- [2. Details of the Level Test Design](#DetailsOfTheLevelTestDesign)
- [2.1. Features to be tested](#FeaturesToBeTested)
- [2.2. Approach](#Approach)
+ - [2.2.1 Details of the Test Report](#TestReport)
- [2.3. Test identification](#TestIdentification)
- [2.3.1 Throughput tests](#ThroughputTests)
- [2.3.2 Packet Delay Tests](#PacketDelayTests)
- Physical port → virtual switch → VNF → virtual switch → VNF → virtual switch → physical port.
<pre><code>
- __
- +---------------------------------------------------+ +---------------------------------------------------+ |
- | Guest 1 | | Guest 2 | |
- | +-------------------------------------------+ | | +-------------------------------------------+ | |
- | | Application | | | | Application | | |
- | +-------------------------------------------+ | | +-------------------------------------------+ | |
- | ^ : | | ^ : | |
- | | | | | | | | | Guest
- | : v | | : v | |
- | +---------------+ +---------------+ | | +---------------+ +---------------+ | |
- | | logical port 0| | logical port 1| | | | logical port 0| | logical port 1| | |
- +---+---------------+-----------+---------------+---+ +---+---------------+-----------+---------------+---+__|
- ^ : ^ :
- | | | |
- : v : v __
- +---+---------------+----------+---------------+------------+---------------+-----------+---------------+---+ |
- | | port 0 | | port 1 | | port 2 | | port 3 | | |
- | +---------------+ +---------------+ +---------------+ +---------------+ | |
- | ^ : ^ : | |
- | | | | | | | Host
- | : +--------------------+ v | |
- | +--------------+ +--------------+ | |
- | | phy port | vswitch | phy port | | |
- +---+--------------+--------------------------------------------------------------------+--------------+----+__|
- ^ :
- | |
- : v
- +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
- | |
- | traffic generator |
- | |
- +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+
+ __
+ +----------------------+ +----------------------+ |
+ | Guest 1 | | Guest 2 | |
+ | +---------------+ | | +---------------+ | |
+ | | Application | | | | Application | | |
+ | +---------------+ | | +---------------+ | |
+ | ^ | | | ^ | | |
+ | | v | | | v | | Guests
+ | +---------------+ | | +---------------+ | |
+ | | logical ports | | | | logical ports | | |
+ | | 0 1 | | | | 0 1 | | |
+ +---+---------------+--+ +---+---------------+--+__|
+ ^ : ^ :
+ | | | |
+ : v : v _
+ +---+---------------+---------+---------------+--+ |
+ | | 0 1 | | 3 4 | | |
+ | | logical ports | | logical ports | | |
+ | +---------------+ +---------------+ | |
+ | ^ | ^ | | | Host
+ | | L-----------------+ v | |
+ | +--------------+ +--------------+ | |
+ | | phy ports | vSwitch | phy ports | | |
+ +---+--------------+----------+--------------+---+_|
+ ^ : ^ :
+ | | | |
+ : v : v
+ +--------------------------------------------------+
+ | |
+ | traffic generator |
+ | |
+ +--------------------------------------------------+
+
</code></pre>
- Physical port → virtual switch → VNF.
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+__|
</code></pre>
+ - HOST 1(Physical port → virtual switch → VNF → virtual switch → Physical port) → HOST 2(Physical port → virtual switch → VNF → virtual switch → Physical port)
+
+<pre><code>
+
+ +--------------------------------------------+ +------------------------------------------+
+ | +---------------------------------+ | | +--------------------------------+ |
+ | | Application | | | | Application | |
+ | +----------------------------+----+ | | +-------------------------+------+ |
+ | ^ | | | ^ | |
+ | | v | | | v |
+ | +-------+----------+ +------------------+ | | +---------+--------+ +----------------+ |
+ | | Logical port 0 | | Logical port 1 | | | | Logical port 0 | |Logical port 1 | |
+ +-+------------------+--+------------------+-+ +-+------------------+--+------+---------+-+
+ ^ | ^ |
+ | | | |
+ | v | v
+ +-+-------+----------+--+------------------+-+ +-+---------+--------+--+----------------+-+
+ | | Logical port 0 | | Logical port 1 | | | | Logical port 0 | | Logical port 1 | |
+ | +------------------+ +----------+-------+ | | +------------------+ +------+---------+ |
+ | ^ | | | ^ | |
+ | | | | | | | |
+ | | vswitch v | | | vswitch v |
+ | +--------+---------+ +------------------+ | | +---------+--------+ +----------------+ |
+ | | phy port | | phy port | | | | phy port | | phy port | |
+ +-+--------+---------+--+----------+-------+-+ +-+---------+--------+--+------+---------+-+
+ ^ +---------------------------------------+ |
+ | v
+ +----------+----------------------------------------------------------------------------------+-----------+
+ | |
+ | traffic generator |
+ | |
+ +---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+</code></pre>
+
**Note:** For tests where the traffic generator and/or measurement receiver are implemented on VM and connected to the virtual switch through vNIC, the issues of shared resources and interactions between the measurement devices and the device under test must be considered.
