191. VF L3 forwarding kernel PF tests¶

This document provides benchmark test for NIC VFs which are created from kernel PFs or. These tests use l3fwd as a simple forwarder between NIC vfs. The goal of this test plan is to have a tested benchmark between NIC vfs. The Layer-3 Forwarding performance results are produced using l3fwd application. For detail test plan, please refer to l3fwd_test_plan.rst.

191.1. Prerequisites¶

191.1.1. 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

191.1.2. Hardware¶

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

191.1.3. Software¶

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

191.2. Test Case¶

The suite includes the throughput tests and rfc544 tests. 1. Throughput:

The test case check the throughput result with lpm/em mode and ipv4/ipv6, in the case, we will send the bi-direction flows with line rate, then we can check the passthrough rate.

RFC2544 Zero packet loss test:
- Send a specific number of frames at a specific rate through the DUT and then count the frames that are transmitted by the DUT. If the count of offered frames is not equal to the count of received frames, the rate of the offered stream is reduced and the test is rerun. The throughput is the fastest rate at which the count of test frames transmitted by the DUT is equal to the number of test frames sent to it by the test equipment.

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.

191.2.1. Common Steps¶

Bind PF ports to kernel driver, i40e or ice, then create 1 VF from each PF, take E810 for example:

<dpdk_dir>#echo 1 > /sys/bus/pci/devices/0000\:17\:00.0/sriov_numvfs

Set vf mac address:

<dpdk_dir>#ip link set ens5f0 vf 0 mac 00:12:34:56:78:01

Bind all the created VFs to vfio-pci:

<dpdk_dir>#./usertools/dpdk-devbind.py -s
0000:17:00.0 'Device 1592' if=ens5f0 drv=ice unused=vfio-pci
0000:17:01.0 'Device 1592' if=ens5f0v0 drv=iavf unused=vfio-pci
<dpdk_dir>#./usertools/dpdk-devbind.py -b vfio-pci <pci device id>
<dpdk_dir>#./usertools/dpdk-devbind.py -b vfio-pci 0000:17:01.0

Configure traffic generator to send traffic

Routing table for IPv4 packets

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

# LPM prefix (IP/length)

0 198.18.0.0/24

1 198.18.1.0/24

2 198.18.2.0/24

3 198.18.3.0/24

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

Entry

#

IPv4 destination address IPv4 source address Port destination Port source L4 protocol

0 198.18.0.0 Random 10 1 UDP

1 198.18.1.0 Random 10 1 UDP

2 198.18.2.0 Random 11 1 UDP

3 198.18.3.0 Random 11 1 UDP

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

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

Entry IPv6 destination address IPv6 source address Port destination Port source L4 protocol

0

2001:0200:0000:0000:0000:

0000:0000:0000

Random 10 1 UDP

1

2001:0200:0000:0001:0000:

0000:0000:0000

Random 10 1 UDP

2

2001:0200:0000:0002:0000:

0000:0000:0000

Random 11 1 UDP

3

2001:0200:0000:0003:0000:

0000:0000:0000

Random 11 1 UDP

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

IPv4 packets

Flow Traffic Gen. Port IPv4 Dst. Address IPv4 Src. Address

1 TG0 198.18.1.1 Any Ip

2 TG1 198.18.0.1 Any Ip

3 TG2 198.18.3.1 Any Ip

4 TG3 198.18.2.1 Any Ip

Set the packet length : 64 bytes-1518 bytes The IPV4 Src Address increase with the num 1024.

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 64 xxxxx Mpps xxx %

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

2C/2T 64 xxxxx Mpps xxx %

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

4C/4T 64 xxxxx Mpps xxx %

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

8C/8T 64 xxxxx Mpps xxx %

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

191.2.2. Test Case: VF L3 Forwarding (in EM/LPM Mode) with IPv4/IPv6 Packets¶

Bind VF 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 --parse-ptype

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