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Introduction
IP Infusion's ZebOS® Network Platform is one of the most widely used Internet Protocol (IP) routing and switching protocol software suites available on the market. The ZebOS protocols have been used in carrier-class access, edge, core as well as enterprise, wireless, and SAN markets. Its modular and scalable architecture allows OEM customers to quickly integrate the Network Platform into their platforms. In addition, the Network Platform is one of the first routing and switching packages that supports IPv4, IPv6, and MPLS protocols. This advanced IP routing suite contains a number of features that enable device and system developers to quickly bring IP routing-based solutions to market
Because all ZebOS software is a critical component in routing and switching platforms, IP Infusion devotes a substantial amount of time and resources to the testing cycle of each development release, including full functional testing and extensive combinatorial testing in Multiple Instance environments, Redundancy environments, and Virtual Router operation.
Our aim is to provide the most complete performance, stress, interoperability, and reliability testing in the market. We welcome feedback and comments and encourage our customers to work with us to provide additional testing and performance metrics.
IP Infusion has defined an IPv4/IPv6 testing methodology to ensure the high quality and reliability of our ZebOS Network Platform. For full details, please refer to our IPv4 and IPv6 Testing and Interoperability (PDF) paper. This testing methodology starts from the moment we begin producing each new release, until it is finally shipped to market. The four testing regimes are:
- Internal Testing
- Interoperability Lab Testing
- 6-Bone (57 country) Deployment for IPv6
- Adoption of the Network Processing Forum Testing and Benchmarking Initiatives
Our internal tests validate that the product design and functionality meet our specifications and pass a set of rigorous tests that prepare us to ship the product to private interoperability lab testing facilities. These labs make certain that each of the protocols passes a detailed list of interoperability tests. IP Infusion ensures compliance with these tests before we go into our beta test cycle.
Advanced-concepts test sites are those special worldwide configurations that certify the rapid growing advanced features of the Internet. IP Infusion has been an active advocate and participant in the following testbeds.
- The 6bone is an IPv6 Testbed that is an outgrowth of the IETF IPng project that created the IPv6 protocols intended to eventually replace the current Internet network layer protocols known as IPv4. The 6bone is currently a worldwide informal collaborative project, informally operated with oversight from the "NGtrans" (IPv6 Transition) Working Group of the IETF. IP Infusion’s ZebOS software is running in many of the operational routers.
- The Moonv6 project is a collaborative effort between the North American IPv6 Task Force (NAv6TF), the University of New Hampshire - InterOperability Laboratory (UNH-IOL), the Joint Interoperability Testing Command (JITC) and various other DoD agencies, and Internet2. Taking place across the US at multiple locations, the Moonv6 project represents the most aggressive collaborative IPv6 interoperability and application demonstration event in the North American market to date.
ZebOS Network Platform used in many routers in the Moonv6 testbed
Moonv6 Project Testbed Topology
(Click image to enlarge.)
- European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) interoperability and conformance testing event, which was organized by ETSI's Plugtests™ Service, chiefly focused on interoperability for RIPng, OSPFv3, BGP-4+, IPSec, and IPv6 over PPP routing protocols that support a number of IPv6 RFCs. The Plugtests interoperability event allowed vendors to test their products against a number of leading IPv6 solution providers, including those from: Ericsson Telebit A/S, Hitachi Ltd, Ixia, Lucent Technologies, NEC corporation, Samsung Advanced Institute Of Technology, Agilent, 6WIND and Nokia.
ZebOS originated from the open source community, having passed hours and hours of live testing in hundreds of sites. These real-world installations have been a crucial kick-off for the platform of reliable operations upon which all ZebOS feature sets are based.
Additionally, IP Infusion has defined a testing methodology to validate the high quality and reliability of our ZebOS MPLS/TE/VPN. For full details, please refer to our MPLS Testing and Interoperability (PDF) paper. This testing methodology starts from the moment we begin producing each new release, until it is finally shipped to market. The four testing regimes are:
- MPLS Internal Testing
- Core Platform Q.A. and Interoperability Lab Testing
- Partner Testing for MPLS Interoperability, Japan
- Adoption of the MPLS Forum Interoperability and Conformance Tests
Our internal tests validate that the product design and functionality meet our specifications. Our Q.A. laboratory uses a variety of IXIA/Empirix/ANVL platforms and uses our own script suites to subject MPLS to a full set of rigorous tests. The ZebOS Core Platform of BGP, OSPF, and RIP is independently tested at the University of New Hampshire Interoperability Lab (UNH IOL). The tested packages are then forwarded to our Partner Test site at DML Networks in Japan, which has been working with IP Infusion for almost two years and verifies that each of the MPLS, TE, and RSVP protocols pass a detailed list of interoperability tests. IP Infusion confirms compliance with these tests before the product is released in the market. Additionally, the MPLS Forum Technical Committee meets on a regular basis and issues testing and conformance requirements documents.
The performance demand for MPLS has never been greater, and IP Infusion tests its MPLS and Traffic Engineering solutions to the fullest level possible. The ZebOS MPLS protocol modules undergo rigorous testing in full compliance with the MPLS Forum and its Interoperability and Conformance testing. IP Infusion is committed to providing robust, well-tested, and interoperable MPLS products to the market and thus participates in industry test and validation programs. Since 2002, IP Infusion has participated in the NetWorld+Interop's iLabs MPLS interoperability program as the only source code software supplier and successfully tested our MPLS product line. iLabs is an excellent forum to test and validate MPLS across a wide variety of vendor implementations and is ideal to verify interoperability with key industry vendors before customers attempt to implement multiple vendor solutions.
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