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.

Ixia Load Module Feature Descriptions
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.

 

Layer 2/3 Only

The card only supports Layer 2 and 3 control and operation. No protocols except ARP and PING are supported.

 

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.

 

Data integrity

Supports data integrity generation and checking.

 

Tx Duration

Supports the generation of a transmit duration statistic.

 

Per stream stats

Statistics are available for each stream.

Receive Modes

Capture

Received data may be captured to a capture buffer.

 

Packet groups

Supports generation of packet group IDs in packets.

 

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

 

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

 

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.

 

Delay Variation

Offers the option of measuring variation between latency of consecutive frames.

 

MEF Frame Delay

Measurement method: First data bit in to DUT; last data bit out of DUT.

 

Forwarding Delay

Measurement method: Last data bit in to DUT; last data bit out of DUT.

 

Advanced PG Filter

A set of features which allow packet group matching to ignore or mask:

  • Group ID
  • Signature
  • Filter data

 

Round-trip flows

Supports calculation of round-trip flows.

 

Data integrity

Supports data integrity generation and checking.

 

First time stamp

Supports first time stamp operation.

 

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.

 

Sequence checking

Supports packet sequence generation and verification.

 

Sequence checking per packet ID

When packet groups are used, allows sequence checking generation and verification.

 

ISL encapsulation

Receive side of port can accommodate ISL encapsulation on receive side.

 

Small packets

Supports the ability to capture packets smaller than a legal packet; captured data may be corrupted when this feature is used.

 

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).

 

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:

  • PRBS Bits Received
  • PRBS Errored Bits
  • PRBS BER

 

Split PGIDs

Allows for the creation of split PGID data.

 

Latency bins

Latency data may be categorized by latency values for each packet group.

 

Time bins

Latency may be measured over time.

 

Echo

Ports with this feature may echo all received traffic as transmitted packets.

 

Preamble capture

Frame's preamble may be included in the capture buffer.

 

Simulate cable disconnect

A cable disconnect state may be simulated.

 

Flexible Pattern Offset

Allows to set the Filter/Trigger pattern to a specific offset.

 

Multi Switched-Path

Allows for the detection of loss/duplicate packets.

 

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.

 

Misdirected Mask

Sets the signature mask used for identifying misdirected packets.

 

Rate Monitoring (convergence)

Enables testing convergence times and service interruptions.

 

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.

 

TSO/LRO

Transmit Segmentation Offload/Large Receive Offload (TSO/LRO) operation mode.

Transmit Modes

Packet streams

Supports the generation of packet streams.

 

Packet flows

Supports the generation of packet flows.

 

Advanced scheduler

Supports the operation of the advanced scheduler, which allows inter-mixing of multiple packet streams.

 

Forced collisions

Supports the insertion of forced collisions.

 

Tx Data integrity

Supports data integrity generation and checking.

 

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.

 

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.

 

Gap byte count

Gaps may be expressed as a number of bytes.

 

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.

 

Forced minimum IPG

In advanced scheduler mode, a minimum gap may be enforced.

 

Increment frame size by N

Frame sizes may be incremented by an arbitrary value between transmitted frames.

 

Increment/Decrement DA/SA by N

DA and SA values may be incremented or decremented by an arbitrary value between transmitted frames.

 

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.

 

Insert bad TCP checksum

Supports the generation of bad TCP checksums.

 

Checksum Override

Overrides IPv4, IPv6 and TCP checksums.

 

Frequency offset

The frequency for the card as a whole may be modified a few percent from nominal.

 

Echo

The port echoes all received packets.

 

Flexible Time Stamp

The position of the time stamp in transmitted packets may be repositioned.

 

Protocol Offset

The beginning of the IP (or other) protocol header may be repositioned so as to accommodate leading headers, as in PPP.

 

Random IPG

The IPG between packets may be set to a random value.

 

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.

 

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.

 

Scheduled duration

The duration of the transmit operation may be scheduled for a number of seconds.

 

Simulate cable disconnect

A cable disconnect state may be simulated.

 

Repeatable Random Streams

Allows for repeating randomly generated stream data.

 

GRE

An IP transport protocol available for insertion into transmitted streams.

 

Stacked VLANs

Allows for sending multiple VLAN IDs in a single packet.

 

Tx Ignore Link

Allows for transmission of packets with the link down.

