Passport Performance Guidelines for ATM, Frame Relay, IP and Trunks

3.
Connections vs. connection endpoints ................................................................... 10
3.2
Ingress vs. Egress vs. Bidirectional throughput ...................................................... 11
3.3
What does Link Rate mean? .................................................................................. 11
3.4
Measured values vs. Recommended values............................................................ 13
3.5
Performance-influencing factors ............................................................................. 13
4.
ATM ........................................................................................................................... 16
4.1
ATM throughput....................................................................................................... 16
4.2
ATM connection space & Call Setup Rate................................................................ 17
5.
FRAME RELAY ......................................................................................................... 18
5.1
Frame Relay FP types: PM1, PM2, PQC .................................................................. 18
5.2
Frame Relay throughput .......................................................................................... 19
5.3
Frame Relay connection space & Call Setup Rate ................................................... 20
5.4
What if my lab sees a different result?..................................................................... 20
5.5
Passport-BNX Interworking ..................................................................................... 21
6.
IP................................................................................................................................ 22
6.1
IP packet size........................................................................................................... 22
6.2
Tandem VR vs. Tunnelled VR .................................................................................. 23
6.3
IP over ATM ............................................................................................................. 24
Passport Performance Guidelines PCR3.0
v1.1 January 2002
6.4
IP over Frame Relay (FRDTE) .................................................................................. 25
6.5
IP over PPP.............................................................................................................. 26
7.
DPRS......................................................................................................................... 27
7.1
DPRS Throughput.................................................................................................... 27
7.2
DPRS Loadshare, Loadspread, LoadspreadFast ..................................................... 28
7.3
DPRS Tandem vs. Endpoint..................................................................................... 28
8.
8.1
9.
PORS......................................................................................................................... 30
PORS throughput .................................................................................................... 30
SHELF CAPACITY.................................................................................................... 32
9.1
Passport 7000 shelf capacity ................................................................................... 32
9.2
Passport 15000 shelf capacity ................................................................................. 32
9.3
Passport 20000 shelf capacity ................................................................................. 33
10.
APPENDIX A: MSA32 PERFORMANCE............................................................ 34
10.1
MSA32 performance architecture ............................................................................ 36
10.2
MSA32 Multi-service mixes...................................................................................... 36
11.
APPENDIX B: HARDWARE RELIABILITY - MTBF............................................ 40
12.
GLOSSARY OF ACRONYMS............................................................................... 41
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List of Figures
Figure 1 - Connections vs. Connection Endpoints ................................................................... 11
Figure 2 Max # frames/sec that could physically fit within 32xDS1/E1 bandwidth ................. 13
List of Tables
Table 1 - Main PP7k/PP15k FP families ...................................................................................7
Table 2 - Performance-significant groupings of all PP7k/PP15k cards ........................................8
Table 3 - PP7k/PP15k ATM & FR FPs by hardware vintage.......................................................9
Table 4 Some key performance dimensions and definitions .................................................. 10
Table 5 Link speed vs. Effective link rate ............................................................................. 12
Table 6 - Factors influencing performance on PP7k/PP15k FPs............................................... 13
Table 7 - Service-specific factors influencing performance....................................................... 15
Table 8- PP7k/PP15k ATM throughput in PCR3.0................................................................... 16
Table 9 - PP7k/PP15k ATM connection space & call setup rate in PCR3.0............................... 17
Table 10 - PP7k/PP15k FP types supporting Frame Relay, grouped by ASIC family ................. 18
Table 11 - 4pDS3ch FR order codes ...................................................................................... 18
Table 12 - Frame Relay throughput for PP7k/PP15k FPs in PCR3.0 ........................................ 19
Table 13 Frame Relay Connection Space & Call Setup Rate in PCR3.0 ................................ 20
Table 14 - Frame Relay performance-influencing factors ......................................................... 21
Table 15 - Passport-BNX Interworking throughput with 128-byte frames in PCR3.0................... 21
Table 16 - IP over ATM Throughput in PCR3.0 ....................................................................... 24
Table 17 - Meaning of "link rate" for MSA32 IP over ATM throughput ....................................... 25
Table 18 - IP over FR throughput in PCR3.0........................................................................... 25
Table 19 - IP over PPP throughput in PCR3.0......................................................................... 26
Table 20 - DPRS throughput in PCR3.0 ................................................................................. 27
Table 21 - When to use Loadshare vs. Loadspread vs. LoadspreadFast .................................. 28
Table 22 - PORS throughput in PCR3.0................................................................................. 30
Table 23 - MSA32 Connection Space as of PCR3.0................................................................ 34
Table 24 - MSA32 Call Setup Rate as of PCR3.0.................................................................... 34
Table 25 - MSA32 single-service throughput as of PCR3.0...................................................... 34
Table 26 - Meaning of "link rate" for MSA32 IP over ATM throughput ....................................... 36
Table 27 - MSA32 Service mixing rules in PCR3.0.................................................................. 38
Table 28 - PP15k Hardware Reliability - MTBF & FITs ............................................................ 40
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1. Introduction
This document provides performance guidelines for Passport 7000 and Passport 15000, for use
in network engineering calculations and capacity planning. This guide has two goals:
1) Tabulate recommended performance figures for the most common deployment scenarios
2) Help you choose the right figure.
That is, the aim is to provide enough context to the numbers to help a network engineer judge
which ones apply. Even for one FP, the possible combinations of hardware vintage, software
level, provisioning config and user traffic profile are endless. So they cannot all be measured and
listed here, but the key ones are -- plus guidelines of how the other factors influence the numbers.
Covered in this version are the per-FP (Function Processor) and per-shelf throughput, connection
space and call setup rates for these services at PCR3.0:
?? ATM
?? Frame Relay (FRUNI, FRNNI, FRATM)
?? DPRS and PORS trunks
?? IP access
Network scalabilty for PNNI, IP-VPN and MPLS are not included here, but in separate
engineering guidelines, as noted below
1.1 Not covered in this document

