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SierraNet M328Q

The SierraNet M328Q™ system provides for analysis and jamming of 10/25/40/50/100Gbps Ethernet and Gen 6 (32G) Fibre Channel data capture and protocol verification for developers & protocol test engineers in LAN, SAN, NAS and other Ethernet and Fibre Channel applications. Available with two QSFP28 FlexPorts™ for maximum configuration and utility, the SierraNet M328Q includes an easy to use, customizable software interface, large capture buffers, and the most advanced capture, triggering, impairment and filtering capabilities in the industry.

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SierraNet M1288  The SierraNet M1288 Ethernet and Fibre Channel test platform provides best in class analysis, jamming and generation for traffic capture and manipulation for testing application and link characteristics. SierraNet M1288 is the latest in the line of industry leading test and measurement tools from Teledyne LeCroy, designed for today’s high-speed storage and communications fabrics. SierraNet M1288 supports examination and modification of Ethernet and Fibre Channel links utilizing both Pulse Amplitude Modulation 4 (PAM4) and legacy Non-Return to Zero (NRZ) technologies.
SierraNet M648  The SierraNet M648 Ethernet and Fibre Channel test platform provides best in class analysis, jamming and generation for traffic capture and manipulation for testing application and link characteristics. SierraNet M648 is the latest in the line of industry leading test and measurement tools from Teledyne LeCroy, designed for today’s high-speed storage and communications fabrics. SierraNet M648 supports examination and modification of Ethernet and Fibre Channel links utilizing both Pulse Amplitude Modulation 4 (PAM4) and legacy Non-Return to Zero (NRZ) technologies.
SierraNet T328  The SierraNet T328 system provides for analysis of 10/25/40/50/100Gbps Ethernet and Gen 6 (32GFC) Fibre Channel data capture and protocol verification for developers & protocol test engineers in LAN, SAN, NAS and other Ethernet and Fibre Channel applications. Available with eight SFP28 FlexPorts™ for maximum configuration and utility, the SierraNet T328 includes an easy to use, customizable software interface, large capture buffers, and the most advanced T.A.P4 capture, triggering and filtering capabilities in the industry.
SierraNet M328  The SierraNet M328™ system provides for analysis and jamming of 10/25/40/50/100Gbps Ethernet and Gen 6 (32GFC) Fibre Channel data capture and protocol verification for developers & protocol test engineers in LAN, SAN, NAS and other Ethernet and Fibre Channel applications. Available with eight SFP28 FlexPorts™ for maximum configuration and utility, the SierraNet M328 includes an easy to use, customizable software interface, large capture buffers, and the most advanced capture, triggering, impairment and filtering capabilities in the industry.
SierraNet M328Q  The SierraNet M328Q™ system provides for analysis and jamming of 10/25/40/50/100Gbps Ethernet and Gen 6 (32G) Fibre Channel data capture and protocol verification for developers & protocol test engineers in LAN, SAN, NAS and other Ethernet and Fibre Channel applications. Available with two QSFP28 FlexPorts™ for maximum configuration and utility, the SierraNet M328Q includes an easy to use, customizable software interface, large capture buffers, and the most advanced capture, triggering, impairment and filtering capabilities in the industry.

Fibre Channel provides a secure, bi-directional, physical or logical point-to-point, low latency connection between two devices at a time. Like other serial interfaces such as Serial Attached SCSI (SAS), in Fibre Channel data is transmitted over the physical medium in serial fashion as opposed to parallel methods, which are used in SCSI and ATA physical interfaces. Serial transmission enables much longer connection distances as compared to parallel transmission methods, because far fewer signal lines are required, thereby reducing noise created by multiple signal lines all switching at the same time (cross talk).

A primary use for Fibre Channel is in the transport of block oriented storage traffic in SAN (Storage Area Network) applications. There are also specialized upper layer Fibre Channel protocols that are used in Defense and Avionics applications, to transport video streams for heads-up displays, for example.

Fibre Channel is designed to work with either optical fiber physical medium or copper cables in many connector and cable type configurations. Copper cables are relatively inexpensive, but they are useable only for shorter distances, in the range of 5-meters at 16GbFC and 3-meters at 32GbFC. In general, the higher the transmission speed, the shorter the distance that can be reliably supported by copper cable technology. A variety of copper solutions are available, the most commonly used being Direct Attach Copper (DAC) cabling in both SFP (Small Form-factor Pluggable) and QSFP (Quad Small Form-factor Pluggable) configurations. SFP and QSFP optical cabling solutions are also available, supporting reliable transmission distances greater than 10 meters, up to about 10 kilometers.

