92. L3 forwarding test in LPM mode with IPV6 packets¶

This document provides the plan for testing the performance of Intel Ethernet Controller. The Layer-3 Forwarding performance results are produced using l3fwd application. For detail test plan, please refer to l3fwd_test_plan.rst.

92.1. Prerequisites¶

92.1.1. Topology¶

It requires at least 1 port connected traffic generator::: Port0 — TG0
2 ports::: Port0 — TG0 Port1 — TG1
4 ports::: Port0 — TG0 Port1 — TG1 Port2 — TG2 Port3 — TG3

92.1.2. Hardware¶

This suite focus on l3fwd application, so any standard Ethernet Network Adapter is qualified.

92.1.3. Software¶

dpdk: git clone http://dpdk.org/git/dpdk trex: git clone http://trex-tgn.cisco.com/trex/release/v2.93.tar.gz

92.2. Test Case¶

The test case check the throughput result with lpm mode and ipv6, in the case, we will send the bi-direction flows with line rate, then we can check the passthrough rate.

The l3fwd application has a number of command line options, here list the key options will be tested:

./dpdk-l3fwd [EAL options] -- -p PORTMASK
                         [--force-max-simd-bitwidth=max-simd-bitwidth]
                         --config(port,queue,lcore)[,(port,queue,lcore)]
                         [--rx-queue-size NPKTS]
                         [--tx-queue-size NPKTS]
                         [--parse-ptype]
                         [-L]|[-E]
                         ...
Note:
    --force-max-simd-bitwidth: This setting is used to determine the vector path for component selection.
                               And the default is avx2.
    --rx-queue-size: Rx queue size in decimal and default is 1024.
    --tx-queue-size: Tx queue size in decimal and default is 1024.
    --parse-ptype: Optional, set to use software to analyze packet type.
                   Without this option, hardware will check the packet type.
    [-L]|[-E]: L3fwd uses the parameters "-L" and "-E" to correspond to LPM and EM modes respectively.
               And the default is LPM mode.

92.2.1. Common Steps¶

Bind tested ports to vfio-pci:

<dpdk_dir>#./usertools/dpdk-devbind.py -s
0000:17:00.0 'Device 1592' if=ens5f0 drv=ice unused=vfio-pci
<dpdk_dir>#./usertools/dpdk-devbind.py -b vfio-pci <pci device id>
<dpdk_dir>#./usertools/dpdk-devbind.py -b vfio-pci 0000:17:00.0

Configure traffic generator to send traffic

Routing table for IPv6 packets

In LPM mode, the LPM table used for packet routing is:

# LPM prefix (IP/length)

0 2001:0200:0000:0000:0000:0000:0000:0000/64

1 2001:0200:0000:0001:0000:0000:0000:0000/64

2 2001:0200:0000:0002:0000:0000:0000:0000/64

3 2001:0200:0000:0003:0000:0000:0000:0000/64

The flows need to be configured and started by the traffic generator:

IPv6 packets

Flow Traffic Gen. Port IPV6 Dst. Address IPv6 Src. Address

1 TG0 2001:0200:0000:0000:0000:0000:0000:0000 Any Ip

2 TG1 2001:0200:0000:0001:0000:0000:0000:0000 Any Ip

3 TG2 2001:0200:0000:0002:0000:0000:0000:0000 Any Ip

4 TG3 2001:0200:0000:0003:0000:0000:0000:0000 Any Ip

Set the packet length : 66 bytes-1518 bytes The IPV6 Src Address increase with the num 1024.

Test result table

Fwd_core Frame Size Throughput Rate

1C/1T 66 xxxxx Mpps xxx %

1C/1T ... xxxxx Mpps xxx %

2C/2T 66 xxxxx Mpps xxx %

2C/2T ... xxxxx Mpps xxx %

4C/4T 66 xxxxx Mpps xxx %

4C/4T ... xxxxx Mpps xxx %

8C/8T 66 xxxxx Mpps xxx %

8C/8T ... xxxxx Mpps xxx %

92.2.2. Test Case: test_perf_throughput_ipv6_lpm¶

Bind PF ports to dpdk driver as common step 1.

Launch l3fwd:

<build_dir>/examples/dpdk-l3fwd -l 5-8 -n 8 --force-max-simd-bitwidth=512 \
-- -p 0x1 --config "(0,0,5),(0,1,6),(0,2,7),(0,3,8)" --rx-queue-size 1024 \
--tx-queue-size 1024

Configure traffic generator to send traffic as common step 2.
Record Test results as common step 3.