?? Passport 8600, 4400, 4120, etc. are not included. Only Passport 7000 (7440 & 7480)
and Passport 15000, or PP7k & PP15k.
?? Passport 6000 (PP6k) is not explicitly covered, though its cards that are common with
PP7k would mostly have similar performance. However, the exact PCR3.0 figures here
cannot be guaranteed to apply to PP6k due to the different software stream.
?? PP6k-specific cards & services are not covered: FDDI, Token Ring, SNA, APPN
?? Network Scalability: for example, the maximum number of nodes per RID or per PNNI
peer group. Refer to the Engineering Guidelines document for each application: Core
Networking (DPRS/PORS), ATM Networking (PNNI), IP-VPN or MPLS.
?? Network Management: refer to the MDM Engineering Guidelines.
?? PVG (Passport Voice Gateway). That is, AAL2 TDM cards and VSP are not included.
?? Succession.
?? Legacy services: MPANL, DpnGateway, HTDS, BTDS, VTDS, MCS. The last
published values for these services, from the P5.1 Performance NTP 241-7401-100,
are available upon request.
?? MPLS per-FP throughputs will be added in a future version of this document.
1.2 Intended audience

Nortel Networks Sales Engineers (SEs) and those in similar roles designing or re-engineering
Passport 7000/15000 networks.
Since product performance information is highly confidential, this document is not made generally
available to customers. But it can be released at the Nortel representatives discretion, with an
agreement of non-disclosure.
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1.3 Document conventions

