Abstract: Hashing name resolution requests may be performed according to an identified routing policy. A query from a Domain Name System (DNS) resolver to lookup a name in a first collection of name records may be received. A hash function may be applied to the name to generate a hash value according to a routing policy for the first collection of name records that determines which name record in the first collection of name records is used to answer the query. A name record in the collection of name records may be identified according to a mapping request for the name record using the hash value and a value for the name record may be returned to the DNS resolver. The value for the name record may identify a second collection of name records to query as part of determining the network address at the DNS resolver.

Abstract: There are disclosed a system, a test head and a method for testing a device under test. Two or more test heads may be mated directly with respective connectors on the device under test. Each test head may include a traffic generator including a stateless packet builder to generate stateless traffic for transmission to the device under test, and a traffic receiver including a stateless packet analyzer to accumulate traffic statistics on stateless traffic received from the device under test. A server coupled to the two or more test heads via respective communications links, may generate stateful traffic for transmission to the device under test by the two or more test heads, and may process stateful traffic received from the device under test by the two or more test heads.

Abstract: An impairment unit and method of emulating network impairments is disclosed. The impairment unit may receive network traffic and transmit impaired network traffic. Received packets may be stored in a memory physically partitioned into a plurality of memory blocks and logically partitioned into a plurality of buffers. At least one buffer may be associated with each of a plurality of predefined impairment classes. One or more buffer may be a limited-length queue. Memory blocks may be assigned to buffers on an as-needed basis. A classifier may determine respective impairment classes of the received packets. A number of memory blocks assigned to each limited-length queue may be limited to a respective predetermined maximum. An enqueue manager may store each received packet and associated metadata in the buffer associated with the respective impairment class. The enqueue manager may discard received packets if the associated limited-length queue is full.

Abstract: There are disclosed a system, a test head and a method for testing a device under test. Two or more test heads may be mated directly with respective connectors on the device under test. Each test head may include a traffic generator including a stateless packet builder to generate stateless traffic for transmission to the device under test, and a traffic receiver including a stateless packet analyzer to accumulate traffic statistics on stateless traffic received from the device under test. A server coupled to the two or more test heads via respective communications links, may generate stateful traffic for transmission to the device under test by the two or more test heads, and may process stateful traffic received from the device under test by the two or more test heads.

Abstract: An impairment unit and method of emulating network impairments is disclosed. The impairment unit may receive network traffic and transmit impaired network traffic. Received packets may be stored in a memory physically partitioned into a plurality of memory blocks and logically partitioned into a plurality of buffers. At least one buffer may be associated with each of a plurality of predefined impairment classes. One or more buffer may be a limited-length queue. Memory blocks may be assigned to buffers on an as-needed basis. A classifier may determine respective impairment classes of the received packets. A number of memory blocks assigned to each limited-length queue may be limited to a respective predetermined maximum. An enqueue manager may store each received packet and associated metadata in the buffer associated with the respective impairment class. The enqueue manager may discard received packets if the associated limited-length queue is full.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for testing and measuring the performance of a network for delivering multimedia is disclosed. A multimedia source is divided into data packets according to a packetizing standard. Each data packet includes a header and a payload containing a portion of the multimedia. N data packets (N>0) are grouped together into a packet bundle. Then, instrumentation is inserted into the header of at least one data packet within the packet bundle. The instrumentation includes information used in determining performance characteristics of the network.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for testing and measuring the performance of a network for delivering multimedia is disclosed. A multimedia source is divided into data packets according to a packetizing standard. Each data packet includes a header and a payload containing a portion of the multimedia. N data packets (N>0) are grouped together into a packet bundle. Then, instrumentation is inserted into the header of at least one data packet within the packet bundle. The instrumentation includes information used in determining performance characteristics of the network.