Throughput Test
  • RFC 2544 Frame Loss Test
  • RFC 2544 Latency Test
  • RFC 2544 Back-To-Back Frames Test
  • RFC 2889 Broadcast Frame Forwarding Test
  • RFC 2889 Broadcast Frame Latency Test
  • RFC 2889 Forward Pressure Rate Test
  • RFC 2889 Forwarding Test
  • RFC 2889 Maximum Forwarding Rate Test
 N/A Cleared
Display load unit in results Select the unit used in results. Percent (%), Frames/sec, Inter-burst Gap, Mbps, Kbps, bps Percent (%)

Related Information

RFC 2544 Test Package

RFC 2889 Test Package