This is not an NTP. This is an internal reference document for performance figures, focusing
mainly on tables of numbers. As such, the text is aimed just at explaining where the numbers
apply. Refer to the NTPs for more tutorial description of how services work or how to provision
them, or to the Engineering Guidelines for broader descriptions of how to engineer the services.
Unlike NTPs, this document quotes dates and PCR releases, and uses many common
abbreviations to streamline the flow, such as PP7k instead of Passport 7000, or 4pDS3ch
instead of 4-port DS3 channelized. Refer to the Glossary of Acronyms at the end, or to the NTP
241-7401-005, Passport List of Terms.
All statements in this document are based on information known as of PCR3.0, Jan 2002.
2. Card types
As of January 2002, there are 44 types of FP (Function Processor) orderable for Passport 7000,
plus 20 FPs for Passport 15000. So a new customer only needs to consider performance for at
most these 64 cards, with just the one latest version of each.
However, many of these cards had earlier versions, with less memory or slower processors. Most
of these older cards are no longer orderable, but many still exist in networks and are still
supported so their performance needs to be described here. The total number of hardware
variants (FP versions with a unique combination of processor, memory, and other performancesignificant components) is over 200. Fortunately they all fall into 6 key card families:
FP family
Main versions
Notes
CQC
8 MB, 16 MB
PM1
PM1 vs. PM1ch, 8 MB
PM2
PM2 vs. PM2ch, 16 MB vs. 32 MB
PQC1
AQM1.0 vs AQM1.1
PQC2
AQM1.1 vs. QRD1.1 vs. QRD1.2 & APC
Manufacture Discontinued
Manufacture Discontinued
PQC12
New in PCR3.0
Table 1 - Main PP7k/PP15k FP families
Manufacture Discontinued (MD): Refer to the Passport Policies & Procedures document for the MD dates
and hardware end-of-support dates for all discontinued hardware.
The FPs that belong to each category are listed below two ways. Table 2 lists all FPs grouped by
family. Table 3 lists all FPs grouped by FP type, with the exact hardware vintage codes required
to identify the family.
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These groupings will be referenced throughout this document, for example referring to IP
throughput on all PQC2 FPs.
Table 2 - Performance-significant groupings of all PP7k/PP15k cards

Card
Family
Version
Passport 7000:
CP
CP1
Memory
Other
ASIC
Card type (bold = current version)
24 MB
CP1
CP2
64 MB
CP2
CP2
PDC1.0
128 MB
8 MB
CP2
Old vintages of 3pDS1, 3pE1, 3pDS3, 3pE3, 8pDS1, 8pE1,
2pJ6, 3pOC3/STM1 ATM, and 4pDS1 AAL1, 4pE1 AAL1
PDC1.1
16 MB
New vintages of 3pDS1, 3pE1, 3pDS3, 3pE3, 8pDS1, 8pE1,

2pJT2, 3pOC3/STM1 ATM, and 4pDS1 AAL1, 4pE1 AAL1
PM1
PM1
8 MB
SBIC
PM2
PM1ch
PM2 standard
8 MB
16 MB
SBIC
SBIC
PQC1
CP3
PQC1
PQC2
PQC2
256 MB
CP3
64 MB AQM1.0 Oldest vintages of 12pDS3, 12pE3, 4pOC3 ATM
64 MB AQM1.1 Oldest vintages of 12pDS3, 12pE3, 4pOC3, 1pOC12 ATM,
4pDS3ch FR, 1pSTM1ch FR
128 MB AQM1.1 New vintages of 12pDS3, 12pE3, 4pOC3/STM1, 1pOC12
/STM4, 4pDS3ch ATM, 4pDS3ch FR*, 1pSTM1ch FR
CQC
Oldest vintages of 1pHSSI, 8pV35, 8pV11, 4pDS1, 4pE1,

8pDS1, 1pDS3, 1pE3 FR, 6p10BT Ethernet
Oldest vintages of 4pDS1ch FR, 4pE1ch FR
Old vintages of 1pHSSI, 8pV35, 8pV11, 4pDS1, 4pE1 FR,

8pDS1 FR, 1pDS3, 1pE3, 6p10BT and 2p100BT Ethernet
PM2 premium
32 MB SBIC
New vintages of 8pV35, 8pV11, 1pDS3, IlsForwarder
PM2ch standard 16 MB SBIC
Old vintages of 4pDS1ch FR, 4pE1ch FR
PM2ch premium 32 MB SBIC
New vintages of 4pDS1ch FR, 4pE1ch FR, 1pDS3ch FR
PQC1 PQC1
64 MB AQM1.0 Oldest vintages of 3pE3, 3pDS3 ATM
64 MB AQM1.1 Old vintages of 3pE3, 3pDS3, 2pOC3/STM1, MSA32
PQC2 PQC2
64 MB AQM1.1 New vintages of 3pE3, 3pDS3, 2pOC3/STM1
128 MB AQM1.1 New vintages of MSA32
Passport 15000:
CP
CP2
128 MB
CP2
PQC12 PQC12
128 MB QRD1.2, 16pOC3/STM1, 4pOC12/STM4, 1pOC48/STM16 ATM

