Background Pretesting Network Equipment Connectivity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for testing communications or storage network equipment fail to accurately and promptly identify connectivity and protocol conformance errors, leading to potential issues during data plane testing.
Innovation Solution
Implementing automatic background testing during idle time periods, where the system receives a control plane definition and performs connectivity and protocol conformance tests without manual input, outputting results to the user to facilitate timely error correction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual testing is performed after control plane definition, then testing accuracy is improved, but testing time is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs background testing automatically during the idle time period between control plane definition and data plane test execution. This preliminary action identifies connectivity and protocol conformance errors before they affect data plane testing, resolving the contradiction by conducting accurate testing without requiring manual intervention during the critical path.
Solution Approach 2:
The test system performs self-testing of connectivity and protocol conformance automatically during idle periods. The system serves itself by conducting background tests without requiring user intervention, thereby maintaining high testing accuracy while reducing the time investment from manual operations.
2Productivity
If background testing is performed automatically, then testing efficiency is improved, but testing complexity is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The testing process is segmented into distinct phases: control plane definition, background testing (automated during idle periods), and data plane testing. This segmentation allows the complex background testing to be isolated and executed automatically without interfering with the main testing workflow, thereby improving efficiency while managing complexity through structural separation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary background testing phase that automatically executes during idle periods. This intermediary layer handles the complexity of connectivity and protocol conformance testing separately from the main data plane testing workflow, enabling automated efficient testing without adding complexity to the user-facing testing process.
3Ease of operation
If error identification is delayed until data plane testing, then testing simplicity is maintained, but error detection timing is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs connectivity and protocol conformance testing as a preliminary action during the idle time period between control plane definition and data plane test execution. This early error detection maintains testing simplicity from the user's perspective while significantly improving error detection timing, allowing issues to be identified before they impact data plane testing.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, systems, and computer readable media for background testing of communications or storage network equipment are provided. One method includes receiving a control plane definition from a user. The control plane definition may specify emulated network equipment and network protocols run by the emulated network equipment. The method further includes, after receiving the control plane definition, automatically performing at least one background test during an idle time period by sending traffic from the emulated network equipment to at least one device under test and outputting results of the at least one background test to the user.