Network Working Group
   INTERNET-DRAFT
   Expires in: January 2005
                                                   Scott Poretsky
                                                   Quarry Technologies


                                                   Shankar Rao
                                                   Qwest Communications


                                                   July 2004


            Methodology for Accelerated Stress Benchmarking
                <draft-ietf-bmwg-acc-bench-meth-00.txt>


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   ABSTRACT
   Routers in an operational network are simultaneously configured with
   multiple protocols and security policies while forwarding traffic and
   being managed.  To accurately benchmark a router for deployment it is
   necessary that the router be tested in these simultaneous
   operational conditions, which is known as Stress Testing.  This
   document provides the Methodology for performing Stress Benchmarking
   of networking devices.  Descriptions of Test Topology, Benchmarks and
   Reporting Format are provided in addition to procedures for
   conducting various test cases.  The methodology is to be used with
   the companion terminology document [6].



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   Table of Contents
     1. Introduction ............................................... 2
     2. Existing definitions ....................................... 3
     3. Test Setup.................................................. 3
     3.1 Test Topologies............................................ 3
     3.2 Test Considerations........................................ 4
     3.3 Reporting Format........................................... 4
     3.3.1 Configuration Sets....................................... 4
     3.3.2 Instability Conditions................................... 6
     3.3.3 Benchmarks............................................... 6
     4. Test Cases.................................................. 7
     4.1 Failed Primary EBGP Peer................................... 7
     4.2 BGP Route Explosion........................................ 7
     4.3 Persistent BGP Flapping.................................... 8
     4.4 DoS Attack................................................. 8
     5. Security Considerations..................................... 9
     6. References.................................................. 9
     7. Author's Address............................................ 9


   1. Introduction
   Router testing benchmarks have consistently been made in a
   monolithic fashion wherein a single protocol or behavior is
   measured in an isolated environment.  It is important to know the
   limits for a networking device's behavior for each protocol in isolation,
   however this does not produce a reliable benchmark of the device's
   behavior in an operational network.


   Routers in an operational network are simultaneously configured with
   multiple protocols and security policies while forwarding traffic
   and being managed.  To accurately benchmark a router for deployment
   it is necessary to test that router in operational conditions by
   simultaneously configuring and scaling network protocols and security
   policies, forwarding traffic, and managing the device.  It is helpful
   to accelerate these network operational conditions with Instability
   Conditions [6] so that the networking devices are stress tested.


   Stress Testing of networking devices provides the following benefits:
        1. Evaluation of multiple protocols enabled simultaneously as
        configured in deployed networks
        2. Evaluation of System and Software Stability
        3. Evaluation of Manageability under stressful conditions
        4. Identification of Software Coding bugs such as:
                a. Memory Leaks
                b. Suboptimal CPU Utilization
                c. Coding Logic


   These benefits produce significant advantages for network operations:
        1.  Increased stability of routers and protocols
        2.  Hardened routers to DoS attacks
        3.  Verified manageability under stress
        4.  Planning router resources for growth and scale


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   This document provides the Methodology for performing Stress
   Benchmarking of networking devices.  Descriptions of Test Topology,
   Benchmarks and Reporting Format are provided in addition to
   procedures for conducting various test cases.  The methodology is
   to be used with the companion terminology document [6].


   2.  Existing definitions


   The key words "MUST", "MUST NOT", "REQUIRED", "SHALL", "SHALL NOT",
   "SHOULD", "SHOULD NOT", "RECOMMENDED",  "MAY", and "OPTIONAL" in
   this document are to be interpreted as described in RFC 2119.


   Terms related to Accelerated Stress Benchmarking are defined in [6].


   3. Test Setup


   3.1 Test Topologies


        Figure 1 shows the physical configuration to be used for the
        methodologies provided in this document.  The number of
        interfaces between the tester and DUT will scale depending upon
        the number of control protocol sessions and traffic
        forwarding interfaces.  A separate device may be required to
        externally manage the device in the case that the test equipment
        does not support such functionality.


        Figure 2 shows the logical configuration for the stress test
        methodologies.  Each plane may be emulated by single or
        multiple test equipment.



                                 ___________
                                |   DUT     |
                             ___|Management |
                            |   |           |
                            |    -----------
                           \/
                      ___________
                     |           |
                     |    DUT    |
                |--->|           |<---|
         xN     |     -----------     |    xN
     interfaces |                     | interfaces
                |     ___________     |
                |    |           |    |
                |--->|   Tester  |<---|
                     |           |
                      -----------


                Figure 1. Physical Configuration




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         ___________             ___________
        |  Control  |           | Management|
        |   Plane   |___     ___|   Plane   |
        |           |   |   |   |           |
         -----------    |   |    -----------
                       \/  \/                  ___________
                      ___________             | Security  |
                     |           |<-----------|   Plane   |
                     |    DUT    |            |           |
                |--->|           |<---|        -----------
                |     -----------     |
                |                     |
                |     ___________     |
                |    |   Data    |    |
                |--->|   Plane   |<---|
                     |           |
                      -----------


                Figure 2. Logical Configuration


   3.2 Test Considerations


        The Accelerated Stress Benchmarking test can be applied in
        service provider test environments to benchmark DUTs under
        stress in an environment that is reflective of an operational
        network.  A particular Configuration Set is defined and the
        DUT is benchmarked using this configuration set and the Instability Conditions.
        Varying Configuration Sets and/or Instability Conditions applied in an iterative
fashion can provide an accurate characterization of the DUT
        to help determine future network deployments.


