Fpga-based network device testing equipment for high load testing

Abstract

Network device testing equipment capable of testing network devices using small size packets and for a transferring ability and a filtering ability at a media speed is described. A configuration is adopted in which a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) included in a transmitter or receiver on one or both of transmitting and receiving sides is connected directly to a physical layer chip of a network and computers on both the transmitting and receiving sides are connected thereto. Each of the FPGAs of the transmitter and receiver has a circuit which has an integrated function of transmitting a packet pattern generation function and a packet-receiving function, thereby enabling a test and an inspection in real time. When inspecting the filtering function, a hash table storing therein a hash value and a list of occurrence frequencies for hash values is utilized. In order to avoid the hash values of different packets from having a same value, the hash function is configured so as to avoid that the same hash value is given to different packets or, when packet values have a common hash value, the packet is re-shaped into a packet having a different hash value.