The Spirent (formerly Adtech) AX/4000 is a modular, high-performance broadband test system designed for multi-port traffic generation, analysis, and protocol emulation. Widely recognized as an industry standard for testing ATM, Frame Relay, Ethernet, and Packet over SONET (POS) networks, the platform utilizes a distributed architecture with dedicated processors per port to ensure line-rate performance. It provides high-precision measurements for quality of service (QoS) metrics, including latency, jitter, and packet loss, across complex routing and switching infrastructures.
Specifications
General
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Interfaces | Ethernet (RJ-45 for management PC connection) |
| Display | None (PC controlled) |
Physical
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Power Supply | 100 to 240 VAC, 50/60 Hz |
System Architecture & Chassis
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Form Factor | Modular chassis |
| System Architecture | Distributed processing (dedicated processor and FPGA per port) |
Test Interfaces & Port Modules
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Supported Network Technologies | ATM, Frame Relay, Packet over SONET (POS), Ethernet |
| Maximum Line Rate | Up to 10 Gbps (OC-192 / 10GbE, module dependent) |
Traffic Generation Capabilities
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Error Injection | CRC, Header, Payload errors |
Traffic Analysis & Capture
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| QoS Measurements | Latency, Jitter (Delay Variation), Packet Loss, Throughput |
| Real-Time Statistics | Per-port and per-stream statistics with hardware counting |
| Packet Capture | Hardware-based capture buffers per port |
| Testing | Bit Error Rate Testing (BERT) |
Protocol Emulation & Routing
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Supported Network Protocols | IPv4, IPv6, TCP, UDP |
Software & Management
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Graphical User Interface (GUI) | Windows-based AX/4000 Control Software |
| Standardized Test Suites Supported | RFC 2544 |
| Automation and Scripting | Tcl API support |
Technology
Broadband Network Testing / Traffic Analysis
Applications
Network performance testing, ATM/POS/Ethernet protocol analysis, QoS verification, and router/switch validation