Ixia Load Module Properties
The Ixia load modules, or load modules, support a wide range of features, which are described in the following table.
The full set of supported features per card is described in the spreadsheet Port Features by Port Type on the Ixiacom.com website, under Support/User Guides/Spreadsheets.
Feature Category | Feature | Usage |
---|---|---|
Basic |
Local CPU |
Each port on the card is supported by an individual CPU for use in protocol server and other sophisticated operations. |
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Layer 2/3 Only |
The card only supports Layer 2 and 3 control and operation. No protocols except ARP and PING are supported. |
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Layer 7 Only |
The card only supports Layer 7 usage through the local CPU. This type of card is generally only useful for application testing as in IxLoad and Chariot. |
Statistics Selection |
Checksum errors (IPv4/TCP/UDP) |
Support generation and checking of special checksums for IPv4, TCP, and UDP packets. |
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Data integrity |
Supports data integrity generation and checking. |
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Tx Duration |
Supports the generation of a transmit duration statistic. |
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Per stream stats |
Statistics are available for each stream. |
Receive Modes |
Capture |
Received data may be captured to a capture buffer. |
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Packet groups |
Supports generation of packet group IDs in packets. |
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Latency S&Fwd LB to FB |
Latency measurement offers the option of measuring the time from last data bit out to first data bit in |
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Latency S&Fwd LB to FP |
Latency measurement offers the option of measuring the time from last data bit out to first preamble bit in |
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Inter-arrival Jitter |
Inter-Arrival Time (IAT) compares the time between PGID packet arrivals. In this case, when a packet with a PGID is received, the PGID is examined. If a packet has already been received with the same PGID, then the timestamp of the previous packet is subtracted from the current timestamp. The interval between the timestamps is the jitter, and it is recorded for statistical purposes. |
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Delay Variation |
Offers the option of measuring variation between latency of consecutive frames. |
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MEF Frame Delay |
Measurement method: First data bit in to DUT; last data bit out of DUT. |
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Forwarding Delay |
Measurement method: Last data bit in to DUT; last data bit out of DUT. |
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Advanced PG Filter |
A set of features which allow packet group matching to ignore or mask:
|
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Round-trip flows |
Supports calculation of round-trip flows. |
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Data integrity |
Supports data integrity generation and checking. |
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First time stamp |
Supports first time stamp operation. |
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Tx/Rx Time Stamp Mode |
Allows the system to use the time stamp of the last bit of the packet; this is useful when multiple rates are present in the network topology. |
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Sequence checking |
Supports packet sequence generation and verification. |
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Sequence checking per packet ID |
When packet groups are used, allows sequence checking generation and verification. |
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ISL encapsulation |
Receive side of port can accommodate ISL encapsulation on receive side. |
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Small packets |
Supports the ability to capture packets smaller than a legal packet; captured data may be corrupted when this feature is used. |
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Wide packet groups |
This feature allows ports, which utilize packet groups, to extend the number of bits in the PGID to 17 bits (or more). |
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PRBS Mode |
When the Receive Mode is set to PRBS mode, both Wide Packet Groups and Sequence Checking are automatically enabled. In PRBS mode, all latency-related statistics are removed and the following per PGID statistics are added:
|
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Split PGIDs |
Allows for the creation of split PGID data. |
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Latency bins |
Latency data may be categorized by latency values for each packet group. |
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Time bins |
Latency may be measured over time. |
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Echo |
Ports with this feature may echo all received traffic as transmitted packets. |
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Preamble capture |
Frame's preamble may be included in the capture buffer. |
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Simulate cable disconnect |
A cable disconnect state may be simulated. |
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Flexible Pattern Offset |
Allows to set the Filter/Trigger pattern to a specific offset. |
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Multi Switched-Path |
Allows for the detection of loss/duplicate packets. |
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Intrinsic Latency Adjustment |
Reduces the measured latency by the amount of latency that is induced by the test equipment itself (not the DUT). Retrieves pre-determined latency value for a `known' transceiver, or calculates and stores that value for a `new' transceiver. |
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Misdirected Mask |
Sets the signature mask used for identifying misdirected packets. |
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Rate Monitoring (convergence) |
Enables testing convergence times and service interruptions. |
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Auto-Detect Instrumentation |