APC
128 MB QRD1.2, 4pOC12/STM4 ATM
APC
128 MB
4pDS3ch FR*
PM = Processor Module, ch = channelized, SBIC = Shared Bus Interface Controller, CQC = Cell Queue
Controller, PQC = Passport Queue Controller, AQM = ATM Queue Manager, QRD = Queue Relay Device,
CP = Control Processor. *- See Table 11 (page 18) for clarification on 4pDS3 FR vs. 4pDS3ch FR.
Refer to Table 3 for the exact hardware PEC codes required to distinguish between old vintage
vs. new vintage with regards to the performance-significant groupings above. Note that for
some FPs the distinction between PQC1 and PQC2 versions is only in the last two letters of the
vintage.
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Table 3 - PP7k/PP15k ATM & FR FPs by hardware vintage

PEC (bold =
currently
orderable)
Frame
FP type
Card
Family Memory
ATM
FP type
Pasport 7000:
8pV35
8pV11
4pE1 FR
4pE1ch FR
4pE1ch FR-ISDN
4pDS1 FR
4pDS1ch FR
8pDS1 FR
PM1
8 MB
MD
3pDS1 ATM
3pE1 ATM
NTNQ27, NTFN58 PM2
16 MB
NTBP16
PM1
8 MB
MD
NTNQ10, NTFN46
PM2
16 MB
MD
NTNQ11, NTFN73 PM2
32 MB
NTBP38
PM1
8 MB
MD
NTNQ12, NTFN45
PM2
16 MB
MD
NTNQ13, NTFN49 PM2
32 MB
NTBP21
8 MB
PM1
8pDS1 ATM/IMA
MD
16 MB
CQC
PDC1.0
8 MB
NTFN16CA , NTNQ50 CQC
PDC1.1
16 MB
NTFP18DA
16 MB
NTJS11CA, NTNQ67 PQC1
AQM1.1
64 MB
NTJS11DA
PQC2
AQM1.1
64 MB
CQC
PDC1.0
8 MB
CQC
PDC1.1
16 MB
CQC
PDC1.0
8 MB
CQC
PDC1.1
16 MB
PQC1
AQM1.1
64 MB
PQC2
AQM1.1
64 MB
PQC1
AQM1.1
64 MB
PQC2
AQM1.1
64 MB
NTBP88
PM1ch
8 MB
MD
NTNQ17, NTFN52
PM2ch
16 MB
MD
NTNQ18
PM2ch
32 MB
NTFP56
PM1
8 MB
3pDS3 ATM
3pE3 ATM
MD
PQC2
128 MB
PQC2
128 MB
PQC2
128 MB
NTJS80
PQC1
64 MB
NTNQ69
PQC2
128 MB
NTNQ71
PQC2
128 MB
NTNQ73
PQC2
128 MB
NTBP40
PM1
8 MB
MD
NTNQ23, NTFN71
PM2
16 MB
MD
NTNQ24, NTFN50 PM2
32 MB
NTNQ26, NTFP67
PM2ch
32 MB
NTBP71
PM1
8 MB
MD
MD
MD
Pasport 15000:
Nortel Networks
PDC1.1
NTFN16BB
8 MB
MD
MD
3pOC3/STM1 ATM -sm NTFP38CB

sm NTFP38DA , NTNQ55
mm NTFP16DB
mm NTFP16EA , NTNQ54
2pOC3/STM1 ATM -sm NTJS09CA, NTNQ66
sm NTJS09DA
mm NTJS07CA, NTNQ65
mm NTJS07DA
MD
MD
MD
MD
MD
MD
MD
MD
4pDS3ch ATM/IMA
NTHR31DA
PQC2
AQM1.1
128 MB
12pDS3 ATM
NTHR23CA
PQC1
AQM1.1
128 MB MD
NTHR23DA
PQC2
AQM1.1
128 MB
NTHR25CA
PQC1
AQM1.1
128 MB MD
NTHR25DA
PQC2
AQM1.1
128 MB
4pOC3/STM1 ATM - sm NTHR21CA

