Ixia Network Control

Python SDK for IxNetwork — chain-based, fluent API for traffic generation.

中文文档

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What is IxNetwork?

IxNetwork is a high-performance network test platform by Keysight Technologies (formerly Ixia). It is widely used in the networking industry for:

• L2/L3 protocol conformance testing — validate switch, router, and NIC implementations at wire speed
• TSN / AVB testing — IEEE 802.1Qbv, 802.1Qbu, 802.1AS (gPTP), frame preemption for automotive and industrial Ethernet
• Traffic generation & analysis — simulate real-world traffic patterns at line rate up to 400GE
• Data center & service provider — VXLAN, EVPN, MPLS, Segment Routing, BGP/OSPF testing
• Automotive Ethernet — 100BASE-T1, 1000BASE-T1, TSN compliance validation
• Network security testing — DDoS simulation, fuzzing, protocol anomaly injection

This SDK provides a Python-native, chain-based API on top of the IxNetwork REST API (via ixnetwork-restpy), replacing repetitive low-level REST calls with an intuitive, composable programming interface.

Who Is This For?

Audience	Typical Use
QA / Test Engineers	Automate regression test suites, CI/CD integration
Network R&D	Validate new switch/router ASIC features, protocol correctness
Toll Manufacturer	Production-line traffic validation, burn-in testing
Academic Researchers	TSN scheduling experiments, protocol behavior analysis
Hobbyists / Lab Users	Learn network protocols hands-on with real hardware

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Highlights

• Fluent Chain API — Build complex traffic items with method chaining, no boilerplate
• Full Protocol Stack — Ethernet, VLAN/QinQ, IPv4, IPv6, TCP, UDP, ARP, ICMP, IGMPv1–v3, MLDv1–v2
• TSN Suite — IEEE 802.1Qbv gate scheduling, gPTP (802.1AS) config, frame preemption
• Quick Flow Groups — Batch-create hundreds of streams in a single call
• Hardware Capture — Wire-rate packet capture with MAC/pattern/VLAN filtering
• Live Statistics — Real-time per-port & per-stream counters

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Installation

pip install ixia-network-control

Requirements: Python 3.7+, IxNetwork API server, ixnetwork-restpy

Verify:

python -c "from ixia_network_control import IxiaControl; print('OK')"

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Quick Start

from ixia_network_control import IxiaControl

ixia = IxiaControl(
    api_server_ip = '127.0.0.1',
    chassis_ip     = '192.168.1.100',
    username       = 'admin',
    password       = 'admin',
    port_list      = [['port1', 1, 1, 2], ['port2', 1, 1, 12]],
)

# Build a traffic stream with chain API
stream = (
    ixia.create_traffic(name='My Test', tx=['port1'], rx=['port2'])
    .ethernet
    .set_smac('00:00:00:00:00:08')
    .set_dmac('00:00:00:00:00:11')
    .set_vlan(protocol_id='8100', vlan_vid='1')
    .apply()
    .ipv4
    .set_src_ip('192.168.1.1')
    .set_dst_ip('192.168.1.2')
    .apply()
    .stream
    .set_frame_rate(rate_type='percentLineRate', rate='50')
    .set_frame_control(control_type='fixedFrameCount', frame_count=100)
    .apply()
)

ixia.commit().start_traffic()

# Read statistics
ixia.ixnetwork.Statistics.refresh()
tx = ixia.get_statistics('Flow Statistics').get_stream_stat('My Test', 'Tx Frames')
print(f'Tx Frames: {tx}')

ixia.stop_traffic()

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API at a Glance

IxiaControl — Entry Point

Method	Description
create_traffic(...)	Create a traffic item for protocol configuration
create_flow_group(...)	Create a Quick Flow Group for batch streams
commit()	Generate & apply config to hardware
start_traffic() / stop_traffic()	Start / stop stateless traffic
pause_traffic(name)	Suspend a named traffic item
remove_traffic(name)	Stop and delete a traffic item
get_statistics(type)	Access Statistics view by caption
get_capture(port)	Access PacketCapture for a port
get_l1_config(port)	Access L1 (physical) port config
set_iterations(n)	Run traffic for N iterations globally
set_continuous()	Run traffic continuously

Stream Methods (.stream.*)

Method	Purpose
set_crc(type)	CRC type: goodCrc / badCrc
set_frame_size(...)	Fixed, increment, random, IMIX, weighted
set_frame_rate(...)	Rate by %, fps, bps, or inter-packet gap
set_frame_payload(...)	Payload pattern: increment, random, custom hex
set_frame_control(...)	Burst, duration, iteration, delay control

Protocol Chaining

.ethernet.set_smac(...).set_vlan(...).apply()
.ipv4.set_src_ip(...).set_dst_ip(...).apply()
.tcp.apply()
.udp.apply()
.arp.apply()
.icmp.apply()
.igmp_v1.apply()
.igmp_v2.apply()
.igmp_v3_query.apply()
.igmp_v3_report.apply()
.mld_v1.apply()
.mld_v2_query.apply()
.mld_v2_report.apply()
.stream.set_frame_rate(...).apply()

Each protocol: set fields → .apply() returns to parent chain.

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TSN Example

stream = (
    ixia.create_traffic(tx=['port1'], rx=['port2'])
    .ethernet.apply()
    .tsn
    .set_qbv(base_time_offset=0, unit_of_time='MicroSecond')
    .set_gptp_header(message_type=0, version_ptp=2)
    .set_gptp_message_types()
    .set_gptp_tlvs()
    .set_preamble_frame()
    .apply()
)
ixia.commit().start_traffic()

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Project Layout

.
├── src/ixia_network_control/
│   ├── core.py                IxiaControl + Traffic
│   ├── stream/                Stream, PortMap
│   ├── protocol/              13 protocol headers
│   ├── tsn/                   Qbv, gPTP, preemption
│   ├── capture/               Hardware capture + filters
│   ├── flow_group/            Quick Flow Groups
│   ├── statistics/            Stats views & queries
│   ├── port_config/           L1 speed, loopback, media
│   ├── interface/             ABC base classes
│   └── utils/                 Field update, config, logging
├── examples/                  4 runnable examples
├── tests/                     Unit tests
├── setup.py
├── pyproject.toml
├── LICENSE
└── README.md

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License

Dual License. See LICENSE for full terms.

Usage	Terms
Personal / Academic / Non-Commercial	Free
Enterprise / Commercial	Written authorization required → sutinghappy@qq.com