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imarom
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                                                                           Cisco Live 2017 - Python API Workshop

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Certain tests may require support for dynamic setup before actually generating the traffic.

A general dynamic topology might look like this:

topology01.PNG

Let's focus on a concrete example:


Assume a topology where devices are using DHCP to lease IP addresses from a DHCP server.

We would like to create 100 clients with leased addresses and then generate high speed traffic

to a DUT.

Up until now it was not possible to generate dynamic tests.

But with the latest release (2.24) TRex now supports a new feature called *services*.

What is a service ?

A service is an instance of a service type which contains an internal state machine.

When created, a service will be at an INIT state of it's internal state machine pointed through a task.

When executed, the service will advance through its state machine and will eventually contain the result of the run.

For example, an ARP service instance will contain an object with a request for ARP resolution

of a specific IPv4 address.

When executed, the ARP object will contain the result of the ARP request - on success it will contain the HW address

associated with the IPv4 address in the network.

In the following chart, the diamond shapes describes a service type and the circles service instance.

The chart shows 3 ARP instances that were created, and each one is given a specific IPv4 address to resolve.

trex_services_instances.png

Service execution mode


Services instances are executed in parallel to provide high scale.

This means that from a test perspective, it is very easy to scale up to ~1000 services (for example 1000 DHCP clients)

without significantly impacting the test run time.

Basic test flow


When using services to generate dynamic tests the test flow might look like this:

trex_services_two_phase.png

Deep dive to Python API


Before getting our hands dirty, few definitions:


  • service context - an object associated with a specific port and can execute services in parallel
  • service instance - an instance of a service type that has a specific task (e.g. resolving IP address)

Step 1: import the service object and create a context


Here we import the DHCP service and create a context associated with port 0.

code01.PNG


Step 2: create service instances


We create 100 clients with random MACs as DHCP request instances.

code02.PNG

Step 3: move to service mode and execute the context


We move to service mode and then execute all the service instances in parallel on port 0.

code03.PNG

Step 4: examine the results


We examine the results, filtering out any failed DHCP requests (NACK, timeout and etc.)

code04.PNG

Step 5: use the results to generate traffic


Using the results acquired from the service execution, we generate streams from the clients

code05.PNG

Quick look on how the output looks like:

code06.PNG

You can also debug the services by providing verbose level to each instance.

then, examine, the results:

code08.PNG

code07.PNG

What else can I do with services ?

There are two main usages for services:

  1. Dynamic Tests
  2. Control Plane Tests

Services can be used to test control plane such as DHCP servers.

Although the performance might be significantly lower, there are two main advantages for using TRex to test control plane:

  1. Flexibility - services are implemented in Python over Scapy and can be easily enhanced, expanded and inspected
  2. Parallelism - services are executed in parallel using TRex high speed traffic utilization thus allowing to support many services altogether

Which services are already implemented ?

We have the following services already implemented:

  • ARP
  • ICMPv4
  • DHCP

and are available to use.

Behind the hood

TRex services are implemented using SimPy:

simpy.PNG

To learn more go to:

https://simpy.readthedocs.io/en/latest/

More resources


Services Documentation

Python API Cisco Live Las Vegas 2017 Workshop


If you want to learn more, join us at Cisco Live Las Vegas 2017 Python API Workshop !

                                                                         Cisco Live 2017 - Python API Workshop

                                                                                 ciscolive2017.PNG

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