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Summary Datasheet
Network Performance Assurance Controller
Solution
Benefits
• Centralized control over
performance assurance
virtual network functions
(VNFs) supporting hundreds
of remote Performance
Modules
The SkyLIGHT™ VCX Controller is the industry’s first performance
assurance controller employing Network Function Virtualization (NFV) to
bring advanced monitoring capabilities network-wide, without the need for
expensive, high-end test equipment.
The VCX Controller works together with Accedian’s Nano smart SFP (optical
transponder) and compact gigabit Ethernet ant Modules to deliver multi-flow
traffic generation and ability to monitor thousands of flows.
• Controls full line-rate, multistream test traffic generation
and turn-up test reporting
(RFC-2544) on existing
Accedian Modules.
• Enables multi-flow bandwidth
utilization metering, filtering
and classification on existing
modules.
• Easily installed and scaled
as a virtual appliance in data
centers or in VMWare on
standalone COTS servers.
• Backward compatible with
existing operational
practices:
• Supports standard Web, CLI
and SNMP management
• Seamlessly interoperates
with Accedian’s standalone
Network Performance
Elements (NIDs)
• Forward support for
Accedian’s Vision EMS
network element
management system
• Plug & Go™ Module autodiscovery
Network Performance Modules
Controller
Don’t Promise Performance. Deliver It.
The SkyLIGHT VCX Controller offers enhanced network performance, Quality of Service
(QoS) and Quality of Experience (QoE) visibility. Applications as diverse as virtualized
customer premises equipment (vCPE), mobile network monitoring, and financial services
transaction assurance can all be implemented simply, quickly, and ubiquitously.
Designed to fit seamlessly into a service provider’s existing infrastructure and operational
practices and procedures, the VCX Controller uses the same interfaces as Accedian
standalone solutions to interoperate openly with standards-based network elements,
management platforms, analytics platforms, and more.
Virtualized Performance Assurance
The VCX Controller was crafted from the code,
packet processing technology, and over forty
patents that Accedian introduced to transform
vanilla network interface devices into fully
capable Network Performance Elements.
The VCX Controller assumes “CPU functionality”
for thousands of Performance Modules, each
acting as a “remote port.” The VCX also
maintains synchronization information for each
endpoint, permitting highly precise one-way
measurements over a variety of remote locations.
2Q 2015
Feature Benefits
• Multi-flow traffic
generation from any
Module installed in the
network:
Service Activation Testing (SAT)
Unique to Accedian, Performance Modules are capable of full line-rate test traffic
generation, able to create and analyze up to four unique flows, or run a fully-fledged RFC2544 service activation test suite towards Accedian or third party endpoints. This allows
service providers to test the service path at turn-up as well as re-validate on-demand the
capacity of a specific path or service during maintenance windows for troubleshooting.
• Delivers remote turn up
and full mesh testing
without the cost, truck rolls
and labor associated with
hand-held test sets.
• Permits on-demand testing
from any live service
endpoint for service predeployment assessment
and troubleshooting.
• Combines service
activation testing (SAT)
with continuous
performance monitoring in
a single remote device.
Key Specifications
• Full line-rate test traffic
generation and analysis
• User specified test flow
parameters: C/S V-LAN
(stacked), MEG Level,
constant or stepped
bandwidth, bit rate, frame
size, test duration, and
more.
Truck-rolls and on-site use of labor and test sets is eliminated with Modules. Customers can
self-install, and retain Modules for their complementary performance monitoring capabilities
once the service is activated. Limitations of head-end, probe-based solutions are also
eliminated: high cost, network traffic load, scheduling limitations, and the inability to test
directly between sites.
The VCX Controller assumes all session setup, control, and sequencing functions, as well
as results analysis and reporting. Modules respond to traffic generation commands (rate,
number of packets, flow characteristics) to conduct tests, and pass base-level metrics back
to the VCX for results processing.
• Up to four concurrent,
unique flows.
• Test from one to four
endpoints simultaneously.
• Detailed results reporting
• Frames sent, received, lost
gaps, OOO, delay: min /
max / avg.
• Automated report
generation.
• Available with GUI and
CLI.
Layer 2 or 3 – Fully Automated Test Suite
SAT tests can be conducted between a VCX-controlled Nano
Module and a standalone Performance Element (vCPE)—or
any other standards-compliant test set or NID. To the far-end
test device, the Module appears the same as any other
standards-based test endpoint. Any SAT protocol messages
received by the Module are mediated by the VCX.
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Datasheet • SkyLIGHT™ VCX • 2Q 2015
Feature Benefits
Bandwidth Utilization Metering (FlowMETER™)
Bandwidth utilization, when precisely measured, can reveal transient peaks leading to TCP
throughput impairments. Per-service metering also permits usage-based billing, including
• Real-time bandwidth
monitoring on classified
flows from any installed
Module
on-demand and excess information rate (EIR) burst consumption pricing models, aside from
trending and traffic pattern analysis.
The VCX Controller processes per-flow bandwidth utilization metrics from Modules under its
• Define flows using granular
filtering criteria
control, using time-stamps to accurately report throughput as well as consumption. When
• Monitor in each direction or
aggregate up/downstream
metrics.
network bottlenecks and estimate available capacity—key metrics to assure and enforce the
• Visualization with the
Accedian reporting module
(ARM) or cloud-based
VisionMETRIX
reports as 1-minute min/max/average metrics.
used in conjunction with packet loss and other measurements, service providers can detect
delivery of off-net services. Upload and download usage statistics can be monitored
separately. The VCX Controller records utilization data based on 5-second samples, and
Key Specifications
• Traffic Filtering Criteria
• Logical filters at Layers 1,
2, 3 & 4, such as: L2CP,
BDPU, per VLAN,
Ethertype, Protocol type,
MAC, IP, or User Defined,
and more.
