Data Sheets
Problem: Complexity of Verifying Ethernet Networking Chips Before Tape-Out
Trends such as cloud computing, mobile edge computing, and 5G are pushing the boundaries of network capacity. To support this demand, network equipment and semiconductor manufacturers need to keep up by delivering ultra-high-density devices powered by state-of-the-art application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) and system-on-a-chip (SoC) solutions.
Producing a SoC capable of handling terabits of traffic across hundreds of ports at speeds up to 1.6Tbps is a costly and lengthy process. And with increased time-to-market pressures, all semiconductor and systems manufacturers are looking to optimize their development cycles. The costs associated with fixing bugs after chip tape-out are substantial and can easily be millions of dollars. To de-risk schedules, Ethernet testing needs to happen early and often in the chip lifecycle.
Solution: Virtualized, Scalable, and Automated Chip Testing
Introducing IxVerify, the industry’s only test solution purpose-built for pre-silicon verification
With IxVerify, Keysight and its partners are leading the way in transforming the EDA market by offering virtualized test solutions that work in conjunction with next-generation verification flows—leveraging virtualization to reduce costs and offer increased flexibility
IxVerify extends Keysight’s intellectual property and test expertise into the EDA space. It enables new and improved test methodologies to simplify pre-silicon testing and shifts testing ‘furtherleft’ into the chip lifecycle
IxVerify provides hundreds of predefined packet templates for testing Ethernet and TCP/IP protocols and can generate high volumes of traffic. With its ability to run hundreds of virtualized test ports at once, it offers the unique ability to verify the largest chip designs with dynamically shaped traffic, ensuring zero packet loss at maximum emulation speeds
IxVerify is the EDA-focused version of Keysight’s award-winning IxExplorer VE and IxNetwork VE OSI Layer 2/3 test solution, and as a result, test configurations can be reused to test from the earliest stages of chip design and verification through post-silicon quality assurance (QA)
IxVerify is the perfect solution for de-risking complex networking chips to ensure faster time to market for the next generation of networking devices.
IxVerify deployment in an emulation-based design verification environment. The IxVerify Console is powered by Keysight’s industry standard tools IxExplorer and IxNetwork.
Highlights
• Verify networking chip design earlier in the development cycle
• Help developers verify SDK and driver software functionality before tape-out
• Send samples to OEM partners with confidence within days of fabrication
• Generate custom Ethernet traffic using dozens of predefined packet templates
• Leverage powerful statistics with bandwidth analysis and latency measurements
• Share test configurations between pre- and post-silicon teams using IxExplorer and IxNetwork
• Automate tests using multiple languages,
• including REST API
• Support multiple users with a flexible worldwide virtual test environment
Key Features
• Support for 10MbE, 100MbE, 1GE, 5GE, 10GE, 25G, 40GE, 50GE, 100GE, 200GE, 400GE, 800GE and 1.6TE port speeds
• The IxVerify virtual test environment allows multiple simultaneous users anywhere in the world
• Support for Keysight’s IxNetwork and IxExplorer for L2/3 traffic generation and analysis
• Generate custom Ethernet traffic with hundreds of predefined packet templates
• Powerful statistics, including bandwidth analysis and latency measurements based on emulation time
• High-resolution latency measurements, with 1 nanosecond (ns) accuracy
• Share IxExplorer and IxNetwork test configurations and automation scripts between pre-silicon and post-silicon testing teams
• Unique dynamic traffic shaping via backpressure ensures zero packet loss in the virtual environment
• IEEE 802.1Qbu and 802.3br—Frame Preemption support by using IxExplorer
• IEEE 802.1AE—MACsec support by using IxExplorer
• PTP testing in emulation
• Full TSN bundle testing in emulation
• Full automation capabilities with REST, TCL, Perl, Python, and Ruby API support
Specifications
IxVerify features, functions, and capacities for the Keysight Virtual Chassis and Virtual Load Modules.
Feature |
Virtual Chassis |
Virtual Load Module |
Maximum # of Virtual Ports |
128 |
32 |
Maximum # of Virtual Load Modules |
32 |
N/A |
Maximum # of Ports Per Test |
1024 |
|
Guest OS |
CentOS 7 / Linux Kernel 3.10 enhanced kernel |
|
Distribution / Packaging |
QCOW2 |
|
Hypervisor and Host OS |
KVM over RHEL 7.3 / CentOS 7.3 (or newer 7.x) KVM over Ubuntu 16.04 LTS, and 18.04 LTS |
|
Network Connection and vNIC Driver |
Virtual Switch (with customized VIRTIO driver) |
|
Ethernet Port Speeds |
Ethernet port speed support for 10MbE, 100MbE, 1GE, 5GE, 10GE, 25G, 40GE, 50GE, 100GE, 200GE, 400GE, 800GE, 1.6TE |
What are you looking for?