IxChariot Customer Presentation

IxChariotIxChariot

©2007 Ixia. All rights reserved.IXIA CONFIDENTIAL

This material is for informational purposes only and subject to change without notice. It describes Ixia’s present plans to develop and make available to its customers certain products, features and functionality. Ixia is only obligated to provide those deliverables specifically included in a written agreement between Ixia and the customer.

IxChariot is a software-based network assessment tool used for measuring key performance metrics such as throughput, latency, packet loss, jitter, VoIP MOS, and MDI for video under real-world conditions.

Performance measurements are made by sending real data flows between pairs of networked computers. IxChariot emulates different kinds of distributed applications then captures and analyzes the resulting data.

Console

Endpoint 1

Endpoint 2

What is IxChariot?What is IxChariot?



How do our customers use IxChariot?How do our customers use IxChariot?

Benchmark the performance of networks and networked devices for carrying application traffic.

Evaluate key network infrastructure decisions using real-world traffic.

Test the functionality of network equipment under varying traffic and QoS profiles.

Qualify new hardware and software prior to deployment.

Verify service-level agreements with real-world traffic.

Assess the characteristics of WLAN’s carrying enterprise traffic

and more…

IxChariot users…



Test Instru

ctions

Test Instructions

Application Scripts

TCP, UDP, RTP IPX, SPX, SNAIPv4, IPv6VoIP, Multicast

TCP, UDP, RTP IPX, SPX, SNAIPv4, IPv6VoIP, Multicast

Test Results

IxChariot’s Basic DesignIxChariot’s Basic Design

Results Reporting• .html• .csv• .txt

Test Results

The IxChariot Console interacts with Performance Endpoints distributed throughout the network…

Performance Endpoints can transmit data via a broad range of network protocols.

Test instructions are sent from the console to Endpoint 1 which relays instructions to Endpoint 2

Application Scripts model the complex behavior of enterprise applications, VoIP codecs, and other common protocols.

Test results are finally relayed back to the console from the Performance Endpoints.



Supported TechnologiesSupported Technologies

TCP, UDP, RTP, IGMP and QoS features such as IP TOS, DSCP, and Vista qWAVE are supported

Support for 802.11 featuring RSSI measurements during the test and pair disconnect/reconnect during roaming.

Voice codec emulation including G.711, G.723, G.726, and G.729

Over 150 application scripts…– Citrix and Microsoft Remote Desktop– Oracle, SAP and SQL Server– Microsoft Exchange and Lotus Notes– Kazaa, BitTorrent, etc.– RealMedia, NetMeeting, etc. – HTTP, FTP, DNS, NNTP, POP, Telnet, etc. – AIM, ICQ, MSN Messenger, Yahoo

Messenger– FPS and RTS games, and more…

Endpoint support for…– Windows (32-bit and 64-bit)– Windows CE (x86 and ARM)– Linux (x86, x86_64, and ARM)– Solaris (SPARC and x86)– Mac OS X– AIX– HP-UX– OpenWRT and others...

IxChariot ComponentsIxChariot Components



IxChariot ConsoleIxChariot Console

Tests are managed and executed from the IxChariot Console:



Performance EndpointsPerformance Endpoints

Installed as a service or daemon on supported devices anywhere in your network

Transmit test traffic as configured using the IxChariot Console

Measure performance of script execution and return observed datato the console.

Endpoints can be installed on any number of devices

30+ Operating systems supported– Windows– Windows CE (x86 and ARM)– Linux (x86 and ARM)– Solaris (SPARC and x86), – Mac OS X, OpenWRT and many more...



Application ScriptsApplication Scripts

Scripts are executed by endpoint pairs to emulate real-world applications.



IxProfileIxProfile

Build your own scripts using the built-in capture facility or import a capture file in any popular format.

Application payloads, timing, and interdependencies are easily captured for playback with IxChariot



How IxChariot Executes a TestHow IxChariot Executes a Test

1. The Console sends a test script to Endpoint 1 (E1)2. E1 sends a copy of the script to Endpoint 2 (E2)3. E1 alerts the Console that the endpoints are ready4. The Console tells the endpoints to begin the test5. The endpoints execute the test. E1 collects results6. E1 returns test results to the Console7. The Console displays the results

Console

Endpoint 1

1

243

56

Endpoint 2

7

Building an IxChariot TestBuilding an IxChariot Test



Define an Endpoint PairDefine an Endpoint Pair

From Address

To Address

Protocol

Modify Script

Script

Service Quality



Choose the Run OptionsChoose the Run Options

Ending a Test Run– Run Until. . .

Reporting Timings– Real-Time or Batch Reporting

Polling Endpoints– Whether and how often

Re-initialization– Whether and how quickly– Re-initialization gives you

an estimate of outage time duringa network outage or wireless roam

External Synchronization– Available on Ixia chassis or

Linux-based endpoints



Run the Test!Run the Test!

The IxChariot Console configures the Performance Endpoints, starts the data transmission, and displays the real-time results…



Compare Tests Side-by-SideCompare Tests Side-by-Side

Saved results can be compared side-by-side in IxChariot using the “Compare Tests…” feature.

Typical Use-CasesTypical Use-Cases



Application rollout testing with IxChariotApplication rollout testing with IxChariot

Answer questions such as…– “How will the latest version of Oracle perform on my network?”

Questions to ask…– What is the network profile?

• Number of segments, media type, locations of users and servers, etc.

– What is the network load?• Number of users, link utilization, etc.

– When to test?• Different hours of the day, days of the week

– Rules for testing• Where can you place endpoints, peak/off peak testing



VoIP Testing with IxChariotVoIP Testing with IxChariot

Assess voice quality on your networkusing the ITU E-ModelFive different codec types, emulating– Different compression algorithms– Data rates– Datagram sizes

Flexibility in changing datagram sizes, silence suppression, jitter buffer, etc.Quality of servicePerformance and quality metrics– Jitter– Lost data– Consecutive lost datagrams– One-way delay– Mean Opinion Score



Multicast Video Testing with IxChariotMulticast Video Testing with IxChariot

Endpoints subscribe to multicast video streams using IGMP

Test multicast interoperability between different devices

Measure key performance metrics such as MDI (Media Delivery Index), jitter, and packet loss.

Verify multicast connectivity throughout a network

Evaluate datagram stream performance on your network.

Tune QoS settings for optimal co-existence of voice, video, and data traffic on your network.



Wireless Testing with IxChariotWireless Testing with IxChariot

Compare the performance of wired and wireless networks using real application traffic.

Test wireless roaming performance and collect RSSI data during the test.

IxChariot is part of the official test plans for:

– Wi-Fi 802.11a/WPA™ Test Plan

– Wi-Fi 802.11b/WPA Test Plan

– Wi-Fi 802.11g/WPA Test Plan

– Wi-Fi PDA Test Plan

– Wi-Fi WMM™ Test Plan

– Wi-Fi WPA2 Test Plan

SummarySummary



SummarySummary

IxChariot is the industry’s leading network performance assessment tool. It is used every day by leading publications and test labs to benchmark and certify the latest network gear.

IxChariot endpoints generate traffic using the same methods as any networked application allowing you to measure every element in the data path.

Application scripts generate real-world traffic on-demand from endpoints distributed throughout your network.

With IxChariot, your network becomes a fully-instrumented system that can be monitored around the clock or measured on a moment’s notice.

Thank you !Thank you !

Documents

IxChariot Customer Presentation