 

Protocol Pad

Allows for a data pad to be added before the protocol head field in a frame.

 

Dynamic Rate Change

Allow rate change without stopping transmit.

 

Dynamic Frame Size Change

Allow frame size change without stopping transmit.

 

New Incrementing Frame Size

Allow packets/burst setting in incrementing frame size mode

 

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.

 

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:

  • PRBS Bits Received
  • PRBS Errored Bits
  • PRBS BER

 

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.

 

Overlap

UDFs may overlap within a 4-octet boundary. Otherwise UDFs must start at least 4 octets apart.

 

Cascade

UDFs may continue from previous stream values.

 

Cascade from self

UDFs may continue from previous values on the same UDF.

 

Split

UDFs may be split into multiple 8-bit and 16-bit counters.

 

Bit mask

UDFs output data may be masked with an arbitrary bit mask. Otherwise limitations on the number of changes of bits applies.

 

Incr By N

Allows UDFs to increment by an arbitrary value.

 

UDF5

The port has a fifth UDF.

 

Advanced

The port supports additional UDF features, including:

  • Nested counters
  • Linked lists
  • Step size
  • Value list
  • Range list

 

IPv4

The port supports UDF - IPv4 type counting.

 

Range List

The port supports UDF generated values over a list of value ranges.

 

Value List

The port supports UDF generated values from a list of values.

 

Nested Counter

The port supports UDF generated values from two nested counters.

 

Table

The port supports a UDF that derives values from a table of offsets and values, by packet.

 

Chained UDFs

The port supports the ability to chain from a specified UDF.

 

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.

 

BERT

Supports Bit Error Rate Testing through the generation and verifications of patterns.

 

Channelized BERT

Support channelized BERT testing.

 

BERT error insertion

Supports BERT error insertion.

 

DCC

Supports additional DCC channel streams.

 

SRP

Supports Serial Reuse Protocol passive receive.

 

SRP Full

Supports Serial Reuse Protocol active send/receive.

 

RPR

Supports Resilient Packet Ring operation.

 

FEC

Support Forwarding Error Correction.

 

GFP

Supports the Generic Framing Protocol.

 

SONET error insertion list

Support the insertion of Sonet errors.

 

Multiple DLCIs

Supports the use of more than one DLCI in frame relay testing.

 

CJPAT/CRPAT

Supports generated CJPAT and CRPAT frame data patterns.

10 Gigabit Ethernet

OC192

Supports OC192 POS operation.

 

WAN

Supports 10 GE WAN operation.

 

LAN

Supports 10 GE LAN operation.

 

XAUI

Supports 10GE XAUI interface.

 

XENPAK

Supports 10GE XENPAK interface.

 

LASI

Supports Link Alarm Status Interrupt.

 

XFP

Supports an XFP interface.

 

SFP

Supports an SFP (small form-factor pluggable) transceiver interface.

 

UNIPHY

Supports UNIPHY operation, which allows the same port to operate in LAN, WAN, POS and BERT modes.

 

Lane skew

Supports the ability to skew multiple PCS (Physical Coding Sublayer) lanes.

 

Set pause destination address

The destination for pause control packets may be set.

 

Link Fault Signalling

Supports the link fault signalling protocol.

 

Gap Control Mode

Allows for the selection of the gap control algorithm, as defined by IEEE.

 

Pre-Emphasis

Allows for boosting transmit signal.

 

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.

 

DHCP

Supports the DHCP protocol.

 

DHCPv6

Supports the DHCPv6 protocol.

 

Advanced Routing (note 1)

Supports advanced routing protocols:

  • BGP-IPv6
  • IGMP (new) with IPMPv3
  • ISIS-IPv6
  • OSPFv3
  • PIM-SM
  • Layer 2 VPN (LDP)
  • Layer 3 VPN (BGP)
  • MLD
  • RIPng

 

ARP

Supports ARP generation and receipt handling.

 

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.

 

ARP rate control

The rate at which multiple ARP packets are transmitted may be controlled.

 

IGMP rate control

The rate at which multiple IGMP packets are transmitted may be controlled.

 

PING

Supports PING generation and receipt.

 

FCoE/NPIV

Supports Fibre Channel over Ethernet and N_Port_ID Virtualization.

 

PTP

Supports Precision Time Protocol.

 

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.