####General Methodology:
**Note**: For throughput tests unless stated otherwise, test configurations should ensure that traffic traverses the installed flows through the switch, i.e. flows are installed and have an appropriate time out that doesn't expire before packet transmission starts.
+#####Flow Classification:
+Virtual switches group packets into flows by processing and matching particular header fields in the packet or frame, or by matching packets based on the input ports into the vSwitch. Thus a flow is considered to be a sequence of packets that have a shared set of header field values or have arrived on the same port. Performance results can vary based on the parameters the vSwitch uses to match for a flow. The recommended flow classification parameters for any vSwitch performance tests are: the input port, the source IP address, the destination IP address and the Ethernet protocol type field. It is essential to increase the flow time-out time on a vSwitch before conducting any performance tests that do not measure the flow set-up time. Normally the first packet of a particular flow will install the flow in the vSwitch which adds an additional latency, subsequent packets of the same flow are not subject to this latency if the flow is already installed on the vSwitch.
+
#####Test Priority
Tests will be assigned a priority in order to determine which tests should be implemented immediately and which tests implementations can be deferred.
= 14,880,952.38 frame per second (fps)
+####System isolation and validation
+A key consideration when conducting any sort of benchmark is trying to ensure the consistency and repeatability of test results between runs. When benchmarking the performance of a virtual switch there are many factors that can affect the consistency of results. This section describes these factors and the measures that can be taken to limit their effects. In addition, this section will outline some system tests to validate the platform and the VNF before conducting any vSwitch benchmarking tests.
+
+#####System Isolation
+When conducting a benchmarking test on any SUT, it is essential to limit (and if reasonable, eliminate) any noise that may interfere with the accuracy of the metrics collected by the test. This noise may be introduced by other hardware or software (OS, other applications), and can result in significantly varying performance metrics being collected between consecutive runs of the same test. In the case of characterizing the performance of a virtual switch, there are a number of configuration parameters that can help increase the repeatability and stability of test results, including:
+
+ - OS/GRUB configuration:
+ - maxcpus = n where n >= 0; limits the kernel to using 'n' processors. Only use exactly what you need.
+ - isolcpus: Isolate CPUs from the general scheduler. Isolate all CPUs bar one which will be used by the OS.
+ - use taskset to affinitize the forwarding application and the VNFs onto isolated cores. VNFs and the vSwitch should be allocated their own cores, i.e. must not share the same cores. vCPUs for the VNF should be affinitized to individual cores also.
+ - Limit the amount of background applications that are running and set OS to boot to runlevel 3. Make sure to kill any unnecessary system processes/daemons.
+ - Only enable hardware that you need to use for your test – to ensure there are no other interrupts on the system.
+ - Configure NIC interrupts to only use the cores that are not allocated to any other process (VNF/vSwitch).
+ - NUMA configuration: Any unused sockets in a multi-socket system should be disabled.
+ - CPU pinning: The vSwitch and the VNF should each be affinitized to separate logical cores using a combination of maxcpus, isolcpus and taskset.
+ - BIOS configuration: BIOS should be configured for performance where an explicit option exists, sleep states should be disabled, any virtualization optimization technologies should be enabled, and hyperthreading should also be enabled.
+
+#####System Validation
+System validation is broken down into two sub-categories: Platform validation and VNF validation. The validation test itself involves verifying the forwarding capability and stability for the sub-system under test. The rationale behind system validation is two fold. Firstly to give a tester confidence in the stability of the platform or VNF that is being tested; and secondly to provide base performance comparison points to understand the overhead introduced by the virtual switch.
+
+######Benchmark platform forwarding capability
+This is an OPTIONAL test used to verify the platform and measure the base performance (maximum forwarding rate in fps and latency) that can be achieved by the platform without a vSwitch or a VNF.
+
+The following diagram outlines the set-up for benchmarking Platform forwarding capability:
+<pre><code>
+ __
+ +--------------------------------------------------+ |
+ | +------------------------------------------+ | |
+ | | | | |
+ | | l2fw or DPDK L2FWD app | | Host
+ | | | | |
+ | +------------------------------------------+ | |
+ | | NIC | | |
+ +---+------------------------------------------+---+ __|
+ ^ :
+ | |
+ : v
+ +--------------------------------------------------+
+ | |
+ | traffic generator |
+ | |
+ +--------------------------------------------------+
+</code></pre>
+
+######Benchmark VNF forwarding capability
+This test is used to verify the VNF and measure the base performance (maximum forwarding rate in fps and latency) that can be achieved by the VNF without a vSwitch. The performance metrics collected by this test will serve as a key comparison point for NIC passthrough technologies and vSwitches. VNF in this context refers to the hypervisor and the VM.
