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High Density Data Center Testing Solutions

Data centers are filled with a wide range of servers for Web, FTP, e-mail, application, and storage, along with firewalls and other infrastructure devices. These are surrounded by a sea of switches and routers – connected by Gigabit, 10 Gigabit, and even higher speed Ethernet connections. Fibre channel connections are mixed with and migrating to fibre channel over Ethernet (FCoE) connections. Many data centers run at near- or over-capacity as they provide services to their internal users and Internet customers.

Testing of data center network devices and servers requires large-scale traffic, a selection of network interfaces, and a full mix of traffic types. Each Ixia test port is equipped with a high-powered CPU and substantial memory and is able to emulate large numbers of users. Ixia test platforms have the highest density of interfaces in the industry: 192 Gigabit or 96-10 Gigabit Ethernet interfaces in a 10U height XM12 chassis. With Ixia's new FCoE option, large-scale data storage traffic can be combined with application traffic for full-scale data center traffic testing. The combination of powerful test ports and extreme density makes Ixia test platforms the perfect tools for testing very large-scale data centers.

Ixia's IxLoad is the perfect test application for measuring application layer performance, providing the ability to fully test devices using multiplay traffic in any mix. IxLoad emulates a full mix of Internet and intranet data and infrastructure protocols, allowing full testing of forwarding devices that perform deep packet inspection (DPI). Subscriber communities are used to generate realistic, time-varying loads. IxLoad is used to determine maximum user and traffic load, and connections per second and measures latency, jitter, and loss.

Ixia's IxDefend product is used to ensure the security and robustness of network devices and application servers. IxDefend is a preemptive IP security analysis tool that finds reliability and robustness problems in software components, applications and systems, featuring the broadest coverage in the industry. IxDefend diagnoses problems in network components that use combinations of 40 network protocols.

Higher speed Ethernet will be making its way in to the data center in the coming years. Ixia is leading the way to 40 GE and 100 GE testing with a 100 GE Development Accelerator System and 40 GE proof-of-concept demonstration.

Ixia also leads the way in repeatable, reliable power efficiency measurements with the Effective Energy Efficiency Measurements – IP Networks proof-of-concept system. IxGreen offers accurate and repeatable validation of individual data center elements, with the emphasis on performance and power consumption — thereby enabling data center managers to achieve their eco-efficient data center goals.

Library

White Papers

  • Application Performance Testing (3.52 MB ) - discusses the expanding complexity of networking devices that attempt to apply policy-based QoS policies to a growing number of multiplay services. The need for deep packet inspection is detailed, along with the impact of DPI on testing needs.
  • Testing Multiplay Networks (3.52 MB ) - Modern carrier, ISP, and Enterprise networks now carry a wide mix of traffic, with Web, P2P, streaming and download in the lead. A wide range of general and specialized devices are used to generate and forward traffic, with careful attention to quality of service and other performance metrics. This paper discusses the impact of testing these devices and Ixias solutions.
  • Strategies for Managing the P2P Phenomenon open in new window - Strategies for Managing the P2P Phenomenon - The growth in P2P traffic and its high-bandwidth characteristics is discussed. P2P challenges for networking devices in a multiplay environment are described. Various solutions and test methodologies are explored, with special emphasis on the use of stateful, policy-based QoS management.
  • IP Security Testing to Minimize Network Threats (522 KB ) - discusses the economic needs for and benefits of preemptive IP security testing. Describes the technology used for reliability and robustness testing.

Datasheets

IxLoad

IxGreen
IxDefend

Presentations

  • IxLoad Overview (4.02 MB ) - this presentation covers IxLoad's features for multiplay testing, including advanced network features, inherent flexibility, performance, statistics, and analysis. The full complement of IxLoad emulated protocols is covered.
  • Application Performance Testing (21.28 MB ) - this presentation, presented as part of the Fall 2007 Ixia days tour, discusses the industry drivers for delivery of multiplay services. The requirements for application layer forwarding are detailed, including multiplay traffic, peer-to-peer and security elements. The testing challenges are discussed, along with specific measurement requirements.

Test Plans

Brochures

  • Data Center (2.32 MB ) - this brochure discuss the various technologies currently deployed in DCE environments, and what Ixia’s solutions are for testing them.
  • Multiplay Testing (20.79 MB ) - this brochure discusses multiplay devices and networks. It explores how Ixia's solutions cover all forms of multiplay traffic, especially peer-to-peer.
  • Ixia Testing Solutions (11 MB ) - discusses Ixia's testing solutions for switching and routing, triple-play delivery, IMS, data center operations, Carrier Ethernet, network assessment, and broadband access performance and conformance.
  • Ixia Platform (1.22 MB ) - the Ixia chassis and load modules used to generate line-rate traffic and capture results.
Solutions

IxLoad - a highly scalable, integrated test solution for assessing the performance of multiplay networks and devices.

IxGreen - a tool that provides accurate and repeatable validation of individual data center elements, with the emphasis on performance and power consumption — thereby enabling data center managers to achieve their eco-efficient data center goals.

IxDefend - a tool for preemptive security, robustness and vulnerability testing of network devices and servers.

Ixia Platform (Chassis/Load Modules) - the Ixia chassis and load modules used to generate line-rate traffic and capture results.

News

Press Releases