The Essentials

of Ethernet
Service Activation
1. J-QuickCheck for
Basic Connectivity and
Throughput Test

Solution Brief
1. J-QuickCheck for Basic Connectivity and Throughput Test

Global growth in communications and data services is driving

increasing demand for Ethernet. As businesses and consumers demand Key Advantage:
more and more data, the pressure is on service providers (SP) to Viavi Solutions is the only
supply reliable Ethernet with the capacity for growth – and to do it vendor on the market to offer
quickly. Customers want easy, well-priced access to reliable this test. The time savings for
high-speed, cloud-based data services such as streaming, Internet service activation can be quite
of Things, and next-generation networks. At the same time, service substantial and potentially
providers are keen to supply new services and benefit from new, reduce total test time by 75%
growing revenues. To capitalize on demand and manage operational or more.
costs, service providers will rely on testing tools that help them turn
up and monitor Ethernet connections quickly, safely, and
cost-effectively with minimal complications.

Connectivity and Throughput

This brief will focus on the first test in Ethernet service activation, J-QuickCheck. The standalone test can be
run within 2–3 minutes as a simple connectivity and throughput test, as opposed to a complicated manual test.
This brief will concentrate on this standalone test; however, please note that J-QuickCheck can also be run as a
“pre-test” in the RFC 2544 / Y.1564 workflow. As an embedded pre-test for the RFC 2544 / Y.1564 workflows,
J-QuickCheck verifies basic connectivity and throughput of the network very quickly before significant time is
wasted trying to run and the RFC 2544 or Y.1564 service activation test.

Best Practice Workflow (Single and Multiple Services):

1. J-QuickCheck: Basic Connectivity and Throughput Test

2. Single-Service: Enhanced RFC 2544

3. Multi-Service: Y.1564 SAMComplete For Ethernet KPI Verification

4. J-Proof Layer 2 Control Plane Transparency Test

5. RFC 6349 TrueSpeed: Layer 4 TCP Throughput

This test workflow is applicable to Ethernet Business Services and Wireless Backhaul network topologies; a typical
Ethernet business service network topology is shown in the following diagram.

2 The Essentials of Ethernet Service Activation

1. J-QuickCheck for Basic Connectivity and Throughput Test

Ethernet Business Service Network Topology and Test Points

Ethernet
Network
Demark Demark

Customer Customer
Equipment Equipment

End to End Test with Portables Portable to QT-600 Probe Portable to Switch using LBM/LBR

This Ethernet Topology system diagram shows that Viavi’s service activation solution can test between physical
instruments (portables), installed network probes (Viavi QT-600), JMEP (Viavi SFP-based technology), and even
network devices which support Loop Back Messages and Replies (LBM/LBR). In the case of RFC 6349 TrueSpeed,
the TCP test can be run between portables, instruments, and software clients to accurately measure end-user
experience at the TCP application layer.

J-QuickCheck Test Component and Benefits

The following table describes the distinct role of J-QuickCheck as well as the Viavi enhancements that provide
unique, valuable advantages:

Table 1

Service Activation Test Description Viavi Advantage

J-QuickCheck • Standalone test • Viavi is the only provider of this effective

test. Our customers use J-QuickCheck save
• Takes just 2-3 minutes for a simple
time and effort by quickly verifying network
connectivity and throughput test, as
service integrity in just 2-3 minutes.
opposed to a complicated, time-consuming,
manual test • As a pre-test integrated within RFC 2544 /
Y.1564, J-QC potentially reduces total test
• A “pre-test” integrated within RFC 2544 /
time by 75% or more
Y.1564
• Immediately locates configuration errors and
• Conducts basic connectivity and throughput
pitfalls (internal analysis)
tests prior to running the much more
extensive, complicated RFC 2544 and/or • Automatically detects and configures
Y.1564 tests auto-negotiation settings (mismatches, and
resultant half-duplex ports, are one of the
most common causes of failed tests and
poor network performance)

3 The Essentials of Ethernet Service Activation

1. J-QuickCheck for Basic Connectivity and Throughput Test

Service Activation Test Description Viavi Advantage

Identify auto-negotiation • Automatically configures auto-negotiation • This is common user error which can lead to
settings settings to match the network false and very poor RFC 2544 / Y.1564 results.
This step eliminates auto-negotiation
misconfiguration.

Automatically Discover • A “VLAN loop scan” is conducted by the local • Misconfiguration of the remote device VLAN
VLAN of remote loop-back TBERD/MTS to determine the VLAN of the is very common. Significant time is wasted
device remote loopback device when the technician must manually enter
correct VLANs. Automatically detecting the
VLAN provides enormous time savings which
can eliminate hours of wasted time.

Verify connectivity to the • The local TBERD/MTS can verify connectivity • This feature eliminates the need for the user
remote loop-back device (both Layer 2 and 3) and activate a Viavi to configure detailed set-ups for a test or to
loop, soft loop, and hard loop activate the loop back mode.