+
+The following diagram outlines the set-up for benchmarking VNF forwarding capability:
+<pre><code>
+ __
+ +--------------------------------------------------+ |
+ | +------------------------------------------+ | |
+ | | | | |
+ | | VNF | | |
+ | | | | |
+ | +------------------------------------------+ | |
+ | | Passthrough/SR-IOV | | Host
+ | +------------------------------------------+ | |
+ | | NIC | | |
+ +---+------------------------------------------+---+ __|
+ ^ :
+ | |
+ : v
+ +--------------------------------------------------+
+ | |
+ | traffic generator |
+ | |
+ +--------------------------------------------------+
+</code></pre>
+
+######Methodology to benchmark Platform/VNF forwarding capability
+The recommended methodology for the platform/VNF validation and benchmark is:
+ - Run [RFC2889] Maximum Forwarding Rate test, this test will produce maximum forwarding rate and latency results that will serve as the expected values. These expected values can be used in subsequent steps or compared with in subsequent validation tests.
+ - Transmit bidirectional traffic at line rate/max forwarding rate (whichever is higher) for at least 72 hours, measure throughput (fps) and latency.
+ - Note: Traffic should be bidirectional.
+ - Establish a baseline forwarding rate for what the platform can achieve.
+ - Additional validation: After the test has completed for 72 hours run bidirectional traffic at the maximum forwarding rate once more to see if the system is still functional and measure throughput (fps) and latency. Compare the measure the new obtained values with the expected values.
+
+**NOTE 1**: How the Platform is configured for its forwarding capability test (BIOS settings, GRUB configuration, runlevel...) is how the platform should be configured for every test after this
+
+**NOTE 2**: How the VNF is configured for its forwarding capability test (# of vCPUs, vNICs, Memory, affinitization…) is how it should be configured for every test that uses a VNF after this.
+
+####RFCs for testing switch performance
+The starting point for defining the suite of tests for benchmarking the performance of a virtual switch is to take existing RFCs and standards that were designed to test their physical counterparts and adapting them for testing virtual switches. The rationale behind this is to establish a fair comparison between the performance of virtual and physical switches. This section outlines the RFCs that are used by this specification.
+
#####RFC 1242 Benchmarking Terminology for Network Interconnection Devices
RFC 1242 defines the terminology that is used in describing performance benchmarking tests and their results. Definitions and discussions covered include: Back-to-back, bridge, bridge/router, constant load, data link frame size, frame loss rate, inter frame gap, latency, and many more.
#####RFC 6201 Device Reset Characterization
RFC 6201 extends the methodology for characterizing the speed of recovery of the DUT from device or software reset described in RFC 2544.
+ <a name="TestReport"></a>
+ ####2.2.1 Details of the Test Report
+ There are a number of parameters related to the system, DUT and tests that can affect the repeatability of a test results and should be recorded. In order to minimise the variation in the results of a test, it is recommended that the test report includes the following information:
+
+ - Hardware details including:
+ - Platform details.
+ - Processor details.
+ - Memory information (see below)
+ - Number of enabled cores.
+ - Number of cores used for the test.
+ - Number of physical NICs, as well as their details (manufacturer, versions, type and the PCI slot they are plugged into).
+ - NIC interrupt configuration.
+ - BIOS version, release date and any configurations that were modified.
+ - Software details including:
+ - OS version (for host and VNF)
+ - Kernel version (for host and VNF)
+ - GRUB boot parameters (for host and VNF).
+ - Hypervisor details (Type and version).
+ - Selected vSwitch, version number or commit id used.
+ - vSwitch launch command line if it has been parameterised.
+ - Memory allocation to the vSwitch – which NUMA node it is using, and how many memory channels.
+ - DPDK or any other SW dependency version number or commit id used.
+ - Memory allocation to a VM - if it's from Hugpages/elsewhere.
+ - VM storage type: snapshot/independent persistent/independent non-persistent.
+ - Number of VMs.
+ - Number of Virtual NICs (vNICs), versions, type and driver.
+ - Number of virtual CPUs and their core affinity on the host.
+ - Number vNIC interrupt configuration.
+ - Thread affinitization for the applications (including the vSwitch itself) on the host.
+ - Details of Resource isolation, such as CPUs designated for Host/Kernel (isolcpu) and CPUs designated for specific processes (taskset).
+ - Memory Details
+ - Total memory
+ - Type of memory
+ - Used memory
+ - Active memory
+ - Inactive memory
+ - Free memory
+ - Buffer memory
+ - Swap cache
+ - Total swap
+ - Used swap
+ - Free swap
+ - Test duration.
+ - Number of flows.
+ - Traffic Information:
+ - Traffic type - UDP, TCP, IMIX / Other.
+ - Packet Sizes.
+ - Deployment Scenario.
+
+ Note: Tests that require additional parameters to be recorded will explicitly specify this.
