Analyze Assure Accelerate

IPv6:Testing the Transition

Bill KineProduct Manager

bill.kine@SpirentCom.comhttp://www.spirentcom.com/ipv6

Analyze Assure Accelerate P/N # 361-0024-001 Rev C, 8/03

Agenda

• Spirent Technology Support

• IPv6 Current State of Affairs

• IPv6 Transitional Mechanisms

• Challenges

• Testing Solutions

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Creating the Real World

Voice

10M to 10GbE

AX/4000

PoS/ATM/BERT DLS

DSL

Spirent User Interface and Scripts

IP

SmartBits 6000

SmartBits 2000

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Spirent Technology Support

Component & Network Equipment Manufacturers

Communications Service Providers & Network Operators

End Markets: Network Testing Service AssuranceResearch Development

TDM xDSL SONET/SDH WDM Coax Wireless RFTDM xDSL SONET/SDH WDM Coax Wireless RF

Ethernet ATM Frame Relay Fibre Channel CDMA GEthernet ATM Frame Relay Fibre Channel CDMA GSMSM

BGPBGP--44 OSPFOSPF ISIS--IS IS PPPPPP MPLSMPLS VLANSVLANS

Internet Protocol v4/v6 Packet Over SONETInternet Protocol v4/v6 Packet Over SONET

TCPTCP UDPUDP

Network Services Virtual Private NetworksNetwork Services Virtual Private Networks

Email News VoIP Web StreaminEmail News VoIP Web Streaming Mediag Media

Upper Stack(Layers 5-7)

Transport Layer(Layers 4)

Network Layer(Layers 3)

Data Link Layer(Layer 2)

Physical Layer(Layer 1)

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IPv6 Benefits

• ScalabilityIPv4 address is 32 bits versus IPv6 which is 128 bitsConsumer appliances as network devices (1015

endpoints)Billions of “always-on”connections

• SecurityBuilt-in, strong IP-layer encryption and authentication

• MobilityMore efficient and robust mechanisms for wireless Internet3G Networks being deployed

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IPv6 Benefits

• Quality of ServiceInt-Serv (Native support of MPLS Flow)Diff-serv

• ManageabilityAllow structured hierarchy and routing aggregationEasy address auto-configuration and management

• NAT and DHCP have high maintenance costs

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IPv6 – Current State of Affairs

Point Counterpoint

- IPv6 is Designed to Support Truly Massive Networks

- IPv6 has Autoconfiguration Tools

- IPv6 has Built-in Security Features

- IPv6 was Designed to Operate as an Independent Protocol

- IPv6 is a Whole New Paradigm

- The Internet Currently uses Fewer Than 1000 IPv6 Prefixes

- DHCPv6 is Commonly used Instead of Native IPv6 Utilities

- Security Features are not Fully Designed or Tested Yet

-IPv6 will need to Coexist with IPv4 for a Long Time

- Existing Routing Protocols are being “Tweaked” to Support IPv6

Analyze Assure Accelerate P/N # 361-0024-001 Rev C, 8/03

IPv6 – Current State of Affairs

• IPv6 is still quite new and unproven• Scalability and basic functionality of network devices

are unknowns• “Mixed” IPv4/IPv6 Networks will exist for many years

– Multiple transitional architectures exist– Network and device performance and functionality must be

tested in this environment

• Routing protocols were designed for IPv4– OSPF, BGP, RIP, IS-IS have been modified to support IPv6– Their performance in large scale networks is undetermined

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IPv6 Transition Benchmark Metrics

• Raw PerformanceBecause IPv6 has a larger header to accommodate the 128 bit IP addresses and the fact that designs today are optimized for IPv4, basic measurements of Latency, Throughput, Packet Loss and QoS have to be conducted.

• Dual StackNew devices will have to be able to support both IPv4 and IPv6. And since there will be two stacks running, performance benchmarking needs to be conducted with different levels of both types of traffic.

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IPv6 Transition Benchmark Metrics

• TunnelingInitially IPv6 traffic will have to cross an IPv4 infrastructure. The impact of having to encapsulate or “tunnel” IPv6 traffic inside IPv4 packets (6over4) needs to be measured. As time passes and more IPv6 devices are deployed, IPv4 traffic will be tunneled in IPv6 packets (4over6).

• TranslationServers and end devices today only support IPv4, meaning most IPv6 traffic will have to be converted into IPv4 (6to4). These devices will then have to convert the IPv4 traffic back to IPv6 to get the response back to the original host (4to6).

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IPv6 Challenges Faced

• Common issues/concerns:Ability to forward information at acceptable rates compared to IPv4Overhead associated with tunneling, translation or dual stacksImpact of having both IPv4 and IPv6 trafficPassing traffic over an IPv4 or IPv6 networkEnabling communication IPv6 without replacing IPv4 devices

• These challenges are just a high-level overview of the initial barriers for IPv6 deployment

• The IETF has a ngtrans group that focuses on IPv6 issues http://www.ietf.org/html.charters/ngtrans-charter.html

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IPv6 Test Areas

Test Area Common Metrics

Conformance IPv6, IPv4/IPv6 Networking, IPv6 routing protocols

Raw Performance Frame Loss, Latency, Throughput

Dual Stack (IPv4 and IPv6) IPv4, IPv6, IPv4/IPv6

Tunneling Automatic, Configured, Encapsulated

Translation IPv6 to IPv4, IPv4 to IPv6

Routing RIPng, BGP4+, IS-ISv6, OSPFv3

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IPv6 Test AreasConformance Testing

• Validates conformance to the prevailing standards or drafts– Many “standards” have not been officially adopted as RFCs

• Helps ensure multi-vendor interoperability• Tests IPv6 Protocols

– RFC 2460, 2461, 2462 and others

• Tests Transitional Mechanisms• Tests IPv6 Routing Protocols

– RIPng, IS-ISv6, BGP4+, OSPFv3

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IPv6 Test AreasFunctional Testing

• Tests Basic Functionality of Protocols• Tests Interaction between Protocols• Validates Control Plane and Data Plane Functions• Essential for Complex Transitional Networks• Include Negative Testing

– Generate Invalid Updates and Packets

• Test all Types of Interfaces– Including VLANs, VCs, etc.

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IPv6 Test AreasPerformance Testing

• Test the Data Plane Performance of Devices or Networks– Throughput, Latency, Loss– Vary Prefixes, Packet Sizes, Traffic Profiles– Unidirectional and Bi-directional Traffic– Unicast, Multicast and Broadcast Traffic

• Test Scalability– Routing Table Sizes– VLAN Quantities– Large Port Counts

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Spirent and IPv6

• Unmatched conformance test suites, detailed functional test tools, scalable performance measuring and leading IPv6 routing support

• Continuously gathering and implementing test requirements from customers

• Partnering with leading equipment manufacturers in Asia, Europe and USA

• Active participation in IPv6 Forum• Took part in 1st IPv6 Ready Event (May 12-14, 2003)• Internet-2 10 Gig Test Vendor

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Spirent and Moonv6

• IPv6 Collaborative Effort Including:– North American IPv6 Task Force (NAv6TF)

– University of New Hampshire Interoperability Labs (UNH-IOL)

– Joint Interoperability Testing Command (JITC)

– Internet2 (I2)

– Various DoD Agencies

• Phase I (basic interoperability) has been completed

• Phase II (advanced testing) scheduled for early 2004

• Spirent equipment was used at all nine locations– Spirent personnel supported these tests

Analyze Assure Accelerate P/N # 361-0024-001 Rev C, 8/03

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