Network device testing system

• US 7,760,656 B1
• Filed: 06/06/2008
• Issued: 07/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Chen, Wei, Yuan, Tianson, Scott, Brent A., Atieh, Ezzat S., Bennett, John H. III
• Primary Examiner(s): Moore; Ian N
• Application Number:
  US12/134,669
• Time in Patent Office: 774 Days
• Field of Search: 370/241, 370/241.1, 370/242, 370/244, 370/245, 370/248, 370/249, 370/250, 370/251, 370/252, 370/401, 702/122, 702/108, 726/11, 726 23- 25, 714/32, 714/41, 714/715, 714/716, 714/717, 709/230
• US Class Current: 370/242
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/50 Testing arrangements

Abstract

A network testing system for a device under test (DUT) uses a test tool to generate test packets provided to the DUT as source traffic and to receive the test packets back from the DUT as destination traffic. Before the test packets are returned from the DUT to the test tool, an external router receives the test packets from the DUT and forwards them back to the DUT. The DUT has a first pair of DUT interfaces coupled to the test tool and a second pair of DUT interfaces coupled to the external router. The DUT has a first virtual router with a first routing table configured to direct test packets received on one of the interfaces in the first pair of DUT interfaces to the external router. The DUT has a second virtual router with a second routing table configured to direct test packets received on one of the interfaces in the second pair of DUT interfaces to the test tool. Thus, test packets output by the test tool traverse the DUT more than once before returning to the test tool.

Claims

1. A network testing system comprising:

a device under test (DUT) having a first traffic capacity, wherein the DUT is comprised of an intrusion prevention system or a session border controller;

a test tool generating test packets provided to the DUT as source traffic, and receiving the test packets back from the DUT as destination traffic, wherein the test tool has a second traffic capacity less than the first traffic capacity; and

at least two external routers receiving the test packets from the DUT and forwarding the test packets back to the DUT;

wherein the DUT has at least three pairs of DUT interfaces and at least three virtual routers, wherein a first pair of DUT interfaces is coupled to the test tool, a second pair of DUT interfaces is coupled to a first external router, and a third pair of DUT interfaces is coupled to a second external router, wherein the DUT has a first virtual router with a first routing table configured to direct test packets received on one of the interfaces in the first pair of DUT interfaces to the first external router, wherein the DUT has a second virtual router with a second routing table configured to direct test packets received on one of the interfaces in the second pair of DUT interfaces to the second external router, and wherein the DUT has a third virtual router with a third routing table configured to direct test packets received on one of the interfaces in the third pair of DUT interfaces to the test tool;

whereby test packets output by the test tool traverse the DUT more than twice before returning to the test tool.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least two external routers are comprised of at least two virtual routers within a single device.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the intrusion prevention system comprises a firewall.

4. A network testing system comprising:

a test tool generating test packets that are output from a first tester interface as source traffic, wherein the test tool receives the test packets at a second tester interface as destination traffic, wherein the test tool has a first traffic capacity;

a device under test (DUT) wherein the DUT is comprised of an intrusion prevention system or a session border controller having first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth DUT interfaces, wherein the DUT has a second traffic capacity greater than the first traffic capacity, wherein the first DUT interface is coupled to the first tester interface to receive the source traffic, wherein the sixth DUT interface is coupled to the second tester interface to deliver the destination traffic, wherein the DUT has a first virtual router with a first routing table configured to forward test packets from the first DUT interface to the second DUT interface, wherein the DUT has a second virtual router with a second routing table configured to forward test packets from the third DUT interface to the fourth DUT interface, and wherein the DUT has a third virtual router with a third routing table configured to forward test packets from the fifth DUT interface to the sixth DUT interface;

a first external router having first and second external router interfaces coupled to the second and third DUT interfaces, respectively, and having a fourth routing table configured to forward test packets received on the first external router interface to the second external router interface, and

a second external router having third and fourth external router interfaces coupled to the fourth and fifth DUT interfaces, respectively, and having a fifth routing table configured to forward test packets received on the third external router interface to the fourth external router interface.

5. A method of providing network traffic for testing a device under test (DUT), comprising the steps of:

generating test packets using a test tool, wherein the test tool has a first traffic capacity;

receiving the test packets from the test tool at the DUT, wherein the DUT is comprised of an intrusion prevention system or a session border controller, wherein the DUT has a second traffic capacity greater than the first traffic capacity;

consulting a first routing table in a first virtual router in the DUT to forward the test packets received from the test tool to a first external router;

receiving the test packets from the DUT at the first external router;

consulting a second routing table in the first external router to forward the test packets received from the DUT back to the DUT;

receiving the test packets from the first external router at the DUT;

consulting a third routing table in a second virtual router in the DUT to forward the test packets received from the first external router to a second external router;

receiving the test packets from the DUT at the second external router;

consulting a fourth routing table in the second external router to forward the test packets received from the DUT back to the DUT;

receiving the test packets from the second external router at the DUT;

consulting a fifth routing table in a third virtual router in the DUT to forward the test packets received from the second external router to the test tool; and

the test tool checking integrity of the received test packets to detect errors;

whereby the test packets each traverse the DUT more than two times before being returned to the test tool.