RFC 2544 Profiles

RFC in RFC 2544 stands for Request For Comment. RFC 2544 defines a specific set of tests that can be used to measure and report the performance characteristics of network interconnecting devices. Tests defined in RFC 2544 are Throughput, Latency, Frame loss rate, and Back-to-back/bursty frames test.

Throughput Test: Determines the maximum number of frames per second a device can process and forward without dropping or losing.
Latency Test: Determines the latency i.e. the delay between frame being sent and its reception on the other end of the measured link. The result is displayed as an average of all trials as minimum, maximum and average latency for each frame size selected.
Frame Loss Test: Determines the frame loss state percentage for all data rates and frame sizes with a constant load. It gives the performance of a device under overloaded condition.
Burst Test: Determines the buffering capability of device by measuring longest burst.

To access the manage RFC 2544 profiles and tests, go to Configuration > Layer 2 > Management Profiles menu and click RFC 2544 option. Manage RFC 2544 Profiles page is displayed. RFC2544 Profiles is the default tab selected on this page as shown in the following figure:

Manage RFC 2544 Profiles

The following figure shows Manage RFC 2544 Profiles page with RFC2544 Tests tab selected, displaying RFC2544 tests and the result:

Manage RFC 2544 Profiles- RFC2544 Tests

RFC 2544 icons

Button	Description	Refer for more information
	Click this button to define the parameters for creating RFC 2544 profile.	Create RFC2544 profile
	Click this button to define the parameters for creating RFC 2544 Test.	Create RFC2544 test
	Click this button to delete the selected RFC 2544 profile or RFC 2544 Test.	Delete RFC2544 profile/test
	Click RFC2544 Tests tab, select the desired test and click this button to perform the test.	Execute RFC2544 test
	Click this button and select the options to generate a report in any of the four available formats namely PDF, CSV, XML, and HTML.	Generate summary report

RFC2544 Profiles parameters

Parameter	Description
User Label	Displays the user defined RFC2544 profile name.
Owner	Displays the name of the customer.
SrcIPAddress	Displays the IP address of the source node.
DestIPAddress	Displays the IP address of the destination node.
SrcMACAddress	Displays the unicast MAC Address of the source Service Switch.
DestMACAddress	Displays the unicast MAC Address of the destination Service Switch.
Throughput Max Rate	Displays the initial test rate in terms of Mbps selected for the throughput test.
Throughput Max Rate Type	0: Displayed when throughput max rate type is in terms of Mbps. 1: Displayed when throughput max rate type is percentage based.
Throughput Resolution	Displays the throughput test stop rate in terms of kbps.
Latency Test Rate Mode	0: Displayed when latency test rate mode is throughput rate. 1: Displayed when latency test rate mode is custom.
Latency Test Rate	Displays the initial test rate in terms of Mbps selected for the latency test.
Frame Loss Test Rate	Displays the initial test rate in terms of percentage selected for the frame loss test.
Frame Loss Test StepSize	Displays the percentage by which the test rate will be reduced in next iteration.
Burst Test Rate	Displays the initial test rate in terms of percentage selected for the burst test.
Burst Test StepSize	Displays the reduction in test duration in terms of seconds.
Test Type	Displays the test type selected for the RFC2544 Profile.
Frame Type	Displays the frame type selected for the RFC2544 Profile.
Frame Size	Displays the frame size(s) separated by colon selected for the RFC2544 Profile.
Ethernet Type Key	Displays the Ethernet type key selected for the RFC2544 Profile.
Ethernet Type Value	Displays the Ethernet type value selected for the RFC2544 Profile.
Initial test Rate	Displays the initial test rate selected for the RFC2544 Profile.
Acceptable Frame Loss	Displays the acceptable frame loss selected for the RFC2544 Profile.

RFC2544 Tests tab parameters

Parameter	Description
Associated Profile Name	Displays the RFC2544 profile name associated with the RFC test.
Interface	Displays the flowpoint interface over which the RFC2544 test is created.
Test Start	Displays the status of the RFC2544 test as: Completed: Displayed for a profile when the RFC2544 test execution is complete. Stopped: Displayed when a RFC2544 profile is newly created or when RFC2544 test is stopped by the user. Running: Displayed for a profile when the RFC2544 test is in progress.
Throughput Test Duration	Displays the duration for which the throughput test will be executed for a particular frame size.
Throughput Test Enable	true: Displayed if the throughput test is enabled. false: Displayed if the throughput test is disabled.
Latency Test Duration	Displays the duration for which the latency test will be executed for a particular frame size.
Latency Test Repetition Count	Displays the number of times the test will be run or repeated for each selected frame size.
Latency Test Enable	true: Displayed if the latency test is enabled. false: Displayed if the latency test is disabled.
FrameLoss Test Duration	Displays the duration for which the frame loss test will be executed for a particular frame size.
FrameLoss Test Enable	true: Displayed if the frame loss test is enabled. false: Displayed if the frame loss test is disabled.
Burst Test Repetition Count	Displays the number of times the test will be run or repeated for each selected frame size.
Burst Test Min Duration	Displays the maximum test start duration in seconds.
Burst Test Max Duration	Displays the minimum test stop duration in seconds.
Burst Test Enable	true: Displayed if the burst test is enabled. false: Displayed if the burst test is disabled.
Vlan Tag	Displays the VLAN ID value. The values will be separated by colon when VLAN1 and VLAN2 details are entered.
Prio	This parameter is not supported in this product release.
DSCP Mask	This parameter is not supported in this product release.
DSCP Value	This parameter is not supported in this product release.
Vlan Type	Displays whether the Ethernet test frames are Untagged, single tagged or double tagged.
Throughput Test Result	Displays the throughput test result for each frame size selected, separated by colon.
FrameLoss Test Result Rate	Displays the frame loss percentage for each frame size selected, separated by colon.
FrameLoss Test Result Loss	Displays the frame loss for each frame size selected, separated by colon.
Burst Test Result	Displays the bursty frame size in terms of packets for each frame size selected.
Max Latency Test Result	Displays the maximum latency in terms of microseconds for each frame size selected.
Min Latency Test Result	Displays the minimum latency in terms of microseconds for each frame size selected.
Avg Latency Test Result	Displays the average latency in terms of microseconds for each frame size selected.

Steps for RFC2544 through TJ5500

RFC 2544 is a node level test supported on TJ1400 and TJ1400P platform, executable from TJ5500 WUI. Before performing RFC 2544 configurations from TJ5500, user has to add a Reflector port which will perform SA/DA swap functionality for Ethernet LoopBack at node level. Additionally on TJ1400 node, a port on CEL6 card is required to be nominated in RFC 2544 mode which will generate Ethernet Test frames.

Perform the following steps for executing RFC 2544:

Create an ELINE service on the node(s), over which RFC 2544 test will be performed.
Create a RFC2544 Profile defining the general attributes, test parameters, and header details.
Select the RFC2544 profile and create RFC2544 Test defining the node details and enabling the different tests under RFC2544 desired to be performed.
Select the desired RFC2544 test and execute by clicking button.
View the result under RFC2544 Tests tab on Manage RFC 2544 Profiles page.