<a name="TestIdentification"></a>
###2.3. Test identification
- Perform any relevant address look-ups on the DUT's ingress ports.
- Modify the packet header before forwarding the packet to the DUT's egress port. Packet modifications include:
- Modifying the Ethernet source or destination MAC address.
- - Modifying/adding a VLAN tag.
+ - Modifying/adding a VLAN tag. (Recommended).
- Modifying/adding a MPLS tag.
- Modifying the source or destination ip address.
- Modifying the TOS/DSCP field.
- - Modifying the source or destination ports for UDP/TCP/SCTP (Recommended).
+ - Modifying the source or destination ports for UDP/TCP/SCTP.
- Modifying the TTL.
**Expected Result**:
- The [RFC5481] PDV form of delay variation on the traffic flow, using the 99th percentile.
- CPU and memory utilization may also be collected as part of this test, to determine the vSwitch's performance footprint on the system.
+<br/>
+ - #####Test ID: LTD.Throughput.RFC2544.Profile
+
+ **Title**: RFC 2544 Throughput and Latency Profile
+
+ **Prerequisite Test**:
+
+ **Priority**:
+
+ **Description**:
+
+ This test reveals how throughput and latency degrades as the offered rate varies in the region of the DUT's maximum forwarding rate as determined by LTD.Throughput.RFC2544.PacketLossRatio (0% Packet Loss). For example it can be used to determine if the degradation of throughput and latency as the offered rate increases is slow and graceful or sudden and severe.
+
+ The selected frame sizes are those previously defined under [Default Test Parameters](#DefaultParams).
+
+ The offered traffic rate is described as a percentage delta with respect to the DUT's maximum forwarding rate as determined by LTD.Throughput.RFC2544.PacketLoss Ratio (0% Packet Loss case). A delta of 0% is equivalent to an offered traffic rate equal to the maximum forwarding rate; A delta of +50% indicates an offered rate half-way between the maximum forwarding rate and line-rate, whereas a delta of -50% indicates an offered rate of half the maximum rate. Therefore the range of the delta figure is natuarlly bounded at -100% (zero offered traffic) and +100% (traffic offered at line rate).
+
+ The following deltas to the maximum forwarding rate should be applied:
+
+ - -50%, -10%, 0%, +10% & +50%
+
+ **Expected Result**:
+ For each packet size a profile should be produced of how throughput and latency vary with offered rate.
+
+ **Metrics Collected**:
+
+ The following are the metrics collected for this test:
+
+ - The forwarding rate in Frames Per Second (FPS) and Mbps of the DUT for each delta to the maximum forwarding rate and for each frame size.
+ - The average latency for each delta to the maximum forwarding rate and for each frame size.
+ - CPU and memory utilization may also be collected as part of this test, to determine the vSwitch's performance footprint on the system.
+ - Any failures experienced (for example if the vSwitch crashes, stops processing packets, restarts or becomes unresponsive to commands) when the offered load is above Maximum Throughput MUST be recorded and reported with the results.
+
<br/>
- #####Test ID: LTD.Throughput.RFC2544.SystemRecoveryTime
**Title**: RFC 2544 System Recovery Time Test
- **Prerequisite Test**: N\A
+ **Prerequisite Test** LTD.Throughput.RFC2544.PacketLossRatio
**Priority**:
**Description**:
- The aim of this test is to determine the length of time it takes the DUT to recover from an overload condition for a constant load (fixed length frames at a fixed interval time). The selected frame sizes are those previously defined under [Default Test Parameters](#DefaultParams), traffic should be sent to the DUT under normal conditions. During the duration of the test and while the traffic flows are passing though the DUT, at least one situation leading to an overload condition for the DUT should occur. The time from the start of the overload condition to when the DUT returns to normal operations should be measured to determine recovery time. Prior to overloading the DUT, one should record the average latency for 100 packets forwarded through the DUT.
+ The aim of this test is to determine the length of time it takes the DUT to recover from an overload condition for a constant load (fixed length frames at a fixed interval time). The selected frame sizes are those previously defined under [Default Test Parameters](#DefaultParams), traffic should be sent to the DUT under normal conditions. During the duration of the test and while the traffic flows are passing though the DUT, at least one situation leading to an overload condition for the DUT should occur. The time from the end of the overload condition to when the DUT returns to normal operations should be measured to determine recovery time. Prior to overloading the DUT, one should record the average latency for 10,000 packets forwarded through the DUT.
- The suggested overload condition would be to transmit traffic at a very high frame rate to the DUT, for at least 60 seconds, then reduce the frame rate to the DUT by half; A number of time-stamps should be recorded:
- - Record the time-stamp at which the frame rate was halved and record a second time-stamp at the time of the last frame lost. The recovery time is the difference between the two timestamps.
- - Record the average Latency for 100 frames after the last frame loss and continue to record average latency measurements for every 100 frames, when latency returns to pre-overload levels record the time-stamp.
