RFC 2544-Based Benchmarking Tests for ACX Routers Overview
RFC 2544 defines a series of tests that can be used to describe the performance characteristics of network interconnecting devices. RFC2544-based benchmarking test methodology can be applied to a single device under test (DUT), or a network service (set of devices working together to provide end-to-end service). When applied to a service, the RFC2544 test results can characterize the Service-Level-Agreement (SLA) parameters.
RFC 2544 tests are performed by transmitting test packets from a device that functions as the generator or the initiator. These packets are sent to a device that functions as the reflector, which receives and returns the packets back to the initiator.
ACX Series routers support RFC 2544 tests to measure the following:
-
Throughput
-
Latency
-
Frame loss rate
-
Back-to-back frames
With embedded RFC 2544, an ACX Series router can be configured as an initiator and another ACX Series router as a reflector.
Prior to Junos OS
Evolved 22.4R1, ACX7100 routers can be configured only as a Layer
3 reflector (family inet
).
Starting in Junos
OS Evolved 22.4R1, ACX7100 routers can also be configured as a Layer 2 reflector
(family ccc
or
ethernet-switching
.)
Starting in Junos OS Evolved 22.4R1, ACX7509 and ACX7024 routers can be configured as Layer 2 or Layer 3 reflectors.
ACX5448, ACX5048, and ACX5096 routers can be configured only as a
Layer 2 reflector (family bridge
or ccc
).
ACX5048 and
ACX5096 routers support only E-Line services.
Figure 1 shows the components, role of initiator and reflector, and the flow of test packets in an RFC 2544-based benchmarking test.

To run RFC 2544-based tests, you need a router to generate service test traffic and a router to reflect the service test traffic back. You need to:
-
Identify two service endpoints between which the RFC2544-based test needs to be run.
-
Configure the reflector end and start reflection.
-
Configure the initiator end and initiate the test.
-
Review the results after the test is complete. Test results are reported in a specific format.
On ACX Series routers, you can run the following RFC 2544-based performance measurement tests:
-
Throughput test:
-
Sends a specific number of frames at a specified rate from the initiator through the network service or a DUT. The test starts with a user-configured theoretical maximum rate.
-
Counts the number of transmitted frames and the number of received frames.
-
If the number of frames received is less than those transmitted, the test is repeated with a 50 percent reduced frame rate.
-
Throughput is the maximum rate at which the count of test frames received is equal to the number of test frames transmitted through the network service.
-
You can repeat throughput tests for different frame sizes.
-
-
Latency test:
Note:To run a latency test, you need to determine the throughput for DUT or a network service at each of the specified frame sizes.
-
Starts with a stream of frames at a particular frame size through the DUT at the determined throughput rate.
-
Sends an identifying tag in one frame after 60 seconds and calculate the latency when the frame with the same tag is received by the initiator.
-
Is repeated for at least 20 times with the reported latency value being the average of the recorded values.
You can repeat latency tests for different frame sizes.
-
-
Frame loss rate test:
-
Involves sending a specific number of frames at a specified rate through the DUT or a network service to be tested and counting the frames that are transmitted.
-
Calculates frame loss rate at each point using the equation:( ( input_count - output_count ) x 100 ) / input_count.
-
Runs a trial for the frame rate that corresponds to 100 percent of the configured maximum theoretical rate.
-
Is repeated for the frame rate that corresponds to 90 percent of the maximum rate used and then for 80 percent of the maximum rate until a certain trial result shows no lost frames.
You repeat the frame loss rate tests for different frame sizes.
-
-
Back-to-back frames test:
-
Involves sending a burst of frames with minimum interframe gaps through the DUT or a network service and counting the number of frames forwarded.
-
Is rerun with an increased length of burst frames if the count of transmitted frames is equal to the number of frames forwarded.
-
Is rerun with a reduced length of burst frames if the count of forwarded frames is less than the number of frames transmitted.
The back-to-back value is the number of frames in the longest burst that the DUT or a network service can handle without the loss of any frames.
You can repeat back-to-back frame tests for different frame sizes.
-
Starting in Junos OS Evolved 21.1R1, you can configure RFC 2544-based benchmarking tests
on ACX7100 routers. To configure these tests, configure the rfc2544
statement at the [edit services monitoring]
hierarchy level.
To configure RFC2544 benchmarking tests for Junos OS, configure the
rfc2544-benchmarking
statement at the [edit services
rpm]
hierarchy level.
The ACX5448 router supports:
-
RFC2544 egress Layer 2 reflection functionality for family bridge.
-
Multiple RFC2544 reflection sessions.
-
Reflection on 1G/10G/40G/Ch10G/Ch25G/100G ports.
-
Ethernet Layer 2 frames to carry IP/UDP packets for RFC2544 reflection.
ACX5448 routers do not support the following RFC2544 features:
-
Any interface in the bridge domain matching the bridge VLAN identifier.
-
Multiple simultaneous sessions with multiple VLAN bridges.
-
Multiple test sessions cannot exceed 100G bandwidth.
-
IPv6 reflection.
-
IPV6 filter support to identify the loopback stream.
-
RFC 2544 reflection functionality for family
ccc
(PWE reflection) and familyinet
(Layer 3 IPv4 reflection). -
Reflection without MAC swap and MAC overwrite.
-
Reflection on E-Line and E-LAN services.
RFC 2544 reflection functionality for family ccc
(PWE reflection)
and family inet
(Layer 3 IPv4 reflection) is not supported on the
ACX710 and ACX5448 routers.
family ccc
or family ethernet-switching
to
the ACX7100, ACX7509, and ACX7024 routers. We've also added support for Layer 3
reflection (IPv4, L3VPN) with family inet
to the ACX7509 and
ACX7024 routers.family inet
for the ACX7100
routers.