Terminology for ATM ABR Benchmarking
RFC 3134

• Status
• IESG evaluation record
• IESG writeups
• Email expansions
• History

• Versions
• 03

Network Working Group                                            J. Dunn
Request for Comments: 3134                                     C. Martin
Category: Informational                                        ANC, Inc.
                                                               June 2001

                  Terminology for ATM ABR Benchmarking

Status of this Memo

   This memo provides information for the Internet community.  It does
   not specify an Internet standard of any kind.  Distribution of this
   memo is unlimited.

Copyright Notice

   Copyright (C) The Internet Society (2001).  All Rights Reserved.

Abstract

   This memo discusses and defines terms associated with performance
   benchmarking tests and the results of these tests in the context of
   Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) based switching devices supporting
   ABR (Available Bit Rate).  The terms defined in this memo will be
   used in addition to terms defined in RFCs 1242, 2285, and 2544 and
   2761.  This memo is a product of the Benchmarking Methodology Working
   Group (BMWG) of the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF).

1. Introduction

   This document provides terminology for benchmarking ATM based
   switching devices supporting ABR.  It extends terminology already
   defined for benchmarking network interconnect devices in RFC's 1242,
   2285, and 2544 and 2761.  Although some of the definitions in this
   memo may be applicable to a broader group of network interconnect
   devices, the primary focus of the terminology in this memo is on ATM
   ABR.

   This memo contains two major sections: Background and Definitions.
   The background section provides the reader with an overview of the
   technology and IETF formalisms.  The definitions section is split
   into two sub-sections.  The formal definitions sub-section is
   provided as a courtesy to the reader.  The measurement definitions
   sub-section contains performance metrics with inherent units.

   This document assumes that necessary services are available and
   active.  For example, IP connectivity requires SSCOP connectivity
   between signaling entities.  Further, it is assumed that the SUT has

Dunn & Martin                Informational                      [Page 1]
RFC 3134          Terminology for ATM ABR Benchmarking         June 2001

   the ability to configure ATM addresses (via hard coded addresses,
   ILMI or PNNI neighbor discovery), has the ability to run SSCOP, and
   has the ability to perform signaled call setups (via UNI or PNNI
   signaling).  Finally, this document presents only the terminology
   associated with benchmarking IP performance over ATM; therefore, it
   does not represent a total compilation of ATM test terminology.

   The BMWG produces two major classes of documents: Benchmarking
   Terminology documents and Benchmarking Methodology documents.  The
   Terminology documents present the benchmarks and other related terms.
   The Methodology documents define the procedures required to collect
   the benchmarks cited in the corresponding Terminology documents.

2. Existing Definitions.

   RFC 1242, "Benchmarking Terminology for Network Interconnect
   Devices", should be consulted before attempting to make use of this
   document.  RFC 2544, "Benchmarking Methodology for Network
   Interconnect Devices", contains discussions of a number of terms
   relevant to the benchmarking of switching devices and should be
   consulted.  RFC 2285, "Benchmarking Terminology for LAN Switching
   Devices", contains a number of terms pertaining to traffic
   distributions and datagram interarrival.  RFC 2761, "Terminology for
   ATM Benchmarking", contains a number terms pertaining to traffic
   management [TM4.0, TM4.1].  Many of the metrics defined in RFC 2761
   (e.g., CDV, CER, CLR, CMR, and CTD) also apply to ABR performance
   benchmarking.  These metrics will not be redefined in this document.
   For the sake of clarity and continuity, this RFC adopts the template
   for definitions set out in Section 2 of RFC 1242.

II. Definitions

   The definitions presented in this section have been divided into two
   groups.  The first group is formal definitions, which are required in
   the definitions of the performance metrics but are not themselves
   strictly metrics.  These definitions are subsumed from other work
   done in other working groups both inside and outside the IETF.  They
   are provided as a courtesy to the reader.

1. Formal Definitions

1.1. Definition Format (from RFC 1242)

   Term to be defined.

   Definition: The specific definition for the term.

Dunn & Martin                Informational                      [Page 2]
RFC 3134          Terminology for ATM ABR Benchmarking         June 2001

   Discussion: A brief discussion of the term, its application and any
   restrictions on measurement procedures.

   Specification: The working group and document in which the terms are
   specified and are listed in the references section.