   3.3 Reporting Format


   Each methodology requires reporting of information for test
   repeatability when benchmarking the same or different devices.
   The information that are the Configuration Sets, Instability
   Conditions, and Benchmarks, as defined in [6].  Example
   reporting formats for each are provided below.


   3.3.1 Configuration Sets
   Example Routing Protocol Configuration Set-
           PARAMETER                            UNITS
           BGP                                  Enabled/Disabled
           Number of EBGP Peers                 Peers
           Number of IBGP Peers                 Peers
           Number of BGP Route Instances        Routes
           Number of BGP Installed Routes       Routes


           MBGP                                 Enabled/Disabled
           Number of MBGP Route Instances       Routes
           Number of MBGP Installed Routes      Routes


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           IGP                                  Enabled/Disabled
           IGP-TE                               Enabled/Disabled
           Number of IGP Adjacencies            Adjacencies
           Number of IGP Routes                 Routes
           Number of Nodes per Area             Nodes



   Example MPLS Protocol Configuration Set-
           PARAMETER                            UNITS
           MPLS-TE
           Number of Ingress Tunnels            Tunnels
           Number of Mid-Point Tunnels  Tunnels
           Number of Egress Tunnels             Tunnels


           LDP
           Number of Sessions                   Sessions
           Number of FECs                       FECs



   Example Multicast Protocol Configuration Set-
           PARAMETER                            UNITS
           PIM-SM                               Enabled/Disabled
           RP                                   Enabled/Disabled
           Number of Multicast Groups           Groups
           MSDP                                 Enabled/Disabled



   Example Data Plane Configuration Set-
           PARAMETER                            UNITS
           Traffic Forwarding                   Enabled/Disabled
           Aggregate Offered Load               bps (or pps)
           Number of Ingress Interfaces         number
           Number of Egress Interfaces          number

           TRAFFIC PROFILE
           Packet Size(s)               bytes
           Packet Rate(interface)       array of packets per second
           Number of Flows              number
           Encapsulation(flow)          array of encapsulation type



   Management Configuration Set-
        PARAMETER                               UNITS
        SNMP GET Rate                           SNMP Gets/minute
        Logging                                 Enabled/Disabled
        Protocol Debug                          Enabled/Disabled
        Telnet Rate                             Sessions/Hour
        FTP Rate                                Sessions/Hour
        Concurrent Telnet Sessions              Sessions
        Concurrent FTP Session                  Sessions
        Packet Statistics Collector             Enabled/Disabled
        Statistics Sampling Rate                X:1 packets


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   Security Configuration Set -
        PARAMETER                               UNITS
        Packet Filters                          Enabled/Disabled
        Number of Filters For-Me                number
        Number of Filter Rules For-Me           number
        Number of Traffic Filters               number
        Number of Traffic Filter Rules          number
        SSH                                     Enabled/Disabled
        Number of simultaneous SSH sessions     number
        RADIUS                                  Enabled/Disabled
        TACACS                                  Enabled/Disabled


   3.3.2 Instability Conditions


        PARAMETER                               UNITS
        Interface Shutdown Cycling Rate         interfaces per minute
        BGP Session Flap Rate                   sessions per minute
        BGP Route Flap Rate                     routes per minutes
        IGP Route Flap Rate                     routes per minutes
        LSP Reroute Rate                        LSP per minute
        Overloaded Links                        number
        Amount Links Overloaded                 % of bandwidth
        FTP Rate                                Mb/minute
        IPsec Session Loss                      sessions per minute
        Filter Policy Changes                   policies per minute
        SSH Session Re-Start                    SSH sessions per minute


   3.3.3 Benchmarks


        PARAMETER                                       UNITS
        Stable Aggregate Forwarding Rate                pps
        Stable Session Count                            sessions
        Unstable Aggregate Forwarding Rate              pps
        Degraded Aggregate Forwarding Rate              pps
        Average Degraded Aggregate Forwarding Rate      pps
        Unstable Uncontrolled Sessions Lost             sessions
        Recovered Aggregate Forwarding Rate             pps
        Recovery Time                                   seconds
        Recovered Uncontrolled Sessions Lost            sessions















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   4. Test Cases
   4.1 Failed Primary EBGP Peer


        Objective
        The purpose of this test is to benchmark the performance
        of the DUT during stress conditions when losing an EBGP
        Peer from which most FIB routes have been learned.