Architecture

Fibre Channel is a layered protocol, and is modeled loosely on the OSI model for networks. In the OSI model, and in the case of Fibre Channel, each layer provides specific services and makes the results available to the next layer.  Figure 1 below compares the defined OSI layer to the defined Fibre Channel layers.

OSI Model Fibre Channel
7 - Application  
6 - Presentation  
5 - Session FC-4 Protocol map
4 - Transport FC-3 Services
3 - Network FC-2 Framing
2 – Data Link FC-1 Data Link
1 - Physical FC-0 Physical
Figure 1, OSI Model and Fibre Channel Network Layers

The layers in the table represent different functions and services that exist within the Fibre channel protocol definition. As with the other communication standards, protocol level analysis is often focused at the link layer (FC-2) and above.

Fibre Channel, like any network architecture, transports blocks of application information, called data payloads. Before sending a payload over the physical link, additional Fibre Channel specific control bytes are added to both the start and the end of the payload data. The combination of the control bytes and the payload data is called a frame, which is the basic unit of information in Fibre Channel.

Fibre Channel transfers data through switched or direct point-to-point connections which work by creating session specific connections between the source and destination devices. These connections last only until the transfer is completed and can be temporarily preempted by higher priority transfer requests.

Connections are made on Fibre Channel systems through “interconnect components” such as switches, hubs, and bridges. The ability of Fibre Channel to use different interconnect devices makes it flexible and scalable depending on user needs. A fully switched Fibre Channel network is called a Fabric topology. Fabric topology permits multiple alternative paths to be established between any two ports in the Fabric.

Summary

Fibre Channel protocol is designed to support very low latency and high data transfer rates. The currently approved standard supporting up to 32Gb/S is generally referred to as 32GFC. Server virtualization and storage virtualization are broad trends that are driving the need for higher bandwidth. The need for high bandwidth in the network infrastructure is just now beginning to drive the replacement of previous product generations of 4,8 and 16GFC by 32GFC and soon, 64GFC.

Fibre Channel is a good choice for any environment with many servers needing lossless access to centralized storage, computer data centers for example. Because of this, Fiber Channel enjoys over 80% market share as the network interface used in external storage systems such as SAN environments.

 

Key Features
  • 1U form-factor with rack mount kits
  • Two QSFP+ FlexPorts, supporting 10/25/40/50/100Gbps Ethernet, and up to 32G Fibre Channel over optical or copper connections
  • Advanced, multi-state triggering & filtering
  • Digital Phy, re-timed capture
  • Standard 128G recording buffer
  • Dynamic memory allocation
  • Extensive Ethernet protocols supported, including FCoE, NVMe/oF, RoCE and iSCSI
  • Multiple trace view formats
  • Seamless WireShark integration
  • USB 3.0 & Gigabit Ethernet Host Interfaces for fast upload and easy management

The SierraNet M328Q™ is the most cost effective, advanced and fully integrated Ethernet and Fibre Channel data capture, protocol verification, and frame/data modification systems available for developers and protocol test engineers. The M328Q protocol analysis systems provide engineers with 100% recording of all Fibre Channel and Ethernet related traffic at full line rates on all ports while maintaining the link integrity through the digital probe technology.

Flexibility to Meet Any Debug Challenge

The SierraNet M328Q hardware platform and Net Protocol Suite™ user interface provides the highest level of performance and flexibility available in the market.  SierraNet offers developers, test and support engineers with a compact, extremely flexible, multi-function protocol analyzer and traffic impairment platform.

The SierraNet M328Q employs Teledyne LeCroy’s leading FlexPort™ technology providing ultimate flexibility in analysis of traditional or converged Ethernet and Fibre Channel products in a single platform and the flexibility to add protocol specific features, functionality, and speed support at the time of purchase or later by simply adding optional license keys.  