sm NTHR21DA
mm NTHR17CA
mm NTHR17DA
16pOC3/STM1 ATM NTHW21
PQC1
AQM1.1
128 MB MD
PQC2
AQM1.1
128 MB
PQC1
AQM1.1
128 MB MD
PQC2
AQM1.1
128 MB
PQC2
QRD1.2
256 MB
PQC1
PQC2
PQC2
AQM1.1
AQM1.1
QRD1.1
128 MB MD
128 MB
128 MB APC
12pE3 ATM
1pOC12/STM4 ATM
4pOC12/STM4 ATM
MD
MD
Pasport 15000:
128 MB
128 MB
NTFN14CA , NTNQ49 CQC
PDC1.1
8 MB
64 MB
MD
NTFP17EA , NTNQ52 CQC
PM1
PQC2
8 MB
64 MB
NTBP19
PQC1
PDC1.0
PDC1.0
32 MB
NTHR83EA
CQC
AQM1.1
PM2ch
NTHR83DA
MD
NTFN14BB
CQC
NTNQ74
1pSTM1ch FR
16 MB
PQC2
NTNQ22
128 MB
PDC1.1
NTFP17DA
32 MB
NTHR89,
NTQS42AA / BA* PQC12
MD
NTFP32CA, NTNQ46 CQC
NTJS13DA
16 MB
PM2ch
4pDS3ch FR
(same as 4pDS3 NTHR88DA,
PQC2
FR - see Table 11) NTQS90AA / BA*
8 MB
MD
PM2ch
NTNQ21
64 MB
MD
PDC1.0
64 MB
NTNQ20, NTFN57
PQC1
16 MB
CQC
AQM1.1
8 MB
NTHR88BA
PDC1.1
NTFP32BB
NTJS13CA, NTNQ68 PQC1
PM1ch
16 MB
NTFP30CA, NTNQ45 CQC
MD
NTBP90
NTNQ25, NTFN51 PM2
MD
16 MB
32pDS1+OC3mm NTNQ76
32pDS1+OC3sm NTNQ78
1pE3 FR
8 MB
8 MB
64 MB
1pDS3ch FR
PDC1.0
PDC1.1
PQC1
1pDS3 FR
CQC
PDC1.0
NTY180
32pE1+STM1mm
32pE1+STM1sm
8pE1 ATM/IMA
NTFP30BB
CQC
16 MB
16 MB
32pE1 MSA32
Memory
NTFP18EA , NTNQ51 CQC
NTNQ15, NTFN48 PM2
NTNQ16, NTFN56 PM2
32pDS1 MSA32
Other
ASIC
Pasport 7000:
NTFP04
1pHSSI
PEC (bold =
Card
currently orderable) Family
NTHR29BA
NTHR29DA
NTQS91*, NTHW11
NTQS41*, NTHW86BA PQC12 QRD1.2
128 MB
APC
APC
PQC2 QRD1.2
128 MB
1pOC48/STM16 ATM NTHW01
MD = Manufacture Discontinued, sm = single-mode, mm = multi -mode,
*NTQS = pricebook codes, different from PEC printed on the hardware
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visible in the per-card case, where both ends of the VCC might be on the same FP (count 2
endpoints per card), or on different FPs (count 1 endpoint per card). See Figure 1.
Inter-FP Connection
F
P
PP
F
P
FP x
Intra-FP Connection
F
P
FP y
PP
F
P
FP z
VPI/VCI
VPI/VCI
VPI/VCI
VPI/VCI
FP x connection points
FP y connection points
1
1
Total Switch Connection Points

Total Switch Connections
2
1
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FP z connection points
Total Switch Connection Points