On the receive side, automatically detects a specified signature and Instrumentation parameters for Data Integrity, Sequence Checking, or Latency for streams generated with Automatic Instrumentation Offsets using Ixia software applications. |
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TSO/LRO |
Transmit Segmentation Offload/Large Receive Offload (TSO/LRO) operation mode. |
Transmit Modes |
Packet streams |
Supports the generation of packet streams. |
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Packet flows |
Supports the generation of packet flows. |
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Advanced scheduler |
Supports the operation of the advanced scheduler, which allows inter-mixing of multiple packet streams. |
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Forced collisions |
Supports the insertion of forced collisions. |
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Tx Data integrity |
Supports data integrity generation and checking. |
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Odd preamble |
Supports the ability to send a preamble with an odd number of bytes. This is not applicable to boards with dual PHYs (Ethernet/Fiber) when a port is in fiber mode. |
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Gap time units |
The inter-frame, -burst, and -stream gaps can be programmed in discreet units of time as opposed to indirectly through a percentage of maximums frame rate. |
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Gap byte count |
Gaps may be expressed as a number of bytes. |
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Modifiable preamble |
The packet's preamble content may be modified. On 10GE load modules that support this feature there are two options: modify the 7 rightmost bytes of the 8 byte preamble or modify the inner 6 bytes of the 8 byte preamble. |
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Forced minimum IPG |
In advanced scheduler mode, a minimum gap may be enforced. |
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Increment frame size by N |
Frame sizes may be incremented by an arbitrary value between transmitted frames. |
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Increment/Decrement DA/SA by N |
DA and SA values may be incremented or decremented by an arbitrary value between transmitted frames. |
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Random data on even offset only |
When random data is generated within a frame's content, the random data may only be placed at even byte boundaries. |
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Insert bad TCP checksum |
Supports the generation of bad TCP checksums. |
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Checksum Override |
Overrides IPv4, IPv6 and TCP checksums. |
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Frequency offset |
The frequency for the card as a whole may be modified a few percent from nominal. |
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Echo |
The port echoes all received packets. |
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Flexible Time Stamp |
The position of the time stamp in transmitted packets may be repositioned. |
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Protocol Offset |
The beginning of the IP (or other) protocol header may be repositioned so as to accommodate leading headers, as in PPP. |
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Random IPG |
The IPG between packets may be set to a random value. |
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Copper RJ45/Fiber SFP |
The port has the ability to transmit and receive from either its copper RJ-45 Ethernet or Fiber SFP optic interface. |
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Weighted Random Frame Size |
The port has the ability to generate packets with random frame sizes. The frame sizes are programmed through a set of frame sizes and weightings. |
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Scheduled duration |
The duration of the transmit operation may be scheduled for a number of seconds. |
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Simulate cable disconnect |
A cable disconnect state may be simulated. |
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Repeatable Random Streams |
Allows for repeating randomly generated stream data. |
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GRE |
An IP transport protocol available for insertion into transmitted streams. |
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Stacked VLANs |
Allows for sending multiple VLAN IDs in a single packet. |
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Tx Ignore Link |
Allows for transmission of packets with the link down. |
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Protocol Pad |
Allows for a data pad to be added before the protocol head field in a frame. |
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Dynamic Rate Change |
Allow rate change without stopping transmit. |
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Dynamic Frame Size Change |
Allow frame size change without stopping transmit. |
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New Incrementing Frame Size |
Allow packets/burst setting in incrementing frame size mode |
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Auto-Detect Instrumentation |
On the transmit side, automatically configures a specified signature and Instrumentation parameters for Data Integrity, Sequence Checking, Latency, or PRBS for streams generated for Ixia software applications that use Automatic Instrumentation Offsets. |
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Intrinsic Latency Adjustment |
Reduce the measured latency by the amount of latency that is induced by the test equipment itself (not the DUT). Retrieves pre-determined latency value for a `known' transceiver, or calculates and stores that value for a `new' transceiver. |
|
PRBS |
When the port is in PRBS mode, all latency-related statistics are removed and the following per-PGID statistics are added:
|
|
TSO/LRO |
Transmit Segmentation Offload/Large Receive Offload (TSO/LRO) operation mode. |
User Defined Fields (UDF) |
Odd offset |
UDFs are allowed to start at an odd offset. |
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Overlap |
UDFs may overlap within a 4-octet boundary. Otherwise UDFs must start at least 4 octets apart. |
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Cascade |
UDFs may continue from previous stream values. |
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Cascade from self |
UDFs may continue from previous values on the same UDF. |
