The MD1230A is the industry's first portable Ethernet/IP network data analyzer with the dual functionality of wire speed performance analysis and network monitoring integrated into the same instrument. The buil t in LCD display with intuitive Windows-based GUI and modular architecture makes the MD1230A a versatile and an easy-to-use solution for all network testing environments ranging from R&D and manufacturing to installation and maintenance. The MD1231A is a smaller and more lightweight tester with similar capabilities.

The MD1230A mainframe has five slots in which any of the various interface modules described in "Features" below can be field installed. Multiple M D1230A units can be synchronously daisy chained to increase the port density. Windows-based GUI software is available to allow multiple simultaneous users to remotely control the MD1230A units from an external PC via a 10/100 Mb Ethernet IP c onnection, using exactly the same GUI that appears on the MD1230A screen.

The MD1230A offers a number of performance analysis features for Engineering, Conformance, Functional, Manufacturing, and Quality Assurance testing of rout ers, switches, SONET/SDH equipment, and other network devices during R&D and manufacturing as well as interoperability testing and comparative analysis during lab evaluation. A very sophisticated yet simple to use stream editor available in the MD1230A enables the user to construct complex data flows that can be transmitted at full wire speed (even at 10 Gbps). It supports two types of QoS settings for verification of QoS mechanisms. In addition, automatic benchmarking test suites for network performance analysis defined by IETF in RFC2544 and RFC2889 are fully integrated into the MD1230A, enabling simple and efficient testing with the press of a single button.

The MD1 230A network monitor has a live in-service capture function with uniquely large per-port buffers. This powerful capture function is very useful for troubleshooting network faults. Captured frames can be searched based on specific conditions and desired frames can be selected and displayed. Multiple protocols can be decoded and displayed for captured frames, augmented by the optional Decode Module and Expert Analysis Module powered by Sniffer Technologies. Using an optional GPS fun ction, the MD1230A can perform time synchronization with remotely located units and measure frame latency over long distances. This feature is extremely helpful for maintenance where services are guaranteed for VPN latency. The MD1230A can also be co mbined with the Anritsu MN9320A Optical Channel Drop Unit to provide direct access and IP analysis of a DWDM channel.

Key application areas include:

• SONET/SDH and DWDM equipment analysis, including new Ethernet over SONET and GFP protocol testing.
• Service providers installing and troubleshooting new Ethernet or SONET/SDH services in the field and in the lab.
• Networking consulting companies, service companies, outsourced network management companies, and system integrators installing, supporting, and troubleshooting their customers' Ethernet or SONET/ SDH networks.
• End users (universities, research labs, large enterprises, government facilities) supporting and troubleshooting their own internal Ethernet networks.
• Voice and Video over IP analysis, testing end-to-end latency a nd jitter, measuing network performance, and solving VoIP problems using high-level protocol analysis.
• Ethernet chip and transceiver testing at 1 and 10 Gbps, including BER tests, XAUI and XENPAK testing, and GBIC testing.