GL Advances Network Testing with PacketExpert 100G Solution

GAITHERSBURG, Md., Oct. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — GL Communications Inc., a global leader in telecom test and measurement solutions, addressed the press regarding their advanced Ethernet and IP testing solution, PacketExpert 100G. This tool tests high-speed networks at wirespeed, making it perfect for network engineers in search of precision and adaptability. With the ability to seamlessly interface to industry-standard equipment, PacketExpert 100G ensures smooth incorporation into the existing testing environments.

[For illustration, refer to https://www.gl.com/images/Newsletter/packetExpert-100g-architecture-newsletter.jpg]

“GL’s PacketExpert 100G is a hardware platform designed for wirespeed Ethernet and IP testing at speeds of up to 100 Gbps. The PacketExpert 100G functions as a full-fledged PC, equipped with 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, 50 Gbps, and 100 Gbps. The appliance comes with up to eight ports, all of which can generate and receive traffic simultaneously,” said Vijay Kulkarni, CEO of GL Communications.

The PacketExpert 100G, available in portable and rack-mount configurations, supports up to eight ports per appliance and offers a user-friendly web interface for multi-user, multi-location access. Users can configure tests, monitor real-time graphs, and export results to PDF and CSV, with Python scripting available for automation of complex tests.

Featuring high-speed 100 Gbps QSFP ports, the PacketExpert 100G supports various optical speeds—1 Gbps, 10 Gbps, 25 Gbps, 40 Gbps, 50 Gbps, and 100 Gbps by utilizing adapters with the respective SFP modules. GL provides a full accessory kit with QSFPs, fiber optic cables, and adapters for enhanced flexibility.

PacketExpert 100G provides robust support for Forward Error Correction (FEC) in compliance with IEEE 802.3 standards, a crucial feature for maintaining data integrity in high-speed, long-distance networks. FEC enhances network reliability and performance by detecting and correcting bit errors during transmission. The supported FEC types include Fire Code FEC, RS-FEC (528, 514), and RS-FEC (544, 514).

The Multi-Stream Traffic Generator and Analyzer allows the device to generate multiple streams of Ethernet traffic with customizable protocol headers, packet sizes, and payloads. Supporting up to 16 streams per port, it is ideal for end-to-end testing of Wide Area Networks at speeds up to 100 Gbps. Key metrics measured include throughput, packet loss, delay, jitter and more.

[For more information, refer to Efficient Multi-Stream Traffic Testing]

ITU-T Y.1564 is a Service Activation test methodology that allows for comprehensive validation of Ethernet Service-Level Agreements. GL’s ExpertSAM is optimized for multiservice applications, measuring maximum network performance. Each port supports up to 16 streams. This enables users to assess Ethernet service capabilities for voice, data and video traffic, surpassing traditional RFC 2544 testing, especially in Wide Area Network scenarios.

[For more information, refer to Streamlining Multiservice Testing]

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

[For more information, refer to Python Sample Script]

Key features of the PacketExpert 100G include:

• PCIe based hardware supports up to 8 x 100G ports in either portable or rack-mount form factors
• 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 16000 bytes)
• BERT 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
• BERT can be tested at Ethernet (Layer 2), up to 3 Stacked VLAN (Q-in-Q), up to 3 Stacked MPLS (Layer 2.5), IP (Layer 3) and UDP (Layer 4)
• Capable of handling full wirespeed BERT, in both directions Electrical/Optical ports
• Supports smart loopback with auto layer detection, and allows swapping source and destination addresses at MAC, IP and UDP layers
• Generates traffic at throughput of CIR (guaranteed traffic), EIR (best effort bandwidth) and Traffic Policing Rates (dropped bandwidth) ensuring key performance indicators validation
• 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

About GL Communications Inc.,

GL Communications is a global provider of telecom test and measurement solutions. GL’s solutions are used to verify the quality and reliability of Wireless, Fiber Optic, TDM and Analog networks.

Warm Regards,

Vikram Kulkarni, PhD
Phone: 301-670-4784 x114
Email: info@gl.com

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