+ The overload condition SHOULD be to transmit traffic at a very high frame rate to the DUT (150% of the maximum 0% packet loss rate as determined by LTD.Throughput.RFC2544.PacketLossRatio or line-rate whichever is lower), for at least 60 seconds, then reduce the frame rate to 75% of the maximum 0% packet loss rate. A number of time-stamps should be recorded:
+ - Record the time-stamp at which the frame rate was reduced and record a second time-stamp at the time of the last frame lost. The recovery time is the difference between the two timestamps.
+ - Record the average latency for 10,000 frames after the last frame loss and continue to record average latency measurements for every 10,000 frames, when latency returns to within 10% of pre-overload levels record the time-stamp.
**Expected Result**:
**Description**:
- The aim of this test is to understand the Throughput stability over an extended test duration in order to uncover any outliers. To allow for an extended test duration, the test should ideally run for 24 hours or, if this is not possible, for at least 6 hour. For this test, each frame size must be sent at the highest Throughput with X% packet loss, as determined in the prerequisite test. The default loss percentages to be tested are:
+ The aim of this test is to understand the Throughput stability over an extended test duration in order to uncover any outliers. To allow for an extended test duration, the test should ideally run for 24 hours or, if this is not possible, for at least 6 hours. For this test, each frame size must be sent at the highest Throughput with X% packet loss, as determined in the prerequisite test. The default loss percentages to be tested are:
- X = 0%
- X = 10^-7%
The following are the metrics collected for this test:
- Throughput stability of the DUT.
- - Any outliers in the Throughput stability.
- - Any unexpected variation in Throughput stability.
+ - This means reporting the number of packets lost per time interval and reporting any time intervals with packet loss. An interval of 60s is suggested.
- CPU and memory utilization may also be collected as part of this test, to determine the vSwitch's performance footprint on the system.
+ - The [RFC5481] PDV form of delay variation on the traffic flow, using the 99th percentile.
<br/>
- #####Test ID: LTD.Throughput.RFC2544.SoakFrameModification
- **Title**: RFC 2544 X% packet loss Throughput Soak Test with Frame Modification
+ **Title**: RFC 2544 Throughput Soak Test with Frame Modification
- **Prerequisite Test** LTD.Throughput.RFC2544.PacketLossRatioFrameModification
+ **Prerequisite Test** LTD.Throughput.RFC2544.PacketLossRatioFrameModification (0% Packet Loss)
**Priority**:
**Description**:
- The aim of this test is to understand the Throughput stability over an extended test duration in order to uncover any outliers. To allow for an extended test duration, the test should ideally run for 24 hours or, if this is not possible, for at least 6 hour. For this test, each frame size must be sent at the highest Throughput with X% packet loss, as determined in the prerequisite test. The default loss percentages to be tested are:
- - X = 0%
- - X = 10^-7%
-
- Note: Other values can be tested if required by the user.
+ The aim of this test is to understand the throughput stability over an extended test duration in order to uncover any outliers. To allow for an extended test duration, the test should ideally run for 24 hours or, if this is not possible, for at least 6 hour. For this test, each frame size must be sent at the highest Throughput with 0% packet loss, as determined in the prerequisite test.
During this test, the DUT must perform the following operations on the traffic flow:
- Perform any relevant address look-ups on the DUT's ingress ports.
- Modify the packet header before forwarding the packet to the DUT's egress port. Packet modifications include:
- Modifying the Ethernet source or destination MAC address.
- - Modifying/adding a VLAN tag.
+ - Modifying/adding a VLAN tag (Recommended).
- Modifying/adding a MPLS tag.
- Modifying the source or destination ip address.
- Modifying the TOS/DSCP field.
- - Modifying the source or destination ports for UDP/TCP/SCTP (Recommended).
+ - Modifying the source or destination ports for UDP/TCP/SCTP.
- Modifying the TTL.
**Expected Result**:
The following are the metrics collected for this test:
- Throughput stability of the DUT.
- - Any outliers in the Throughput stability.
- - Any unexpected variation in Throughput stability.
+ - This means reporting the number of packets lost per time interval and reporting any time intervals with packet loss. An interval of 60s is suggested.
- CPU and memory utilization may also be collected as part of this test, to determine the vSwitch's performance footprint on the system.
+ - The [RFC5481] PDV form of delay variation on the traffic flow, using the 99th percentile.
<br/>
**Description**:
- The aim of this test is to determine the length of time it takes the DUT to recover from a reset. For each frame size previously defined under [Default Test Parameters](#DefaultParams), traffic should be sent to the DUT under normal conditions. During the duration of the test and while the traffic flows are passing through the DUT, the DUT should be reset and the Reset time measured. The Reset time is the total time that a device is determined to be out of operation and includes the time to perform the reset and the time to recover from it (cf. [RFC6201])
+ The aim of this test is to determine the length of time it takes the DUT to recover from a reset.