Total Switch Connections
2
1
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v1.1 January 2002
Similarly, every link speed has a slightly lower effective link rate, which should be used in data
throughput calculations, as shown in Table 5.
Table 5 Link speed vs. Effective link rate
Link Type
(+ signalling format)
Nominal link
speed
(Mbps)
Effective link
capacity per
direction (Mbps)
Equivalent ATM
throughput per direction
(cells/sec)
DS1
1.544
1.536
3,622
E1
2.048
1.984
4,679
44.21
104,268
40.704
96,000
34.01
80,210
30.528
72,000
33.92
80,000
DS3
- Direct
44.736
- PLCP
E3
- G.751 Direct
- G.751 PLCP
34.368
- G.832 Direct
OC-3/STM-1
155.5
149.76
353,207
OC-12/STM4
622.08
599.04
1,412,830
2,488.32
2,396.16
5,651,320
OC-48/STM16
These are industry-standard figures, not unique to Passport. The effective link rate is lower than
the nominal link speed due to transmission overhead (framing, etc.). The ATM throughput is just
the effective link rate divided by the ATM cell size: 53 bytes x 8 bits.
Many Passport FPs achieve link rate throughput for ATM, by handling the fixed-length cells in
hardware. Some FPs can also hit link rate for frame relay or IP, if the frame size is large enough.
For example, MSA32 FRUNI throughput is 90 kfps bidirectional. With 64-byte frames or 128-byte
frames this is less than line rate of 32 DS1s:
90,000 frames/sec x 128 bytes/frame x 8 bits/byte = 92.16 Mbps bidirectional = 46.08 Mbps per direction
Compared to 32 ports x 1.536 Mbps = 49.152 Mbps per direction
= 94% of line rate
However, with 256-byte frames, 90 kfps bidirectional is greater than 32 DS1s line rate. So the
limiting factor is line rate:
49.152 Mbps per direction / (256 bytes/frame x 8 bits/byte) = 24 kfps per direction = 48 kfps bidirectional
This is why the actual throughput is lower with larger frame sizes, once link rate is reached.
Note the bits/second throughput is the same; its just the frames/second value that decreases.
This is purely a function of the bandwidth, not the performance of Passport.
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600
Throughput
bidirectional(kfps)
500
400
DS1 max
E1 max
300
200
100
0
32
64
128
256
512
1,024
Frame size (bytes)
Figure 2 Max # frames/sec that could physically fit within

32xDS1/E1 bandwidth
MSA32 FR
max (90 kfps)
3.4 Measured values vs. Recommended values

The actual measured maximum performance values are higher than the figures quoted in this
document. Measurements have been de-rated slightly to allow for possible test lab variations,
and to leave a safety margin for any minor performance changes in future software releases. All
figures in this document are
values for use in engineering calculations.
So the published figures should be achievable in a live network, with room to spare. Of course, it
is a good engineering practice to leave some additional margin in a live network design, to allow
for user traffic growth year-over-year, or other factors external to the Passport.
3.5 Performance-influencing factors

Performance is determined by many factors, including:
1) Hardware hard upper limits of card or shelf capacity
2) Software level code was streamlined at certain releases
3) User Traffic characteristics may be difficult to predict
4) Configuration provisioning options under network operators control
Table 6 - Factors influencing performance on PP7k/PP15k FPs

Influencing factor
Performance impact
1) Hardware
Several hardware components affect performance, depending on the FP type and its
specific vintage:
Memory 8 MB to 128 MB determines connection space, as each active
connection reserves a block of memory
Frame-forwarding ASIC chips CQC, PQC1, PQC2, PQC12 affects throughput of
variable-length frame or packet traffic.
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variable-length frame or packet traffic.

FP architecture for example, if ATM cell forwarding is done in hardware
Processor type CPU speed affects throughput, call setup rate
Shelf backplane throughput 1.6 Gbit/s on PP7k, 40 Gbit/s on PP15k
2) Software level
code was streamlined for performance boosts at certain levels

For example, PP15k ATM call setup rates & connection space were dramatically
increased at PCR2.2.1 on certain FPs
software consumes slightly more FP memory each release due to code growth. So,
for example, older 8 MB PM1 FPs have reduced connection space in PCR3.0.
3) User traffic
profile
Very small frames: if user traffic averages 32-byte or 64-byte frames, FR throughput
may be reduced slightly compared to 128-byte frames
Very large frames: if user traffic averages 1024-byte frames, for example, the
throughput may be defined by line rate instead of by any Passport performance limit.
Also, if FR frames are larger than the networks DPRS Subnet Packet Size,
throughput is reduced due to the processing required to segment & reassemble
frames into DPRS packets. The subnet packet size on Passport by default is 512
bytes, and the maximum is 4096 bytes.
Symmetry of traffic: is the traffic split 50% in both directions, or is it 80% egress, for
example. See section 3.2 on ingress vs. egress vs. bidirectional throughput.
4) Configuration choices provisioning options under network operators control:

