1. ITEC 275 Computer Networks – Switching, Routing, and WANs
Week 12
Chapter 13 and 14
Robert D’Andrea
2015

2. Agenda Learning Activities Network testing
Benchmark comparison testing
Building a prototype network system
- Review parts of Chapter 13
- Testing your network
- Documenting network systems
Areas of Interest
- Response to RFP
- Contents of Network Document
- Network Design Testing

3. Network Testing
Today, most all computers have a network connection of some description. This could be to an Internet Service Provider (ISP), or to an Ethernet connection to a company intranet, sending and receiving data bi-directionally to other computers which might be an essential daily procedure. With the myriad of applications available, the use of TCP/IP networking, , web browsers and games are in use on a regular basis, just to name a few popular ones. In all cases, the one performance factor the user is most concerned with is speed or transfer rate and security.

4. Network Testing
Network connections are very common in todays environment. These connections are utilized in company environments and at home because of the affordable broadband connection made available by our ISP. Setting up a local area network is so much easier today thanks to the multiple port router where all you need is just plug in the network cable and it will work right after going through a simple wizard configuration. Even wireless connections can be quickly and easily established by pressing the Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) button that is found on most newer generation routers.

5. Network Testing
Whether you are a computer technician, software engineer, teacher or just an every day user, it is important to make sure that your network connection is working properly in order to achieve the fastest file download or transfer speed and a stable connection for streaming purposes. The availability of many of these tools is plentiful. Many network testing tools are free. The open source community has provided many different types of network testing applications.

6. Network Testing
Internet Speed Tracker Extension (Chrome browser). Includes a History display.

7. Network Testing
LAN Speed Test

8. Network Testing
LAN Speed Test is used to measure the speed on your LAN by copying a file to another computer that is located at the same local network. All you need to do is browse the location of another computer on the network where you have write access and click the Start Test button. You will then be prompted to set the file size of the dummy file to be transferred. One advantage of using this tool, you do not need to setup a master and client connectivity. This tool provides a Print Results button for printing the results at the end of the test.
LAN Speed Test Network Monitor

9. Network Testing
2. LANBench Test

10. Network Testing
2. LANBench Test is a tool only to be used to test TCP. This tool requires the computers to be configured as a client server model. The client computer will be the tester. The role of the server is to press the Listen button. The client side requires a bit more configuration setup, the servers IP address. Tests can be setup to define the test duration, packet size, connection and transfer mode. What is interesting to watch with this tool is to see the live transfer rate and average performance indicators.

11. Network Testing
3. NetIO-GUI

12. Network Testing
3. NetIO-GUI is a command line application for benchmarking the network throughput and there is a portable GUI version that works as a frontend. After downloading, run the extractor, followed by running NetIO-GUI.exe. You will also need to run NetIO-GUI on both computers that you want to test, one as client-mode and the other as server-mode. The server will only require to click on the Start server button while for the client, you will need to input the server’s IP address and optionally select the protocol (TCP or UDP) that you want to test. NetIO-GUI will then test the connectivity based on a few different packet size.

13. Network Testing
NetIO-GUI Portable is a simple software tool which enables you to measure the ICMP responses and network transfer rates and save results to a file.

14. Network Testing
4. NetStress Test

15. Network Testing
4. NetStress is considered an internal tool. It requires both computers that want to test to be downloaded with this software. This tool automatically determines the receiver IP address. In order to use this tool for testing and troubleshoot networks, you need tools that allow for the generation of network traffic and analyze the network’s throughput performance. Nutsaboutnets.com/netstress/

16. Network Testing
5. AIDA32 Test

17. Network Testing
5. AIDA32 is the popular hardware information and benchmarking tool known as EVEREST. Currently, there is an AIDA64 version. Just like most of the network benchmarking tools, you need to run the network benchmark plugin on both computers that you want to test. On one computer, select Master from the drop down list located at the bottom of the window, go to the Bandwidth tab and click on the Start button. On another computer, select Slave, enter the IP address of the Master, go to Bandwidth tab and click Start. The Save button allows you to save the bandwidth chart in bitmap format

18. Network Testing

19. Network Testing
6. Performance Test

20. Network Testing
6. Performance Test by PassMark is a network benchmarking tool. It can test both IPv4/IPv6 and allowing you to set the data block size and enable UDP bandwidth throttling. PassMark Performance Test allows you to objectively benchmark a PC using different speed tests and compare those results to other computers.

21. Benchmark Comparison Testing

22. Benchmark Comparison Testing

23. Benchmark Comparison Testing
Reasons for benchmarking systems is to capture data in certain configurations where you have: • Low latency • High performance • Data integrity • High efficiency • Less jitter

24. Building a Network System
Building a network computer lab or prototype. View video:

25. Document Network System
A design document describes your customer’s requirements and explains how your new design is going to meet their requirements.
The design document includes the existing network, the logical and physical design, and budget and expenses associated with the new project.
A design document includes plans for implementation of the network, and evolving the network design as the company grows. It is important to include that the network design is an iterative process. Steps are always being taken to optimize network performance.
This is a short list of the reasons that testing a new network design is important. There are many other reasons also, many of which are listed in Top-Down Network Design, the book.