Each SierraNet FlexPort pair can probe both Ethernet – 25GbE, 50GbE (25GbE x 2 links) up to 100Gbps Ethernet (25GbE x 4 links) – and Fibre Channel – from 32GFC x 1 link to 32GFC x 4 links – links over standard QSFP DAC, AOC or optical transceiver and MPO Fibre configurations, and eliminates the need for separate “single function” blades, pods, or adapters found in some competitive products. 

In addition to FlexPort technology, the SierraNet M328Q’s sophisticated analysis software, the Net Protocol Suite, provides unmatched flexibility with customized data displays that easily and quickly navigate users to specific events of interest.  Decoding in the Net Protocol Suite’s multiple trace views provide superior visibility for troubleshooting low level to application layer issues, decoding traffic per the supported specifications and their associated encoding schemes, and the zero-time search and filter capabilities easily find Ethernet and Fibre Channel events in a contextual and intuitive way.  In a multi-protocol environment, Teledyne LeCroy’s CrossSync™ can synchronize and correlate traces with our other leading protocol analysis tools, such as the PCI Express Gen3 and Gen4 Summit analyzers, to understand how traffic, stimulus, and/or errors propagate across bridges or adapters.

Versatile, Cost-effective Platform

The SierraNet M328Q platform is Compact, Portable, and Light Weight. The SierraNet is currently the Smallest (1U) and lightest (9.5lbs) Fibre Channel and Ethernet protocol analyzer and traffic modification platform in the market, saving valuable real estate and rack space in customer labs and is the best portable solution for engineers on the move. SierraNet provides users the lowest cost of ownership per engineer, and the lack of maintenance or support fees for subsequent years of operation means strained budgets are not tapped just to keep up with evolving specifications and advancements.

Performance

The SierraNet M328Q offers the fastest and most convenient access to the data that engineers need with either a USB3.0 or GE interface. As USB is Plug and Play, this is particularly useful when capturing large amounts of data is necessary, but a quick connection to the analyzer is required, such as at a customer site. In addition to the performance and ease-of-use of the USB3.0 interface, a Gigabit Ethernet Host Interface is also standard on the SierraNet platforms, and the IP Address set-up menus on the front panel eliminate the time and complexity required to configure an analyzer via a null-modem cable and hyper-terminal interface used on competitive products.

The SierraNet M328Q also offers the best Time-Stamp Resolution in the market. The SierraNet family has been enhanced with a 1ns time-stamp resolution/accuracy, setting a new industry standard for trace analysis and for timing measurements required for testing high performance SAN products, particularly where latency is a key metric of success.

Additionally, the SierraNet family's Advanced State Machines are easy to use and help Engineers Trigger, Filter, and Inject errors with surgical precision with up to 4 sequencers and up to 24 states per sequencer to concisely target areas of interest and save precious time. When the user can not accurately define the conditions associated with a problem and needs to capture a broad swath of traffic to identify a cause of an issue, the SierraNet will dynamically assign the largest and most flexible recording memory in the industry to one port or spread the memory use across all eight ports based on the traffic profile.

 

Host Requirements: Windows 7, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, Windows Server 2008 (R2) and Windows Server 2012; The latest Service Pack available for the associated Windows OS in use is required; 
(The 64-bit Windows version of the Operating System is recommended as this will allow more RAM use over 32-bit installations)
Hard drive with at least 200 MB of free space for the installation of the software and additional space for storing recorded data; display with resolution of at least 1024 x 768 with at least 16-bit color depth; USB2.0 port and/or 100/1000Mbps Ethernet network interface.
  For optimal performance, please refer to our recommended configurations. 
   
Connectivity: A Gigabit (1000Mbps) Ethernet link is recommended for used with the SierraNet analyzers. At minimum the host machine should have either a 100/1000Mbps Ethernet connection to the network or a USB 2.0 port.  If multiple analyzers are daisy chained and connected to the same host machine, one Ethernet connection or one USB port is required for each analyzer.
   