+
+ Two reset methods are defined - planned and unplanned. A planned reset requires stopping and restarting the virtual switch by the usual 'graceful' method defined by it's documentation. An unplanned reset requires simulating a fatal internal fault in the virtual switch - for example by using kill -SIGKILL on a Linux environment.
+
+ Both reset methods SHOULD be exercised.
+
+ For each frame size previously defined under [Default Test Parameters](#DefaultParams), traffic should be sent to the DUT under normal conditions. During the duration of the test and while the traffic flows are passing through the DUT, the DUT should be reset and the Reset time measured. The Reset time is the total time that a device is determined to be out of operation and includes the time to perform the reset and the time to recover from it (cf. [RFC6201]).
[RFC6201] defines two methods to measure the Reset time:
- Frame-Loss Method: which requires the monitoring of the number of lost frames and calculates the Reset time based on the number of frames lost and the offered rate according to the following formula:
**Metrics collected**
The following are the metrics collected for this test:
- - Average Reset Time.
+ - Average Reset Time over the number of trials performed.
Results of this test should include the following information:
+ - The reset method used.
- Throughput in Fps and Mbps.
- - Average Frame Loss.
- - Average Reset Time in milliseconds.
- - Number of trials.
+ - Average Frame Loss over the number of trials performed.
+ - Average Reset Time in milliseconds over the number of trials performed.
+ - Number of trials performed.
- Protocol: IPv4, IPv6, MPLS, etc.
- Frame Size in Octets
- Port Media: Ethernet, Gigabit Ethernet (GbE), etc.
<br/>
- - #####Test ID: LTD.Throughput.RFC2889.ForwardingRate
+ - #####Test ID: LTD.Throughput.RFC2889.MaxForwardingRate
**Title**: RFC2889 Forwarding Rate Test
**Description**:
- This test measures the DUT's Max Forwarding Rate when the Offered Load is varied between the throughput and the Maximum Offered Load for fixed length frames at a fixed time interval. The selected frame sizes are those previously defined under [Default Test Parameters](#DefaultParams). The throughput is the maximum offered load with 0% frame loss (measured by the prerequisite test), and the Maximum Offered Load (as defined by [RFC2885]) is _"the highest number of frames per second that an external source can transmit to a DUT/SUT for forwarding to a specified output interface or interfaces"_.
+ This test measures the DUT's Max Forwarding Rate when the Offered Load is varied between the throughput and the Maximum Offered Load for fixed length frames at a fixed time interval. The selected frame sizes are those previously defined under [Default Test Parameters](#DefaultParams). The throughput is the maximum offered load with 0% frame loss (measured by the prerequisite test), and the Maximum Offered Load (as defined by [RFC2285]) is _"the highest number of frames per second that an external source can transmit to a DUT/SUT for forwarding to a specified output interface or interfaces"_.
Traffic should be sent to the DUT at a particular rate (TX rate) starting with TX rate equal to the throughput rate. The rate of successfully received frames at the destination counted (in FPS). If the RX rate is equal to the TX rate, the TX rate should be increased by a fixed step size and the RX rate measured again until the Max Forwarding Rate is found.
- The trial duration for each iteration should last for the period of time needed for the system to reach steady state for the frame size being tested. Under [RFC2889] test methodology, the test duration should run for a minimum period of 30 seconds, regardless whether the system reaches steady state before the minimum duration ends.
+ The trial duration for each iteration should last for the period of time needed for the system to reach steady state for the frame size being tested. Under [RFC2889] (Sec. 5.6.3.1) test methodology, the test duration should run for a minimum period of 30 seconds, regardless whether the system reaches steady state before the minimum duration ends.
**Expected Result**:
According to [RFC2889] The Max Forwarding Rate is the highest forwarding rate of a DUT taken from an iterative set of forwarding rate measurements. The iterative set of forwarding rate measurements are made by setting the intended load transmitted from an external source and measuring the offered load (i.e what the DUT is capable of forwarding). If the Throughput == the Maximum Offered Load, it follows that Max Forwarding Rate is equal to the Maximum Offered Load.
- #####Test ID: LTD.Throughput.RFC2889.ForwardPressure
**Title**: RFC2889 Forward Pressure Test
- **Prerequisite Test**: LTD.Throughput.RFC2889.ForwardingRate
+ **Prerequisite Test**: LTD.Throughput.RFC2889.MaxForwardingRate
**Priority**:
The aim of this test is to determine if the DUT transmits frames with an inter-frame gap that is less than 12 bytes. This test overloads the DUT and measures the output for forward pressure. Traffic should be transmitted to the DUT with an inter-frame gap of 11 bytes, this will overload the DUT by 1 byte per frame. The forwarding rate of the DUT should be measured.
**Expected Result**:
- The forwarding rate should not exceed the maximum forwarding rate of the DUT collected by LTD.Throughput.RFC2889.ForwardingRate.