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Split |
UDFs may be split into multiple 8-bit and 16-bit counters. |
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Bit mask |
UDFs output data may be masked with an arbitrary bit mask. Otherwise limitations on the number of changes of bits applies. |
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Incr By N |
Allows UDFs to increment by an arbitrary value. |
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UDF5 |
The port has a fifth UDF. |
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Advanced |
The port supports additional UDF features, including:
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IPv4 |
The port supports UDF - IPv4 type counting. |
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Range List |
The port supports UDF generated values over a list of value ranges. |
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Value List |
The port supports UDF generated values from a list of values. |
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Nested Counter |
The port supports UDF generated values from two nested counters. |
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Table |
The port supports a UDF that derives values from a table of offsets and values, by packet. |
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Chained UDFs |
The port supports the ability to chain from a specified UDF. |
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Protocol Pad |
Allows for a data pad to be added before the protocol head field in a frame. |
POS/BERT |
POS |
Supports Packet over SONET operation. |
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BERT |
Supports Bit Error Rate Testing through the generation and verifications of patterns. |
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Channelized BERT |
Support channelized BERT testing. |
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BERT error insertion |
Supports BERT error insertion. |
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DCC |
Supports additional DCC channel streams. |
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SRP |
Supports Serial Reuse Protocol passive receive. |
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SRP Full |
Supports Serial Reuse Protocol active send/receive. |
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RPR |
Supports Resilient Packet Ring operation. |
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FEC |
Support Forwarding Error Correction. |
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GFP |
Supports the Generic Framing Protocol. |
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SONET error insertion list |
Support the insertion of Sonet errors. |
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Multiple DLCIs |
Supports the use of more than one DLCI in frame relay testing. |
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CJPAT/CRPAT |
Supports generated CJPAT and CRPAT frame data patterns. |
10 Gigabit Ethernet |
OC192 |
Supports OC192 POS operation. |
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WAN |
Supports 10 GE WAN operation. |
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LAN |
Supports 10 GE LAN operation. |
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XAUI |
Supports 10GE XAUI interface. |
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XENPAK |
Supports 10GE XENPAK interface. |
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LASI |
Supports Link Alarm Status Interrupt. |
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XFP |
Supports an XFP interface. |
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SFP |
Supports an SFP (small form-factor pluggable) transceiver interface. |
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UNIPHY |
Supports UNIPHY operation, which allows the same port to operate in LAN, WAN, POS and BERT modes. |
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Lane skew |
Supports the ability to skew multiple PCS (Physical Coding Sublayer) lanes. |
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Set pause destination address |
The destination for pause control packets may be set. |
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Link Fault Signalling |
Supports the link fault signalling protocol. |
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Gap Control Mode |
Allows for the selection of the gap control algorithm, as defined by IEEE. |
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Pre-Emphasis |
Allows for boosting transmit signal. |
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MACSec |
Supports MACSec functionality. Media Access Control Security (MACsec) is a L2 protocol which authenticates the entire L2 frame (except for the Ethernet CRC) and provides confidentiality for all or some of the MACsec data segment. This protocol is defined in IEEE 802.1AE |
Protocol Server |
Basic Routing |
Supports basic routing protocols, including BGP, IS-IS and OSPF, but none of those in the list for Advanced Routing. |
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DHCP |
Supports the DHCP protocol. |
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DHCPv6 |
Supports the DHCPv6 protocol. |
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Advanced Routing (note 1) |
Supports advanced routing protocols:
|
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ARP |
Supports ARP generation and receipt handling. |
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Gratuitous ARP |
Gratuitous ARP is sent by the host when its IP to MAC mapping changes, so that everybody else on the subnet updates their ARP tables. |
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ARP rate control |
The rate at which multiple ARP packets are transmitted may be controlled. |
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IGMP rate control |
The rate at which multiple IGMP packets are transmitted may be controlled. |
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PING |
Supports PING generation and receipt. |
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FCoE/NPIV |
Supports Fibre Channel over Ethernet and N_Port_ID Virtualization. |
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PTP |
Supports Precision Time Protocol. |
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RTP |
Supports Real-time Transport Protocol. |
Note: On older OC48c, OC192c and 10GE modules, these protocols require that the ports have been upgraded to 128MB of CPU memory.