P2MP throughput report (Ixia) +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ .. _MSTAR: http://www.mstarsemi.com :Company: MSTAR_ .. sectnum:: .. |date| date:: .. contents:: Table of contents .. footer:: ###Title### - |date| - page ###Page### / ###Total### .. raw:: pdf PageBreak Abstract ======== This document describes the performance measured by the tool Ixia on a PLC network. Test benches ============ Description ----------- Throughput, broadcast, latency and frame loss ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ .. figure:: {bench_fig_name} :scale: 150 % Mesh ~~~~ .. figure:: {mesh_bench_fig_name} :scale: 150 % .. raw:: pdf PageBreak Comparison between throughput and mesh tests ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Both tests measure a throughput between a master and several slaves, in upload, download, and bidirectional. The **throughput** test is based on the usage of VLAN ID's and therefore of a VLAN switch. The **mesh** test is based on the usage of several Ixia ports. If there are many slaves (typically 64 EoC slaves), we may be limited by the number of Ixia ports, and we should then use the **throughput** test. If there are only a few slaves (typically an HPAV AVLN), it may be easier to use the **mesh** test, which avoids configuring the VLAN switch. In bidirectional, for a **throughput** test, the traffic is symetric in upload and in download. In bidirectional, for a **mesh** test, the traffic is N times higher in upload than in download, if there are N slaves (Ixia sends the same traffic on all ports). Software -------- On the PC of test, the packages **python**, **dia** and **rst2pdf** must be installed. On the PC of test, the package **proftpd-basic** must be installed, and an FTP server must be configured and running, so that the SPC300-like plugs can upload their files of traces. On the PC of test, the Ixia software suite, including **ixwish**, must be installed. Network settings ---------------- The PC of test must be configured to be able to connect to itself in SSH without having to enter a password for each SSH session. The PC of test must be configured to be able to ping the power strip. To that aim, on the PC of test, execute the following command (where ethX is the interface between the PC of test and the power strip):: sudo route add -net $POWER_STRIP_ADDRESS netmask 255.255.255.255 $ethX The VLAN switch must be configured so that all the slaves are routed to the same Ixia port. It is possible to install several test benches in parallel with a single Ixia device. To that aim, the different masters must be connected to Ixia via a VLAN switch. .. raw:: pdf PageBreak