Service mixes
running
FP performance with single-service is typically higher than when certain combinations,

particularly if multiple access services are mixed on the same MSA32 Maker . If
possible, group similar services onto the same Maker; e.g., ATMUNI on ports 0-15,
FRUNI+FRNNI+FRATM on ports 16-31. See section 10.1 on MSA32 mixing rules.
LPT packages
provisioned
The LPT featurelist determines how many software packages get loaded into FP memory
at startup. Provisioning a large LPT can consume enough memory to impact connection
space on some older cards, mainly the 8 MB PM1 FPs and 16 MB PM2s. This is
currently not a problem PP15k FPs and PP7k ATMIP FPs, as they have a great deal of
memory: 128 MB, compared to the current size of PCR3.0 software packages.
Accounting On/Off
if accounting is turned on, extra processing must be done at call setup and teardown time,
so call setup rates are reduced. The impact is greater if egress accounting is turned on.
Channelization
A DS1 port could be provisioned as, for example, 1 FRUNI (one unchannelized DS1), or
24 FRUNIs (1xDS0 each). The unchannelized case has slightly higher throughput on
most FPs.
Generally FR throughput decreases slightly when an FP has more services, more
connections, or (on MSA32) if there are a large number of 1xDS0 (64 kbps) or
1xDS0+CAS (56k kbps) services.
FR Rate
Adaptation & Rate
Enforcement
FR Rate Adaptation ON can reduce published FR max throughput by up to 10%
TODA
TODA (Time of Day Accounting, an option to cut accounting records more often than the
usual every 12 hours) can reduce FR max throughput by up to another 5%, especially if
egress accounting is turned on at the FR DLCI level.
Other
See the table below for other service-specific options that affect performance.
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With performance, on Passport or any other switch, context is critical. So if someone asks,
what is the FR throughput of this FP? your first question should be, At which software
level, what else is the FP running, whats the average frame size, how many services and how
many DLCIs, is Rate Adaptation, Rate Enforcement or TODA turned on?
The table below summarizes the factors that should be considered for each service.
Table 7 - Service-specific factors influencing performance

Service
Throughput
# Connections
ALL SERVICES
Card type, software level, mix of services running,

% mix of ingress vs. egress traffic, link bound
Card type, software

level, LPTs provisioned
Card type, software

level
FR
Frame size, degree of channelization, services with

only 1xDS0, Rate Enforcement, Rate Adaptation,
TODA, DLCI-level egress accounting
PVC vs. SVC/SPVC
Accounting ON/OFF
FRATM
As above for FR, plus: Translation/Transparent vs.

Gateway mode
PVC vs. SVC/SPVC
Accounting ON/OFF
CES
Degree of channelization, services with only

1xDS0, Partial cell fill
1xDS0 services with

CAS
ATM UNI
PVC vs. SVC/SPVC
Accounting ON/OFF
IMA
IP
IP over FR vs . ATM vs. PPP, Packet size, Degree

of channelization, Tunneling on/off, IP CoS On/Off,
IP Filtering On/Off, IPoFR DirectConnect feature
IP over FR vs. ATM vs.

PPP, IPoFR
DirectConnect feature
Accounting ON/OFF
DPRS
Packet size, Loadshare/Loadspread vs.

