Cisco Technology, Inc.

David K Snay

Alex E Raj

Hseu-Chuan Tsai

Faiz Syed

John F McGlauphlin

A modular data network protocol conformance test system is designed to make distinct the key functionality that is required in protocol conformance testing such that the system can be reused across different platform testing, protocol testing, and network topology. As a result, in its current design, it can be used to test devices as distinct as cable modems, routers, and tag-switching routers. Consequently, the system has a packet generation module that generates send packets for transmission to the UUT (unit under test) and that analyzes the receive packets from the UUT. A separate network handling module transfers the send packets to and acquires the receive packets from the UUT. 13

Data network protocol conformance test system

A test system for network communication devices comprising a topology input file describing connections between the network communication devices, a test environment support routines library containing device-independent test information for data management, a case specific routines library containing device-specific tests and device-specific configuration control information for the network communication devices, and a main driver routine, which references the topology input routines, the test environment support routines, and the case specific test routines. The test control computer is connected to the network communication devices to download configuration and control information. The main driver routine receives a test command, and, in response, accesses the corresponding topology input file to build test vector command buffers for each of the network communication devices to establish configuration for testing. The main driver routine uses test environment support routines to manage data on the computer and executes the specific test case routines according to the topology input file. In a preferred embodiment, the test control computer communicates with the network communication devices by using an automated test system.

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West Boylston, MA, United States of America

David K Snay