Method and system for testing networks
First Claim
1. A system for testing networking systems comprising:
- a testing apparatus comprising at least one testing device coupled with a first bus, wherein said at least one testing device is configured to communicate with at least one networking system on a network;
a processing apparatus coupled with a second bus, wherein said processing apparatus is configured to process test data received from said at least one testing device; and
,a bi-directional bridge coupling said first bus and said second bus to emulate a single local bus, said bi-directional bridge configured to allow said processing apparatus to communicate, through said second bus, to address said at least one testing device comprising;
a data communication link;
a first interface coupling said first bus and said data communication link; and
a second interface coupling said second bus and said data communication link.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An embodiment of the invention comprises a method and system for testing a networking system'"'"'s performance. The invention solves a problem related to upgrading system components associated with different steps of the testing process for networking systems. Systems embodying the invention comprise a processing apparatus and a testing apparatus, each of which contains a data bus. The two data buses are linked together through a bi-directional communication bridge that allows the testing apparatus and the processing apparatus to transparently communicate such that the bridged data buses behave as through they exist on a same local bus. The architecture provided by the invention allows for the upgrading of a processing apparatus for enhanced data processing performance without changing existing adequate testing devices.
43 Citations
32 Claims
-
1. A system for testing networking systems comprising:
-
a testing apparatus comprising at least one testing device coupled with a first bus, wherein said at least one testing device is configured to communicate with at least one networking system on a network; a processing apparatus coupled with a second bus, wherein said processing apparatus is configured to process test data received from said at least one testing device; and
,a bi-directional bridge coupling said first bus and said second bus to emulate a single local bus, said bi-directional bridge configured to allow said processing apparatus to communicate, through said second bus, to address said at least one testing device comprising; a data communication link; a first interface coupling said first bus and said data communication link; and a second interface coupling said second bus and said data communication link. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
-
-
23. A method for testing networking systems performance comprising:
-
obtaining user configuration data through a user interface of a processing apparatus; generating configuration information specifically for at least one testing device for testing at least one networking system; providing said configuration information to said at least one testing device through a communication bridge linking two separate data buses comprising a first bus and a second bus, said communication bridge emulating a local bus connection between said first bus and said second bus, wherein said at least one testing device is coupled with said first bus and wherein said processing apparatus comprises said second data bus; generating network traffic data; applying said network traffic data to said at least one networking system; capturing a test result of said at least one networking system; and communicating said test result to said processing apparatus through said communication bridge. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
-
-
31. A network testing unit comprising:
-
a configurable testing apparatus comprising a first circuit board on a first data communication bus, said first circuit board comprising one or more network ports configured to communicate with one or more ports of a network system under test; a processing apparatus comprising a second circuit board and a second data communication bus, wherein said processing apparatus is configured to execute computer program code for operating said configurable testing apparatus based on configuration parameters received from a user, and wherein said processing apparatus is configured to process test data received from said configurable testing apparatus; and
,a bi-directional bridge coupling said first data communication bus and said second data communication bus to emulate a single local bus coupling said configurable testing apparatus and said processing apparatus, said bi-directional bridge configured to allow said processing apparatus to directly address a plurality of hardware components within said configurable testing apparatus.
-
-
32. A method for testing networking system performance comprising:
-
emulating a single local bus in a network testing unit by providing a bi-directioal bridge between a first bus of a processing apparatus and a second bus of a configurable testing apparatus, wherein a plurality of hardware components on a first circuit board of said configurable testing apparatus are directly addressable from a second circuit board of said processing apparatus; obtaining user configuration data through a user interface of said processing apparatus; said processing apparatus interpreting said user configuration data to operate said configurable testing apparatus; said configurable testing apparatus generating and capturing network traffic data through one or more ports coupled to a network system under test; and said configurable testing apparatus communicating captured network data to said processing apparatus through said emulated single local bus.
-
Specification