Software Frame Simulator (SFS) Technion CS Computer Communications Lab (236340) in cooperation with ECI telecom Uri Ferri & Ynon Cohen January 2007

AGENDA Background and Motivation Product overview Features Deployment Technology

Background and Motivation High cost of network testing and simulation hardware High cost of network testing and simulation hardware Low availability of hardware-based testing equipment Low availability of hardware-based testing equipment Software-based simulators are more agile and therefore easier to configure and extend. Software-based simulators are more agile and therefore easier to configure and extend.

Product Overview SFS simulates networking hardware for testing purposes: Lower cost of testing equipment Support various protocols, network topologies and testing scenarios in a single user friendly tool Provide infrastructure for future extensions, such as additional protocols and testing behaviors

Features – packet generation Send frames of various protocols: Currently supported protocols include: EthernetIPArp Igmp V2&V3 TcpUdp Complete control over packet content using xml import/export Support packet customization storage and reuse Includes library of default packets for cases in which packet contents are insignificant Support for default packet customization

Configuring a Packet

Sending the Packet

Features – versatile behaviors –Compose complex behaviors using simple atomic behaviors: Send Message Listen for Message Wait –Example: Send Tcp Msg Wait 10 secs Receive Tcp Msg Wait 20 secs

Features – versatile behaviors –Composing operations: Concatenation Multiplication –Example: Repeat X10 Send Tcp Msg Wait 10 secs Receive Tcp Msg Wait 20 secs

Features – versatile behaviors –Arbitrary compositions: Free usage of atoms and customized composite behaviors Save complex pre-defined compositions for future use as parts of even more complex behaviors. –Example: Repeat X10 Activate behavior A from file A.xml Wait 10 secs Activate behavior B

Configuring an Agent using a protocol from a file

Configuring an Agent using an inlined protocol

Configuring an Agent using the default protocol

Using the Agent

Features – end point simulation –Simulate endpoints such as computers, set top boxes, servers etc. –Each simulated machine has its own properties and behaviors: Ethernet and IP address Configured agent to perform specific behavior Runs as an independent resource (thread) on the test machine itself

Configuring an EndPoint

Activating the EndPoint

Features – end point simulation Definition and usage of a sequence of similar (but not identical) endpoints - as simple as using a single endpoint. May be used to simulate a network of client computers, or set top boxes. Infrastructure also supports mixed endpoint sequences for use in future extensions.

Configuring an EndPoint sequence

Activating the EndPoint sequence

Features – configuration – Complete control over the main simulation entities: Packets of all supported protocols Composite behaviors End points and end point sequences – External configuration through use of xml documents: Every entity has a well defined configuration file. Support for three types of compositions : – Inline : for ease of use. – Reference: for extensibility and reuse of definitions. – Default: to shorten definition, when specific details are less important.

Deployment –External independent testing software tool. A single executable file, which includes a command line interface, may be installed on any PC with a network card. Command line enables single line, easy to use, stateless instructions. Simple xcopy installation Possible use: –Simulator for massive networks with multiple end users, routers and servers. –Specifically, simulate a full IPTV infrastructure for DSLAM testing –Embedded in an existing application Controller API is exposed for use by the programmer. Possible use: –Stub for unit testing without use of hardware.

Technology - overview Project involved refactoring and expanding of an existing tool into a versatile testing infrastructure. Most of the original code was refactored. Only few of the original communication services remain. Support for IGMP V3 protocol was added. Adopted Standards: – Object Oriented design and implementation – Use of design patterns – Utilization of industry standard STL as source for data containers, and other open-source libraries for services such as XML parsing. 23

Technology - design Object Oriented Design: – Full class hierarchy for packet protocols and behaviors. – Implementation in C++. 24

Technology – design Design Patterns: – Factory design pattern: Templated factories are utilized for creation of packets, Behaviors, and Endpoints. Required design and implementation of class metadata and reflection, not internally supported by c++. – Composite design pattern: Used to allow generic, complex Behaviors. More atoms and composition rules may easily be added programmatically, in order to further enhance this feature. 25

Technology – design example 26