1
Define the DUT and Test Model
Identify L2 switching, L3 forwarding, firewall, VPN, load-balancing or gateway functions. Configure ports, VLANs, routing, ACLs, security policies and persistence rules.
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Solution Detail
Network Device Performance and Capacity Testing
NetAccura Traffic Generation Performance Tester + ChaosBridge WAN Emulator
Validate processing limits under realistic load, background traffic and impaired links for selection, pre-deployment testing, regression and capacity planning.
Core Emulation Equipment
Products
4
Scenarios
6
Evidence
PCAP
Why
Requirements
Device datasheets usually state theoretical throughput, while deployments depend on packet sizes, ACLs, NAT, sessions, security policies, routing tables, broadcast/management traffic and bursts. RFC 2544 emphasizes received-frame verification and evidence such as loss, reordering, duplicates and sequence gaps in benchmarking.
Large-packet throughput alone misses production risks. NetAccura Traffic Generation provides multiple ports, frame sizes, IMIX, bursts and endurance tests; ChaosBridge adds delay, loss, jitter and rate limits; BestPerf observes end-to-end quality; Flow Hunter analyzes session and protocol anomalies.
Topology
Test and Deployment Topology
STEP 1NetAccura Traffic Generation Transmitter
STEP 2Device under Test (DUT)
STEP 3ChaosBridge Impaired Link
STEP 4NetAccura Traffic Generation Receiver
STEP 5BestPerf and Flow Hunter Observation
How
Implementation
2
Build Baseline and Application Traffic
Generate fixed sizes, IMIX, variable addresses/ports, concurrent streams, bursts and endurance traffic. Add management, broadcast, east-west background and multi-service port models for more realistic conditions.
3
Add Abnormal Network Conditions
Insert ChaosBridge to emulate cross-region links, poor circuits, burst loss or bandwidth reductions. Check for throughput collapse, session resets and queue buildup.
4
Collect Anomaly Evidence
Passively capture the test path with Flow Hunter. Inspect retransmissions, failed connections, protocol timings and sessions to separate device capacity, policy bottlenecks and link effects.
Product Stack
Core Emulator and Supporting Tools
Core Emulation Equipment
Optional Supporting Tools
NetAccura Traffic Generation
NetAccura Traffic Generation
Generate L2-L3 test streams. Software models also replay Ethernet PCAPs, rewrite IPv4 addresses and TCP/UDP ports, and multiply traffic for performance, security detection and issue reproduction. Stop all transmit tasks before switching modes. Simultaneous generation and replay require separate devices.
Network Quality Measurement Software
BestPerf
Actively measure RTT, directional loss, jitter, micro-outages, TCP goodput and quality under load to establish link baselines.
Network Traffic Analyzer
Flow Hunter
Capture passively through mirrored ports or TAPs for L2-L7 analysis, session investigation, protocol-stage diagnosis and PCAP export.
Result
Expected Outcomes
Measure Capacity Closer to Real Deployment
Report stable processing ranges across packet sizes, session counts, policies and impairment conditions, not just maximum throughput.
Control Selection and Deployment Risk
Find CPU bottlenecks, table limits, policy overhead, burst-handling weaknesses and endurance issues before deployment.
Produce Reviewable Reports and Evidence
Deliver more than throughput or delay figures: include topology, parameters, timelines, quality curves, key sessions, anomalies, PCAP extracts and retest results. Development, testing, operations, vendors and customers can discuss the same evidence rather than relying on screenshots, verbal descriptions and repeated debate.
References
Related Standards and Methods
RFC 2544 Network Device Benchmarking Methodology
For validating throughput, loss, forwarding, frame-size combinations, filtering and behavior under abnormal conditions.
RFC 6349 TCP Throughput Testing Framework
Explains the relationship between end-to-end TCP throughput, RTT, bottleneck bandwidth, buffering and user experience.
Next Step
Need to Apply This Solution to Your Network?
NetAccura can create a test topology, parameter table and POC plan based on your links, models, application protocols, available PCAPs and SLA goals.