Network Interface Device Test Traffic Dispatch
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current network testing methods consume processing resources, making them unavailable for sending application traffic, which prevents applications from communicating over the network during testing.
Innovation Solution
A network interface device with a transmit buffer for storing test data frames, a send count register for specifying the number of dispatches, and processing circuitry to dispatch the test data frames and perform network protocol processing, allowing further traffic to be sent in parallel.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If test traffic is sent over the network using conventional methods, then network testing can be performed, but processing resources (drivers and network interface device) are consumed and become unavailable for application traffic
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a copy of the same test data frame for multiple network tests instead of creating new test frames each time. The test data frame is copied and dispatched multiple times without requiring protocol processing resources for each copy, thereby enabling network testing without consuming processing resources that would block application traffic.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the network testing function from the processing resources by using a dedicated transmit buffer to store test data frames. This separation allows test traffic to be sent independently of application traffic processing, enabling both network testing and application communication to proceed simultaneously without resource conflicts.
2Reliability
If the same test data frame is dispatched multiple times, then network testing coverage is improved, but processing resources may still be consumed for protocol processing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies copying by creating multiple copies of the same test data frame from a single source in the transmit buffer. This allows comprehensive network path testing through multiple dispatches without requiring protocol processing for each copy, as the same frame is reused and simply dispatched multiple times.
Solution Approach 2:
The test data frame is prepared and stored in the transmit buffer in advance before actual network testing begins. This preliminary preparation allows the frame to be dispatched multiple times without consuming processing resources during the testing phase, as the frame is already ready for repeated use.
Data Source
AI summary
The same test data frame is dispatched from a network interface device a plurality of times so as to test a network. Since the same test data frame is used, it may be unnecessary for a new test data frame to be provided and protocol processed each time one is required to be sent. The protocol processing resources of the network interface device are then available for sending further traffic in parallel with the dispatch of the test data frames. On the receive side, the network interface device collects statistics regarding the reliable receipt of test frames, without requiring the test frames to be further processed and provided to a driver of the network interface device. In this way, the processing and buffering capacity in the network interface device is available for handling further traffic in parallel with the test traffic.