The MD1230B is the industry's first portable Ethernet/IP network data analyzer with the dual functionality of wire speed performance analysis and network monitoring integrated in the same instrument. The built-in LCD display with intuitive Windows XP-based GUI and modular architecture makes the MD1230B a versatile and an easy-to-use solution for all network testing environments ranging from R&D and manufacturing to installation and maintenance.

The MD1230B mainframe has five slots in which any of the various interface modules described in "Features" below can be field installed. Multiple MD1230B 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 MD1230B units from an external PC via a 10/100 Mb Ethernet IP connection, using exactly the same GUI that appears on the MD1230B screen. The MP1591A is a multi-slot unit with much larger capacity that supports the MD1230B modules.

The new MD1230B-17 Traffic Impairment Emulator option is a unique all-in-one solution that provides network impairment emulation and performance measurement for carriers and network equipment vendors offering real-time applications such as IPTV and VoIP. It enables the MD1230B to emulate network faults such as packet loss, error/packet overwrite, transmission delay, and packet jitter for both 10/100/1000M Ethernet and Gigabit Ethernet.

The MD1230B offers numerous performance analysis features for Engineering, Conformance, Functional, Manufacturing, and Quality Assurance testing of routers, switches, 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 enables the user to construct complex data flows that can be transmitted at full 10 Gbps wire speed. 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, enabling simple and efficient testing with the press of a single button.

The MD1230B network monitor has an in-service (through mode) capture function with uniquely large per-port buffers. This powerful capability 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 at full wire speed up to 10 Gbps, augmented by the optional Decode Module and Expert Analysis Modules powered by Sniffer Technologies.

Key application areas include:

• Service providers installing and troubleshooting new IP network 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' IP 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 and jitter, measuring 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.
• Supports data rates from 10/100 Mbps to 10 Gbps, all in one compact mainframe with built-in PC and display
  • Ethernet interfaces - 10BASE-T/100BASE-TX, 1000BASE-T/SX,/LX,/LH/ZX, 10 GbE
  • Any combination of interface modules operate simultaneously within the same mainframe
  • Field installable modules and hot-swappable GBICs
• Familiar and user-friendly Windows XP-based operating interface, with identical GUI on the tester and remote control PCs that enables quicker learning and less-skilled usage
• Transmits, monitors, counts, and decodes many high-level IP protocols, providing Voice over IP (VoIP) test and troubleshooting capabilities and helping solve sophisticated protocol-related network problems that simpler physical layer testers cannot analyze at all
• Optional Decode Module and Expert Analysis Module powered by Sniffer Technologies provide much faster and easier troubleshooting with 400+ protocol decodes and expert network problem analysis up to OSI Layer 7
• Unique pass-through (in-service) Ethernet bidirectional monitoring and protocol analysis at full wire speed
• Unique one-button network device performance testing based on the RFC2544 and RFC2889 standards allows users to evaluate routers and switches before making new purchases or installing software upgrades
• Strong MPLS and IPv6 traffic generation and test capabilities meet requirements for next-generation networks
• Network latency measurements with 1 usec. precision provide important capabilities for analyzing and troubleshooting IP voice and video networks and network devices
• Uniquely powerful and flexible filter and trigger conditions
• Generation of up to 256 data streams per port at full wire rate
• Protocol emulation functions - Ethernet OAM, ARP, ICMPv4, IGMP, MLD, BGP4, OSFP, MPLS, and others
• QoS performance testing
• Real time measurement of in-service traffic, traffic monitoring, and traffic mapping