Recording Memory Size:  Up to 128 GB
   
Data Rates Supported:  8, 16  and 32Gb/s Fibre Channel
10/25/40/50/100Gb/s Ethernet
   
No. of Ports Supported:  2-QSFP28 FlexPorts
   
Cascade Capability  Up to 64 logical ports (8 SierraNet systems)
   
Host Interface: USB3.0 and 10/100/1000baseT Ethernet
   
Front Panel Connectors: 2-QSFP28 FlexPorts
  External Trigger IN/OUT
  Front Panel Indicators
  LEDs (Speed, Link, Status) for each TX & RX pair, Status LCD Panel, Power LED
   
Front Panel Controls: Power ON/OFF, Menu Navigation and Selection Wheel
   
Rear Panel Connectors: AC Power, Expansion/CrossSync Port
   
Included Accessories: AC Power Cord, USB2.0 and USB 3.0 cables, Ethernet patch cable, 1-set QSFP28 to SFP28 DAC cables
   
Dimensions (H x W x D):  Chassis: 44 x 432 x 358 mm (1.75” x 17” x 14.1”)
  With Bumpers: 52 x 455 x 367 mm (2” x 17.9” x 14.5”)
   
Weight: 4.3 Kg (9.5 lbs.)
   
Power Requirements: 100-240 VAC, 50-60 Hz, 100W
   
Environmental: Operating: 0 to 55o C (32 to 131o F)
  Non-operating: -20 to 80 o C (-4 to 176 o F)
  Humidity: 10 to 90% RH (non-condensing)

 

1U Zero Carrying Case
Rack Mount Rail Kit for SierraNet Platforms

The Teledyne LeCroy InFusion™ (Jammer) Error Injector and Traffic Modifier tool allows users to verify real‐world fault handling for both Ethernet network and Fibre Channel fabric systems.  InFusion is only available for SierraNet platforms enabled with Digital Retimed circuitry and sits unobtrusively in the data path on a live system to programmatically alter or corrupt traffic. InFusion is the ideal tool for stress‐testing systems using actual workloads and devices.

SierraNet InFusion supports Ethernet link speeds from 10GbE up to 100GbE and Fibre Channel links up to 32 Gbps, depending on the capabilities of the licensed SierraNet platform. InFusion monitors traffic from both directions in real‐time and through the use of customer defined parameters, replaces or modifies any bit, ordered‐set, checksum or other parameters with those specified for the test case.

InFusion can change traffic when it detects a specific sequence or reaches a designated time interval, yet it requires no complicated scripts, programming, or simulation tools. InFusion can monitor traffic in both directions and act on events occurring in either direction of the communications link. InFusion can even modify bi-directional traffic within a given test scenario, either from the Originator or from the Responder. InFusion is specifically designed to verify recovery characteristics within a subsystem. An easy, user friendly menu interface with icons and hyperlinks allows you to create specific test Scenarios in just minutes.

Once an InFusion session starts, the system automatically handles protocol handshaking between devices. InFusion transmits a faithful copy of the original data stream down to the CRC value which, if needed, it recalculates. InFusion allows test engineers to systematically verify error recovery in ways not possible with other test platforms.

Key Features:
  • Error Injection: Injects CRC, disparity, PCS encoding (8b/10b, 64/66b, etc) framing, and coding errors.
  • Break Link Recovery: Programmatically breaks the connection to test link recovery.
  • Value Replacement: Monitors the link for specific values, patterns, or ordered‐sets (as low as bit level) and replace with user‐defined values. You can replace values on every occurrence, after a specified number of occurrences, or after a specified time interval.
  • Packet Drop: Removes individual ordered‐sets or frames from the stream to verify retry behavior.
  • Packet Delay: Capture and individual frame and re-inset into the data stream to verify out-of-order reassembly.
  • Ordered‐set Manipulation: Replaces handshaking and flow control ordered‐sets to help validate robustness of a design.
  • Traffic Monitoring: Operates as a traffic monitor, collecting statistical data on user‐specified parameters. In this mode, data passes unchanged in both directions.
  • Menu‐Driven Interface: Allows easy set‐up of test Scenarios.

With respect to traffic modification, in the Link Layer you can modify ordered‐sets, CRC, scrambled data, and connection Events. You cannot modify clock skew management and signal integrity. InFusion consists of a hardware device that connects to the line under test and a Windows‐based software application used to create and download test scripts to the device. You also can use the software application to configure and control the device across an Ethernet or USB link. InFusion test scripts are called Scenarios. Scenarios determine how the hardware device monitors and modifies line traffic. In order to create and download Scenarios the Teledyne LeCroy Net Protocol Suite application must be used. For the InFusion connections, the device is connected between the PHYs of the originator and responder.