VPP Forwarding Modes

VPP is tested in a number of L2, IPv4 and IPv6 packet lookup and forwarding modes. Within each mode baseline and scale tests are executed, the latter with varying number of FIB entries.

L2 Ethernet Switching

VPP is tested in three L2 forwarding modes:

  • l2patch: L2 patch, the fastest point-to-point L2 path that loops packets between two interfaces without any Ethernet frame checks or lookups.

  • l2xc: L2 cross-connect, point-to-point L2 path with all Ethernet frame checks, but no MAC learning and no MAC lookup.

  • l2bd: L2 bridge-domain, multipoint-to-multipoint L2 path with all Ethernet frame checks, with MAC learning (unless static MACs are used) and MAC lookup.

l2bd tests are executed in baseline and scale configurations:

  • l2bdbase: Two MAC FIB entries are learned by VPP to enable packet switching between two interfaces in two directions. VPP L2 switching is tested with 254 IPv4 unique flows per direction, varying IPv4 source address per flow in order to invoke RSS based packet distribution across VPP workers. The same source and destination MAC address is used for all flows per direction. IPv4 source address is incremented for every packet.

  • l2bdscale: A high number of MAC FIB entries are learned by VPP to enable packet switching between two interfaces in two directions. Tested MAC FIB sizes include: i) 10k with 5k unique flows per direction, ii) 100k with 2 x 50k flows and iii) 1M with 2 x 500k flows. Unique flows are created by using distinct source and destination MAC addresses that are changed for every packet using incremental ordering, making VPP learn (or refresh) distinct src MAC entries and look up distinct dst MAC entries for every packet. For details, see Packet Flow Ordering.

Ethernet wire encapsulations tested include: untagged, dot1q, dot1ad.

IPv4 Routing

IPv4 routing tests are executed in baseline and scale configurations:

  • ip4base: Two /32 IPv4 FIB entries are configured in VPP to enable packet routing between two interfaces in two directions. VPP routing is tested with 253 IPv4 unique flows per direction, varying IPv4 source address per flow in order to invoke RSS based packet distribution across VPP workers. IPv4 source address is incremented for every packet.

  • ip4scale: A high number of /32 IPv4 FIB entries are configured in VPP. Tested IPv4 FIB sizes include: i) 20k with 10k unique flows per direction, ii) 200k with 2 * 100k flows and iii) 2M with 2 * 1M flows. Unique flows are created by using distinct IPv4 destination addresses that are changed for every packet, using incremental or random ordering. For details, see Packet Flow Ordering.

IPv6 Routing

Similarly to IPv4, IPv6 routing tests are executed in baseline and scale configurations:

  • ip6base: Two /128 IPv4 FIB entries are configured in VPP to enable packet routing between two interfaces in two directions. VPP routing is tested with 253 IPv6 unique flows per direction, varying IPv6 source address per flow in order to invoke RSS based packet distribution across VPP workers. IPv6 source address is incremented for every packet.

  • ip4scale: A high number of /128 IPv6 FIB entries are configured in VPP. Tested IPv6 FIB sizes include: i) 20k with 10k unique flows per direction, ii) 200k with 2 * 100k flows and iii) 2M with 2 * 1M flows. Unique flows are created by using distinct IPv6 destination addresses that are changed for every packet, using incremental or random ordering. For details, see Packet Flow Ordering.

SRv6 Routing

SRv6 routing tests are executed in a number of baseline configurations, in each case SR policy and steering policy are configured for one direction and one (or two) SR behaviours (functions) in the other directions:

  • srv6enc1sid: One SID (no SRH present), one SR function - End.

  • srv6enc2sids: Two SIDs (SRH present), two SR functions - End and End.DX6.

  • srv6enc2sids-nodecaps: Two SIDs (SRH present) without decapsulation, one SR function - End.

  • srv6proxy-dyn: Dynamic SRv6 proxy, one SR function - End.AD.

  • srv6proxy-masq: Masquerading SRv6 proxy, one SR function - End.AM.

  • srv6proxy-stat: Static SRv6 proxy, one SR function - End.AS.

In all listed cases low number of IPv6 flows (253 per direction) is routed by VPP.