Quick throughput test • This is a rapid throughput test, to verify that • Viavi is currently the only vendor on the
the network is active and fundamentally market to offer this option. As a standalone
“sound” test, it can be run as a simple connectivity
and throughput test (2-3 minutes) as
opposed to a more time-consuming manual
test. Some providers use this as the sole test
to verify network service integrity in a very
rapid manner.

Easy Set-up and Testing

The following is a screenshot of the J-QuickCheck
configuration screen on the local TBERD/MTS. For
a Layer 2 test, no remote device configuration is
required. For Layer 3 tests, the user must only enter
the management IP address of the remote loopback
device, press Start and the TBERD automatically cycles
through each step detailed in Table 1.

J-QuickCheck User Interface

4 The Essentials of Ethernet Service Activation

1. J-QuickCheck for Basic Connectivity and Throughput Test

Time-Saving Factors with the J-QuickCheck

Auto-negotiation Issues
When a local test unit is connected to the network, the test unit and network
equipment (e.g. Ethernet switch), must negotiate to the proper full-duplex
link speed or the interface will default to half-duplex. If the interface cannot
negotiate properly and enters half-duplex state, then an RFC 2544 / Y.1564 test
will falsely report a very low throughput for a given CIR. As an example, a CIR of
100 Mbps may only achieve 10 Mbps (or less) if the link is set for half-duplex.

In the example screen shown here, a switch port failed to auto-negotiate. The
negotiation process fell back to half duplex (HD) mode and the J-QuickCheck
test immediately identified the condition.

The J-QuickCheck test detects the settings of the connected test port and
automatically ensures that maximum full duplex speed is configured before
running the much longer RFC 2544 / Y.1564 test. This can save hours of technician
test time and eliminates the need for the technician to contact advanced field
support (which saves even more service provider time).

Mis-configured VLAN
Traditionally, the technician must enter the correct VLAN on the local test set. Many times, this VLAN is incorrect
or the technician is not even aware that the network is using VLAN tags. An example would be when the network
is configured to use VLAN 202 between the local and remote test device. If the technician does not enter a VLAN
or enters the incorrect VLAN, the remote device will never see the loopback commands. This can waste significant
amounts of time since the technician must contact advanced engineering or the Network Operations Center (NOC).
The situation can be even more problematic when the network is not well documented.

The J-QuickCheck VLAN scan test (due early 2017) automatically sends loop “hello” commands to all 4096 VLANs
and provides a list of remote devices which reply on a VLAN (with the Viavi device ID). This scan takes about ten
seconds to complete. The time-savings is significant, as VLAN misconfiguration is one of the most common test
configuration errors.

Additionally, the J-QuickCheck can detect and activate the appropriate loop for the following cases:

 Viavi loop: a device that responds to Viavi Loop Up command

 Soft loop: a device such as a network interface device (NID) or switch that is already in local loopback and
swaps MAC addresses

 Hard Loop: a “cable loopback” in which a device does not swap MACs

5 The Essentials of Ethernet Service Activation

1. J-QuickCheck for Basic Connectivity and Throughput Test

Quick Throughput Test

As a standalone test, J-QuickCheck can be run as a simple 2-3 minute throughput test, as opposed to a more
complicated manual test (where time is quite variable). For a manual throughput test, the process can be quite
tedious and requires the verification of auto-negotiation, correct VLAN, etc. followed by the proper configuration or
loopback of the remote device.

J-QuickCheck eliminates these configuration errors and conducts a very simple throughput test that is easy to
run no matter the experience level of the user. Some network providers use this as the sole test to verify network
service integrity in a very rapid manner.

The following figure illustrates the simple set-up options for the test including Load, Test Duration, and
Frame Length.

After the test has completed the user can see the basic
result of Measured Throughput (at right) and then drill
into to see some more detailed errors such as Errored,
Out of Sequence (OOS), and Lost Frame counts (below).

6 The Essentials of Ethernet Service Activation

1. J-QuickCheck for Basic Connectivity and Throughput Test

As a pre-test integrated within RFC 2544 / Y.1564, J-QuickCheck eliminates these misconfiguration problems
altogether by running a very short throughput test that provides immediate feedback (within seconds) to the user
about whether a configuration error is causing a wide discrepancy in results. By determining that a policer (etc.) is
in the network in seconds versus many minutes or hours, J-QuickCheck can dramatically reduce the time it takes for
the overall RFC 2544 / Y.1564 test.

Conclusion
Ethernet service activation is your first step to ensure customer satisfaction. Service providers need to
conduct service activation set-up in a cost-effective manner. Viavi’s solution for the J-QuickCheck test provides
an advantage in time, efficiency and accuracy to make your service activation workflow as smooth and easy
as possible.

For more details on Viavi test and measurement solutions, please go to viavisolutions.com

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(+1 844 468 4284) Product specifications and descriptions in this
document are subject to change without notice.
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