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Network Testing and Emulation Solutions

CT503-MIX High-Speed LANforge-FIRE Traffic Generator


The CT503-MIX is an excellent choice for testing high-performance networks and network components. The CT503-MIX consists of a single LF1012 2U system with 12 1Gbps SFP and 2 10Gbps SFP+ Ethernet interfaces for traffic generation plus 2 more 10/100/1000 ports for remote management. The system can generate and receive about 24 Gbps (48 Gbps total across the backplane). All SFP modules are fiber by default: Contact your sales representative for a different mix of interfaces. This system includes the Armageddon feature at no additional charge.

The LF1012 2U rackmount chassis fits into a standard rack and is about 14 inches deep. It supports standard VGA, Keyboard, and Mouse interfaces for easy console/desktop access to the system. The rackmount chassis is relatively noisy, so it is better for a data center deployment than a desktop environment. Other form factors better suited for traveling or desktop use are also available. VoIP and virtual interface support is priced separately. Please communicate your preferences to your sales representative. No additional hardware or software is required, but you may wish to manage the system using the LANforge-GUI on a separate machine.


Other Images: Some antennas, all antennas, and the rear.
NOTE: This product may have a different hardware configuration than the system pictured above.
Refer to your official quote for details.


NOTE: This product may have a different hardware configuration than the system pictured above.
Refer to your official quote for details.


Candela Technologies Inc., 2417 Main Street, Suite 201, P.O. Box 3285, Ferndale, WA 98248, USA
www.candelatech.com | sales@candelatech.com | +1 360 380 1618


Example Network Diagram



Candela Technologies Inc., 2417 Main Street, Suite 201, P.O. Box 3285, Ferndale, WA 98248, USA
www.candelatech.com | sales@candelatech.com | +1 360 380 1618

Quick Start Guide

  1. Connect Management ethernet port to Management network or management PC. If connecting directly to a PC, an ethernet cross-over cable should be used. Or, connect VGA, Keyboard, and Mouse to the chassis and manage it locally.
  2. Connect one or more traffic generating ports to the downstream side of the device under test. This usually is considered the 'client' side of the network.
  3. Connect one or more traffic generating ports to the upstream side of the device under test.
  4. Connect power plug to a standard US or European AC power source.
  5. If managing remotely, install the LANforge-GUI on a separate management PC or Laptop. Windows and Linux GUIs are supported: Select the correct one from the CDROM or Candela Technologies Download page and install it.
  6. The CT503-MIX should now boot. If DHCP is enabled on the Management network, the CT503-MIX will automatically acquire an IP address. If DHCP is not available, the IP address will be set to 192.168.1.101 by the LANforge scripts.
  7. Start the LANforge-GUI on the management PC, or the CT503-MIX console if managing locally, and click the 'Discover' button. It should find the CT503-MIX appliance and add the IP address to the drop-down box in the Connect widget. Press 'Connect' and you will be connected to the CT503-MIX.
  8. Select the Layer 3, Layer 4 and other LANforge-FIRE related tabs in the GUI to see existing traffic connections and to modify them or add new ones. You can also view a real-time report of the test with the 'Display' button for some traffic types.
  9. LANforge can send Layer 3 traffic types between any two physical ports, so one can send traffic between port eth0 and eth1, eth0 and eth2, eth3 and eth4, etc. Use the Port Mgr tab in the GUI to configure the IP addresses for the interfaces as appropriate for your network and cabling.
  10. Any modifications take place immediately after you click 'Submit'.


Candela Technologies Inc., 2417 Main Street, Suite 201, P.O. Box 3285, Ferndale, WA 98248, USA
www.candelatech.com | sales@candelatech.com | +1 360 380 1618


LANforge-FIRE Related Screen Shots

Layer 3 (Ethernet, UDP, TCP) Connections

Layer 3 Create/Modify Screen


Candela Technologies Inc., 2417 Main Street, Suite 201, P.O. Box 3285, Ferndale, WA 98248, USA
www.candelatech.com | sales@candelatech.com | +1 360 380 1618