+ The forwarding rate should not exceed the maximum forwarding rate of the DUT collected by LTD.Throughput.RFC2889.MaxForwardingRate.
**Metrics collected**
**Description**:
- The aim of this test is to determine the address caching capacity of the DUT for a constant load (fixed length frames at a fixed interval time). The selected frame sizes are those previously defined under [Default Test Parameters](#DefaultParams).
+ Please note this test is only applicable to switches that are capable of MAC learning. The aim of this test is to determine the address caching capacity of the DUT for a constant load (fixed length frames at a fixed interval time). The selected frame sizes are those previously defined under [Default Test Parameters](#DefaultParams).
In order to run this test the aging time, that is the maximum time the DUT will keep a learned address in its flow table, and a set of initial addresses, whose value should be >= 1 and <= the max number supported by the implementation must be known. Please note that if the aging time is configurable it must be longer than the time necessary to produce frames from the external source at the specified rate. If the aging time is fixed the frame rate must be brought down to a value that the external source can produce in a time that is less than the aging time.
**Description**:
- The aim of this test is to determine the rate of address learning of the DUT for a constant load (fixed length frames at a fixed interval time). The selected frame sizes are those previously defined under [Default Test Parameters](#DefaultParams), traffic should be sent with each IPv4/IPv6 address incremented by one. The rate at which the DUT learns a new address should be measured. The maximum caching capacity from LTD.Memory.RFC2889.AddressCachingCapacity should be taken into consideration as the maximum number of addresses for which the learning rate can be obtained.
+ Please note this test is only applicable to switches that are capable of MAC learning. The aim of this test is to determine the rate of address learning of the DUT for a constant load (fixed length frames at a fixed interval time). The selected frame sizes are those previously defined under [Default Test Parameters](#DefaultParams), traffic should be sent with each IPv4/IPv6 address incremented by one. The rate at which the DUT learns a new address should be measured. The maximum caching capacity from LTD.Memory.RFC2889.AddressCachingCapacity should be taken into consideration as the maximum number of addresses for which the learning rate can be obtained.
**Expected Result**:
It may be worthwhile to report the behaviour when operating beyond address capacity - some DUTS may be more friendly to new addresses than others.
**Description**:
The aim of this test is to determine whether the DUT will propagate any erroneous frames it receives or whether it is capable of filtering out the erroneous frames. Traffic should be sent with erroneous frames included within the flow at random intervals. Illegal frames that must be tested include:
- - Undersize Frames.
- Oversize Frames.
- - CRC error frames.
- - Fragment Frames.
+ - Undersize Frames.
+ - CRC Errored Frames.
+ - Dribble Bit Errored Frames
+ - Alignment Errored Frames
The traffic flow exiting the DUT should be recorded and checked to determine if the erroneous frames where passed through the DUT.
- The forwarding rate of the DUT when forwarding broadcast traffic.
+<br/>
+ - #####Test ID: LTD.MemoryBandwidth.RFC2544.0PacketLoss.Scalability
+ **Title**: RFC 2544 0% loss Memory Bandwidth Scalability test
+
+ **Prerequisite Tests**:
+
+ **Priority**:
+
+ **Description**:
+
+ The aim of this test is to understand how the DUT's performance is affected by cache sharing and memory bandwidth between processes.
+
+ During the test all cores not used by the vSwitch should be running a memory intensive application. This application should read and write random data to random addresses in unused physical memory. The random nature of the data and addresses is intended to consume cache, exercise main memory access (as opposed to cache) and exercise all memory buses equally. Furthermore:
+ - the ratio of reads to writes should be recorded. A ratio of 1:1 SHOULD be used.
+ - the reads and writes MUST be of cache-line size and be cache-line aligned.
+ - in NUMA architectures memory access SHOULD be local to the core's node. Whether only local memory or a mix of local and remote memory is used MUST be recorded.
+ - the memory bandwidth (reads plus writes) used per-core MUST be recorded; the test MUST be run with a per-core memory bandwidth equal to half the maximum system memory bandwidth divided by the number of cores. The test MAY be run with other values for the per-core memory bandwidth.
+ - the test MAY also be run with the memory intensive application running on all cores.
+
+ Under these conditions the DUT's 0% packet loss throughput is determined as per LTD.Throughput.RFC2544.PacketLossRatio.
+
+ **Expected Result**:
+
+ **Metrics Collected**:
+
+ The following are the metrics collected for this test:
+
+ - The DUT's 0% packet loss throughput in the presence of cache sharing and memory bandwidth between processes.
+----
+<a name="LatencyTests"></a>
+####2.3.2 Packet Latency tests
+ These tests will measure the store and forward latency as well as the packet delay variation for various packet types through the virtual switch.
+
+ The following list is not exhaustive but should indicate the type of tests that should be required. It is expected that more will be added.