        Procedure
        1. Report Configuration Set
        2. Begin Startup Conditions with the DUT
        3. Establish Configuration Sets with the DUT
        4. Report benchmarks (for stability)
        5. Apply Instability Conditions
        6. Remove link to EBGP peer with most FIB routes
        7. Report benchmarks (for instability)
        8. Stop applying all Instability Conditions
        9. Report benchmarks (for recovery)
        10. Optional - Change Configuration Set and/or Instability
           Conditions for next iteration


        Results
        It is expected that there will be significant packet loss
        until the DUT converges from the lost EBGP link.  Other DUT
        operation should be stable without session loss or sustained
        packet loss.  Recovery time should not be infinite.


   4.2 BGP Route Explosion


        Objective
        The purpose of this test is to benchmark the performance
        of the DUT during stress conditions when there is BGP Route
        Explosion experienced in the network.


        Procedure
        1. Report Configuration Set
        2. Begin Startup Conditions with the DUT
        3. Establish Configuration Sets with the DUT
        4. Report benchmarks (for stability)
        5. Apply Instability Conditions
        6. Advertise 1M BGP routes from a single EBGP peer.
        7. Report benchmarks (for instability)
        8. Stop applying all Instability Conditions
        9. Report benchmarks (for recovery)
        10. Optional - Change Configuration Set and/or Instability
           Conditions for next iteration


        Results
        It is expected that there will be no additional packet loss from
        the advertisement of duplicate routes from a single peer.  Other
        DUT operation should be stable without session loss.  Recovery
        time should not be infinite.


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   4.3 Persistent BGP Flapping


        Objective
        The purpose of this test is to benchmark the performance
        of the DUT during stress conditions when flapping BGP Peering
        sessions for an infinite period.


        Procedure
        1. Report Configuration Set
        2. Begin Startup Conditions with the DUT
        3. Establish Configuration Sets with the DUT
        4. Report benchmarks (for stability)
        5. Apply Instability Conditions
        6. Repeatedly flap an IBGP and an EBGP peering session
        7. Report benchmarks (for instability)
        8. Stop applying all Instability Conditions
        9. Report benchmarks (for recovery)
        10. Optional - Change Configuration Set and/or Instability
           Conditions for next iteration


        Results
        It is expected that there will be significant packet loss
        from repeated convergence events.  Other DUT operation should be
        stable without session loss.  Recovery time should not be infinite.



   4.4 DoS Attack


        Objective
        The purpose of this test is to benchmark the performance
        of the DUT during stress conditions while experiencing a
        DoS attack.


        Procedure
        1. Report Configuration Set
        2. Begin Startup Conditions with the DUT
        3. Establish Configuration Sets with the DUT
        4. Report benchmarks (for stability)
        5. Apply Instability Conditions
        6. Initiate DoS Attack against DUT
        7. Report benchmarks (for instability)
        8. Stop applying all Instability Conditions
        9. Report benchmarks (for recovery)
        10. Optional - Change Configuration Set and/or Instability
           Conditions for next iteration


        Results
        DUT should be able to defend against DoS attack without additional
        packet loss or session loss.  Recovery time should be immediate.
        Open issue is definition of DoS Attack for the purpose of this test.
        COuld any DoS Attack be used?  Should DoS Attack be defined?



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   5. Security Considerations
        Documents of this type do not directly affect the security of
        the Internet or of corporate networks as long as benchmarking
        is not performed on devices or systems connected to operating
        networks.


   6. References


      [1]   Bradner, S., Editor, "Benchmarking Terminology for Network
            Interconnection Devices", RFC 1242, July 1991.


      [2]   Mandeville, R., "Benchmarking Terminology for LAN Switching
            Devices", RFC 2285, June 1998.


      [3]   Bradner, S. and McQuaid, J., "Benchmarking Methodology for
            Network Interconnect Devices", RFC 2544, March 1999.


      [4]   "Core Router Evaluation for Higher Availability", Scott
            Poretsky, NANOG 25, June 8, 2002, Toronto, CA.


      [5]   "Router Stress Testing to Validate Readiness for Network
            Deployment", Scott Poretsky, IEEE CQR 2003.


      [6]   Poretsky, S. and Rao, S., "Terminology for Accelerated
            Stress Benchmarking", draft-ietf-bmwg-acc-bench-term-03,
            work in progress, July 2004.



   7. Author's Address


        Scott Poretsky
        Quarry Technologies
        8 New England Executive Park
        Burlington, MA 01803
        USA


        Phone: + 1 781 395 5090
        EMail: sporetsky@quarrytech.com


        Shankar Rao
        950 17th Street
        Suite 1900
        Qwest Communications
        Denver, CO 80210
        USA
        Phone: + 1 303 437 6643
        Email: shankar.rao@qwest.com







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