Software Features


  1. Supports real-world protocols:
    1. Layer 2: Raw-Ethernet.
    2. 802.1Q VLANs.
    3. PPPoE: Integrated PPPoE support.
    4. Layer 3: IPv4, IPv6, UDP/IP, IGMP Multicast UDP, TCP/IP.
    5. Layer 4-7: FTP, HTTP, HTTPS, TFTP, SFTP, SCP
    6. Layer 3: Armageddon accellerated UDP/IP (line speed on appropriate hardware).
    7. Layer 4-7: TELNET, PING, DNS, SMTP, NMAP (via add-on script).
    8. File-IO: NFSv3, NFSv4, CIFS, iSCSI.
  2. Supports up to 1000 concurrent TCP connections with base license package.
  3. The CT503-MIX with LF1012 is able to generate about 24Gbps, depending on protocols mix and speed of the network under test. Supports at least 500 VoIP (SIP, RTP) calls if appropriate licenses are purchased.
  4. Hardware supports over 30,000 TCP connections on a single machine, but base license package includes licenses for 1000 connections. Contact sales for additional licenses.
  5. Supports real-world compliance with ARP protocol.
  6. Supports ToS (QoS) settings for TCP/IP and UDP/IP connections.
  7. Uses publicly available Linux and Windows network stacks for increased standards compliance.
  8. Utilizes libcurl for FTP, HTTP and HTTPS (SSL), TFTP and SCP protocols.
  9. Supports file system test endpoints (NFS, CIFS, and iSCSI file systems, too!). File system mounts can use the virtual interface feature for advanced testing of file server applications.
  10. Supports custom command-line programs, such as telnet, SMTP, and ping.
  11. Comprehensive traffic reports include: Packet Transmit Rate, Packet Receive Rate, Packet Drop %, Transmit Bytes, Receive Bytes, Latency, Jitter, various Ethernet driver level counters, and much more.
  12. Supports generation of reports that are ready to be imported into your favorite spread-sheet.
  13. Allows packet sniffing and network protocol decoding with the integrated Wireshark protocol sniffer.
  14. GUI runs as Java application on Linux, MAC and Microsoft Operating Systems (among others).
  15. GUI can run remotely, even over low-bandwidth links to accommodate the needs of the users.
  16. Central management application can manage multiple units, tests, and testers simultaneously.
  17. Includes easy built-in scripting for iterating through rates and packet sizes, with automated reporting. Also supports scriptable command line interface (telnet) which can be used to automate test scenarios. Perl libraries and example scripts are provided!
  18. Automatic discovery of LANforge data generators simplifies configuration of LANforge test equipment.
  19. LANforge traffic generation/management software is supported on Linux and MS Windows.

Hardware Specification


  1. High-End Intel Multi-Core 2U rackmount server.
  2. Operating System: Fedora Linux with customized Linux kernel.
  3. Up to 28 10/100/1000 Ethernet ports on PCIe bus. Additional interface for management.
  4. High-availability Ethernet hardware bypass option available.
  5. Quad-Core Intel processor.
  6. 7 PCIe low profile slots.
  7. Optional NICs include: 4-port 10/100/1000 copper, 2-port 10/100/1000 copper, 2-port 1Gbps fibre, 2-port 10Gbps fibre, 2-port 10Gbps copper (CX4), 802.11a/b/g/n WiFi NIC, 802.11a/b/g/n/AC WiFi NIC.
  8. 16 GB or more RAM.
  9. 120 GB or larger SSD Hard Drive.
  10. Weight: 20.4 lbs or 9.3 kg.
  11. Dimensions: 17 x 18 x 3 inches (18-inch deep standard 2U rackmount server)   Metric: 432 x 457 x 76 mm.
  12. 520W power supply w/PFC, 100 - 240 VAC, 50 - 60 Hz, 7 - 3 Amps
  13. Estimated Power Usage: 2.1 Amps @ 120 VAC under load, 1.4 Amps idle.
  14. ROHS compliant.

List Price: $47,805     List Price with 1 Year support (17%): $55,931


Additional Feature Upgrades

Unless otherwise noted in the product description, these features usually cost extra:


Candela Technologies Inc., 2417 Main Street, Suite 201, P.O. Box 3285, Ferndale, WA 98248, USA
www.candelatech.com | sales@candelatech.com | +1 360 380 1618


Candela  Technologies, 2417 Main Street, Suite 201, Ferndale, WA 98248, USA
www.candelatech.com | sales@candelatech.com | +1.360.380.1618
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Last modified: Fri Mar 8 02:47:24 PM PST 2024