+
+ - #####Test ID: LTD.PacketLatency.InitialPacketProcessingLatency
+ **Title**: Initial Packet Processing Latency
+
+ **Prerequisite Test**: N\A
+
+ **Priority**:
+
+ **Description**:
+
+ In some virtual switch architectures, the first packets of a flow will take the system longer to process than subsequent packets in the flow. This test determines the latency for these packets. The test will measure the latency of the packets as they are processed by the flow-setup-path of the DUT. This test will send a single packet to the DUT after a fixed interval of time. The time interval will be equivalent to the amount of time it takes for a flow to time out in the virtual switch. Average packet latency will be determined over 1,000,000 packets.
+
+ For this test, only unidirectional traffic is required.
+
+ **Expected Result**:
+ The average latency for the initial packet of all flows should be greater than the latency of subsequent traffic.
+
+ **Metrics Collected**:
+
+ The following are the metrics collected for this test:
+
+ - Average latency of the initial packets of all flows that are processed by the DUT.
+
+ **Deployment scenario**:
+
+ - Physical → Virtual Switch → Physical.
+<br/>
+ - #####Test ID: LTD.PacketDelayVariation.RFC3393.Soak
+ **Title**: Packet Delay Variation Soak Test
+
+ **Prerequisite Tests**: LTD.Throughput.RFC2544.PacketLossRatio (0% Packet Loss)
+
+ **Priority**:
+
+ **Description**:
+
+ The aim of this test is to understand the distribution of packet delay variation for different frame sizes over an extended test duration and to determine if there are any outliers. To allow for an extended test duration, the test should ideally run for 24 hours or, if this is not possible, for at least 6 hour. For this test, each frame size must be sent at the highest possible throughput with 0% packet loss, as determined in the prerequisite test.
+
+ **Expected Result**:
+
+ **Metrics Collected**:
+
+ The following are the metrics collected for this test:
+
+ - The packet delay variation value for traffic passing through the DUT.
+ - The [RFC5481] PDV form of delay variation on the traffic flow, using the 99th percentile, for each 60s interval during the test.
+ - CPU and memory utilization may also be collected as part of this test, to determine the vSwitch's performance footprint on the system.
+
+
+<br/>
+----
+<a name="ScalabilityTests"></a>
+####2.3.3 Scalability tests
+
+ The general aim of these tests is to understand the impact of large flow table size and flow lookups on throughput.
+
+ The following list is not exhaustive but should indicate the type of tests that should be required. It is expected that more will be added.
+
+<br/>
+ - #####Test ID: LTD.Scalability.RFC2544.0PacketLoss
+
+ **Title**: RFC 2544 0% loss Scalability throughput test
+
+ **Prerequisite Test**:
+
+ **Priority**:
+
+ **Description**:
+
+ The aim of this test is to measure how throughput changes as the number of flows in the DUT increases.
+
+ For each frame size previously defined under [Default Test Parameters](#DefaultParams) and for each of the following number of flows:
+
+ - 1,000
+ - 2,000
+ - 2,000
+ - 4,000
+ - 8,000
+ - 16,000
+ - 32,000
+ - 64,000
+
+ The maximum 0% packet loss throughput should be determined in a manner identical to LTD.Throughput.RFC2544.PacketLossRatio.
+
+ **Expected Result**:
+
+ **Metrics Collected**:
+
+ The following are the metrics collected for this test:
+
+ - The maximum number of frames per second that can be forwarded at the specified number of flows and the specified frame size, with zero packet loss.
+<br/>
+
+<a name="SummaryList"></a>
+####2.3.9 Summary List of Tests
+- LTD.Throughput.RFC2544.PacketLossRatio
+- LTD.Throughput.RFC2544.PacketLossRatioFrameModification
+- LTD.Throughput.RFC2544.SystemRecoveryTime
+- LTD.Throughput.RFC2544.BackToBackFrames
+- LTD.Throughput.RFC2544.Soak
+- LTD.Throughput.RFC2544.SoakFrameModification
+- LTD.Throughput.RFC6201.ResetTime
+- LTD.Throughput.RFC2889.MaxForwardingRate
+- LTD.Throughput.RFC2889.ForwardPressure
+- LTD.Throughput.RFC2889.AddressCachingCapacity
+- LTD.Throughput.RFC2889.AddressLearningRate
+- LTD.Throughput.RFC2889.ErrorFramesFiltering
+- LTD.Throughput.RFC2889.BroadcastFrameForwarding
+- LTD.PacketLatency.InitialPacketProcessingLatency
+- LTD.Scalability.RFC2544.0PacketLoss
+
----
[RFC1242]:(http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc1242.txt)
[RFC2544]:(http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc2544.txt)
-[RFC2885]:(http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc2885.txt)
+[RFC2285]:(http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc2285.txt)
[RFC2889]:(http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc2889.txt)
[RFC5481]:(http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc5481.txt)
[RFC6201]:(http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc6201.txt)
Code Review / vswitchperf.git / blobdiff