Using Network Emulators For Your Data Center Technology Testing

Virtualization technologies have fast become a key component of today's data center. In just the last 3-4 years, these tools and techniques have emerged to enable better workload balancing, more effective disaster avoidance, and faster disaster recovery.

Virtualization technologies have also further enabled data center consolidation and expansion. More precisely, the ability to transparently move Virtual Machines (VMotion) and Storage (SVMotion) across WANs and metropolitan areas allows organizations to get more value out of their existing infrastructure through the consolidation of existing, under-utilized, physical servers and facilities.

Use GigaNet Network Emulators to perform

	Performance Testing
	Load and Stress Testing
	Functional Testing
	End-to-End Interoperability Testing
	Acceptance Testing
	Diagnostic Testing
	Failure Analysis
	Troubleshooting
	SLA Setting and Validation

Of course, with every great leap forward comes initial complexity and, with it, a set of challenges. The ability to support VMotion over long distances is placing additional burdens on the Ethernet Networks and Fibre Channel SANs interconnecting the data centers.

The successful migration of live Virtual Machines (VMs) requires predictable operation of networking and computing infrastructure in conjunction with management software under both normal and error conditions. Successful deployment of these VMotion technologies across WANs and metro regions requires the transparent interoperability of the multiple components that form an end-to-end system. Poorly executed solutions will result in commercial failure.

Not only does this mean testing, but it requires extensive testing under realistic network conditions. Fortunately, GigaNet Systems' line of Ethernet and Storage Area Network (SAN) Emulators offers a simple, yet powerful, solution.

GigaNet Systems' network emulators enable deliberate and precise injection of latency, packet loss, errors, re-ordered/corrupt packets, bandwidth policing and a wide range of other impairments. By adding a GigaNet Systems network emulator to new or existing testbeds, development and verification engineers can thoroughly evaluate the performance of their products, applications and services under any scenario, common or corner-case, that a data center might face.

Testing Virtualization Technologies Application Note

VirtualNet XGE - 10G Ethernet Network Emulator

VirtualSAN - Fibre Channel SAN Emulator

Better Testing

Better Reliability

Better Products