Network Stress Testing Integrated Circuit
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current network testing methods are either expensive and disruptive due to specialized equipment or burden network devices' CPUs, reducing their performance and limiting their ability to handle high-speed traffic.
Innovation Solution
An integrated circuit with ports for transmitting and receiving packets, a forwarding engine, and a packet generator that can originate test packets based on defined characteristics, allowing for network stress testing at the media access control level without significantly impacting CPU performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If specialized network test equipment is purchased and deployed, then network testing capability is improved, but cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates network testing functionality directly into existing network interface cards and switches, making these devices multi-functional. The NIC can simultaneously perform normal network communication and stress testing operations, while switches can forward both regular traffic and test packets. This eliminates the need for separate specialized test equipment and reduces overall system cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables network devices to perform self-testing by generating and analyzing test packets internally. The stress testing functionality is built into the NIC and switch fabric, allowing the network infrastructure to test itself without external specialized equipment. This self-service approach reduces dependency on expensive external test instruments.
2Reliability
If network testing applications are run in existing network devices, then testing capability is improved, but CPU performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the stress testing functionality from the main CPU by implementing it as a dedicated hardware module within the NIC. The packet generator, forwarding engine, and analysis functions are executed in hardware rather than software, isolating testing operations from the CPU and preventing performance degradation of the main processing unit.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a dedicated stress testing engine as an intermediary component between the CPU and the network medium. This engine handles all test packet generation, forwarding, and analysis operations, acting as a mediator that protects the CPU from the computational burden of running testing applications while still enabling comprehensive network stress testing.
3Reliability
If network testing applications are run in existing network devices, then testing capability is improved, but network device performance in normal roles is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments network traffic handling into separate hardware pathways: one for normal network traffic and another for test packets. The NIC maintains separate packet buffers and processing queues for regular communication and stress testing operations, allowing both functions to operate simultaneously without interfering with each other's performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic traffic classification and routing within the NIC, where incoming packets are automatically directed to appropriate processing pipelines based on their nature. Normal traffic follows the standard forwarding path while test packets are routed to dedicated testing modules, enabling the network device to adaptively handle multiple functions without performance degradation in either role.
Data Source
AI summary
An integrated circuit includes a first port configured to receive packets and a packet definition. The packets are transmitted from a network to the integrated circuit. One of (i) the packet definition is transmitted from a central processing unit of a host to the integrated circuit and (ii) the packets include the packet definition. The packet definition identifies characteristics of a packet. A forwarding engine is configured to (i) receive the packets from the first port and (ii) forward the packets to a second port. A packet generator is configured to (i) receive the packet definition and (ii) originate a test packet according to the packet definition. A medium access controller is configured to test the network by transmitting the test packet to the network.