26. Document Network System
A Request for Proposal (RFP) details the customer’s design requirements and the types of solutions a network design should include.
An RFP is sent to vendors and consultants to select the correct vendor. Sending RFPs to vendors is an excellent way to initiate competitive design comparisons, availability of products, pricing, service, and support arrangements.
This is a short list of the reasons that testing a new network design is important. There are many other reasons also, many of which are listed in Top-Down Network Design, the book.

27. Typical RFP Categories
Business goals
Scope of project
Existing network and applications
New applications
Technical requirements
Warranty
Environment constraints that could affect implementation
Training
Schedules and timelines
Legal contractual terms and conditions
This is a short list of the reasons that testing a new network design is important. There are many other reasons also, many of which are listed in Top-Down Network Design, the book.

28. RFP Format Customer’s prescribed format and structure
- Reason might be that customer expects a response to fit into a certain format (follow-up document)
- Some RFPs are in the form of a questionnaire
This is a short list of the reasons that testing a new network design is important. There are many other reasons also, many of which are listed in Top-Down Network Design, the book.

29. No RFP Response Format Network topology
Information on protocols, technologies, and products
Implementation plan
Training plan
Support and service plan
Prices and payment arrangement
Qualifications of vendor
Testimonials from other customers
Legal contractual terms and conditions

30. RFP Conclusion
Highlight the use of ingenuity to ensure your response benefits your network design
Predict what your competition will do to out maneuver your new network design.
Each requirement in the RFP should correspond to the content (one-for-one correspondence) of the RFP.

31. Content of a Network Design
Executive Summary states the major points of the document
Project Goal business goal brief enough to convey the overall objective of the company
Project Scope details the extent of the project. What departments and areas will be impacted by the project.
Design Requirements lists all the major business and technical requirements for the network design. The company goals would be listed in priority order.

32. Content of a Network Design
1. Business goals explain the role the network design will play in helping an organization provide better products and services to its customers. 2. Technical goals should be regularly demonstrated through tests or prediction.

33. Technical Goals Reflected in Testing
Scalability is growth a network design must support
Availability available for users MTBF and MTTR
Network performance customer’s criteria of acceptance (throughput, delay, response time)
Security general and specific goals to protect company information
Manageability of performance, fault, configuration, security, and accounting management
Usability ease of use by user community
Adaptability to network failures and its services
Affordability containing costs associated with purchases
The technical goals should also include any tradeoffs the customer is willing to make.

34. Technical Goals Reflected in Testing
User Communities and Data Stores
- List major user communities, their sizes, locations, and the principal applications they use.
Network Applications
- Characterizes new and existing network applications.

35. Evaluating an Existing Network
Document
- Structure of existing network
- Logical design should include drawings, naming convention, protocols, addressing, network management
- Physical design should describe the features and recommended uses for the technologies and devices. Include pricing for all hardware and software.
- Applications to be used on system
- Analysis of the health and performance

36. Evaluating an Existing Network
Evaluate existing networks. View video:

37. Network Design Testing
Testing objectives
Test acceptance criteria
Testing tools
Text scripts
Results and observations
The customer should be informed on how the results were determined, through component or live or prototype network testing, load factors applied during testing.

38. Network Design Testing
Types of tests
Application response-time tests
Throughput tests
Availability tests
Regression tests

39. Implementation Plan
The Implementation Plan should include recommendations for deploying network design.
Details of plan are dependent on the audience
- IS department will want a very detailed plan
- Sale engineer brief summary of network products
- Upper management will not be interested in the technical details, as much as cost and return on investment.

40. Implementation Plan Project schedule
Plans for installation of links, equipment, or services.
Outsourcing or management of the network
Plan to communicate design to user community, network administrators and management
Training for network managers and users
Plan to baseline effectiveness of new design
List of known risks that could delay the project
Fallback plan if failure occurs
Plan to evolve network design as new applications arise

41. Implementation Plan
The Implementation Plan should include a project schedule or timeline. This schedule should include dates and deliverables for major events.

42. Project Budget Document
This document should list the money available for equipment, maintenance, service contracts, training, and staff. In addition, include the a Return-On-Investment analysis. Most customers feel better after observing the investment savings.

43. Document Appendix Store supplemental information - Topology maps
- Device configurations
- Network addressing
- Naming convention
- Results from testing network design

44. Summary If the customer provides an RFP - Follow the format presented
- Otherwise, develop a document that describes requirements, existing network, logical and physical design, budget, and expenses associated with the network design.
Executive Summary
Primary project goals
Network topology
Addressing and naming convention
Test results
Plan for implementing and measuring performance, security, manageability, usability, and availability.

45. This Week’s Outcomes Network Design Testing
Benchmark Comparison Testing
Document Your Network Design
Guidelines for RFP
Document Content
Technical Goals Reflected in Testing
Document Appendix

46. Due this week
13-1 – Concept questions 11

47. Next week
Review chapter 14 in Top-Down Network Design

48. Q & A
Questions, comments, concerns?