• Can be applied uni or bidirectionally.
• Traffic processing speed:
up to 4 flows totaling full linerate (GbE)
Multi-Flow Traffic Classification
The traffic filters that specify monitored flows for bandwidth utilization can also be used to
define loopbacks and traffic filtering.
Loopbacks
Loopback reflectors can be setup to relay specific flows with MAC / IP address swap,
allowing Modules to act as test endpoints for Accedian or third-party test sets and probes.
Filtering
Drop/permit traffic passage for any defined flow, uni or bi-directionally.
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Datasheet • SkyLIGHT™ VCX • 2Q 2015
Feature Benefits
Module Management
The VCX Controller acts as a lightweight Module element manager, providing a centralized
platform to view the inventory of Modules available for VCX control, as well as addressing
• Fully automated remote
and feature support configuration for individual units.
Module discovery
• Easily select from L2 Plug
& Go™ deployed units
• Enables customer and
installation technician
install with no preconfiguration
Available Modules
View list of modules available for remote port assignment, discovered using Accedian’s L2
Plug & Go™ or L3 IP-agnostic scanning zero-touch provisioning technologies:
• Supports all network types
• Proven in multi-domain,
multi-technology networks
with over 300,000 devices
auto-provisioned in 350+
service provider networks
• NNI and UNI ports easily
defined for each
discovered Module
Remote Port Management
Quickly see and configure all remote ports in modules under the VCX Controller’s
management, along with status, connectivity state, media type and address:
• Simplified operations,
reduced OpEx and
centralized management
of hundreds of remote
devices
Performance Monitoring Mode Management
Enable TWAMP and Y.1731 frame reflection for compatibility with Accedian performance
assurance solutions and test traffic generated by standards-based network elements and
third-party test platforms.
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Datasheet • SkyLIGHT™ VCX • 2Q 2015
Deployment Options
The SkyLIGHT VCX can be deployed on hosted cloud resources running VMware ESXi
hypervisor as a virtual appliance (OVA), or can be installed on a commercial off-the-shelf
(COTS) server running VMware ESXi. A variety of highly scalable options make this
solution adaptable to existing compute resource strategies, including D-NFV deployment
approaches.
Accedian also offers a turnkey physical appliance version of the VCX Controller on
company-supported and warranted hardware. These options, combined with support for
distributed NFV deployment models, ensure capabilities scale economically as platform use
increases.
VCX Virtual Appliance Specifications
The specifications below relate to the VCX virtual instance. For detailed specifications
on the Accedian performance Modules (Nano and Ant), or the specifications of
Accedian’s standalone physical VCX Controller appliance, please refer to the
respective data sheet for that product.
Supported Browsers
Firefox version 21 and later, Google Chrome ver. 28 and above, Microsoft Internet Explorer 9 & 10
CLI
Accessible via SSH or local VM console
Hardware Platform
VMWare ESXi 5.5 or higher certified generic server hardware
VM Requirements
•
•
•
•
Max # of controlled Modules
200 (400 ports)
Max # of discovered Modules
2000
Max VM Network ports
10
Total number of interfaces
410 (400 remote, 10 VM local)
Northbound Integration
SNMP, NTP client, Syslog; IPv4 & IPv6 management access
Northbound Reporting
Accedian Reporting Modules for FlowMETER data
4 virtual CPUs minimum (typical i5 cores @ 3Ghz)
1 Gb RAM minimum
2Gb HDD, dynamic with thin provisioning
1 network interface minimum (2 recommended -- for separation of VCX management and Modules
control traffic)
Feature-Specific Details
Traffic Policies per Module*
(forward/drop)
2 per Module (L1, L2, L3 and L4 capable), 400 per VCX in total.
SAT RFC2544 Test Suite
1 test suite session license included with each VCX. Additional sessions can be licensed separately.
Please contact Accedian for details.
Tests can be conducted at L2 or L3 up to 1Gbps wire-speed*. Test traffic is generated by remote port
on Module.
Traffic Generator*
4 configurable L2/L3 flows up to 1Gbps in total; test traffic generated at remote port on Module
Bandwidth Utilization*
4 configurable flow-definitions (filters) per Module with per 1 minute reporting using history buckets
L2/L3/L4 Loopbacks, filters & PM
Responders*
2x configurable wirespeed loopback filters per Module (400 per VCX). 100 MEP instances per VCX,
one TWAMP & Y.1731 responder per Module (100 per VCX)
*on GbE rate Nano or ant Module version 1 hardware – these specifications and capabilities are Module / hardware version dependent, and may offer
increased session support, capacity and scale in future hardware releases.
© 2015 Accedian Networks Inc. All rights reserved.
Accedian Networks, the Accedian Networks logo, SkyLIGHT, AntMODULE, Vision EMS, Vision Suite, VisionMETRIX, Vision Collect, Vision Flow, Vision SP, V-NID, Plug & Go,
R-FLO, Network State+, Traffic-Meter, FlowMETER & airMODULE are trademarks or registered trademarks of Accedian Networks Inc. All other company and product names
may be trademarks of their respective companies. Accedian Networks may, from time to time, make changes to the products or specifications contained herein without notice.
Some certifications may be pending final approval, please contact Accedian Networks for current certifications.
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Datasheet • SkyLIGHT™ VCX • 2Q 2015