Loadspreadfast, Tandem vs. Endpoint
PORS
AAL5 MUX vs. MAP vs. SPO MUX/MAP modes
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4. ATM
This chapter describes ATM throughput, connection space and call setup rate. Here ATM refers
to ATM UNI, IISP or PNNI. For other services like IP over ATM, DPRS over ATM, FRATM, etc.,
refer to the chapters for those services. For PNNI network scalability figures (number of PTSEs
per peer group, etc.), refer to the separate ATM Networking Engineering Guidelines document.
4.1 ATM throughput

ATM throughput is link rate on all FPs shown here except for the 3pOC3/STM1 CQC FP. To
translate link rate into the number of ATM cells/second, refer to Section 3.3, What is Link
Rate? For example, OC-3 link rate is 353,207 cps. So total throughput of a 16pOC3 is
353,207 x 16 = 5.7 million cells/sec per direction, or 11.3 million cells/sec bidirectional.
FP
family
Throughput
FP types
(see Table 2 and Table 3
for vintages)
Mode
for ATM UNI, IISP or PNNI

(cells/second)
Ingress
(no egress)
Egress
(no
ingress)
Bidirectional
(sum ingress
+ egress)
With no policing 760,000

or shaping
760,000
1,520,000
With UPC &

traffic shaping
enabled
690,000
735,000
1,425,000
link rate
link rate
link rate
link rate
link rate
link rate
link rate
link rate
link rate
link rate
link rate
link rate
Notes
Passport 7000
CQC
PQC1
PQC2
3pOC3/STM1 ATM
8pDS1, 8pE1, 3pDS3,

3pE3 ATM
Manufacture-Discontinued
vintages of 3pE3, 3pDS3,
2pOC3/STM1, MSA32
2pOC3/STM1 ATM, PQC2
versions of 3pDS3, 3pE3
ATM
MSA32
If only ATM
UNI, IISP, PNNI
Mixed with
other services
link rate for ATM traffic, rest

depends on mix
Note 760 kcps per direction = 72%

of line rate of 3 OC3/STM1s
Policing & shaping are done in
software on CQC, so it has a
throughput impact. PQC FPs do
this in hardware, so no impact.
Manufacture Discontinued.
Link rate of 30 DS1/E1s + one

OC3/STM1.
See MSA32 chapter.
Passport 15000
PQC2
4pDS3ch ATM,
12pDS3, 12pE3
4pOC3/STM1,
1pOC12/STM4
16pOC3/STM1,
4pOC12/STM4 (PQC2),
1pOC48/STM16
PQC12 4pOC12/STM4 (PQC12
version)
link rate
link rate
link rate
link rate
link rate
link rate
link rate
link rate
link rate
link rate
link rate
link rate
Table 8- PP7k/PP15k ATM throughput in PCR3.0
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4.2 ATM connection space & Call Setup Rate

Refer to Section 3.1 for the distinction between # connections and # connection endpoints.
Per-shelf figures are often quoted as # connections (e.g., 12,000 per shelf for CP2), but they are
shown as # connection endpoints (24,000) in for easier comparison with per-FP figures.
Card
Family
Card types
# Connection
(see Table 2 and
Table 3 for vintages) (do not add PVC + SVC + SPVC)*
PVC
SVC
SPVC
Call Setup Rate
Notes
(calls/second)**
Accounting
OFF
Acct
ON
Passport 7000
Per shelf
CP2
CQC
PQC2
24,000
24,000
24,000
400
8pDS1, 8pE1,
3pDS3, 3pE3 ATM
3pOC3/STM1 ATM
1,500
3,000
3,000
30
1,500
3,000
3,000
30
22
2pOC3/STM1 ATM,
PQC2 versions of
3pDS3, 3pE3 ATM
MSA32 - ATM only
8,000
16,000
16,000
200
175
3,000
3,000
3,000
300
200
Mixed with
other services
3,000 total (DLCI + VPI/VCI)
250 24k connection endpoints

= 12k connections
22
depends on mix
Passport 15000
Per shelf
PQC2
PQC12
CP2
24,000
24,000
24,000
400
CP3
160,000
400,000
400,000
1500
8,000
8,000
16,000
15,997
16,000
15,997
200
200
16,000
45,000
45,000
300
250 24k connection endpoints

= 12k connections
900 160k / 400k endpoints =
80k / 200k connections
175
175 1-port FPs hit the limit of
15,997 connections/port
250
16,000
45,000
45,000
300
250
4pDS3ch ATM/IMA
1pOC12/STM4
1pOC48/STM16
12pDS3, 12pE3,
4pOC3/STM1
16pOC3/STM1
4pOC12/STM4
4pOC12/STM4
(PQC12 version)
Table 9 - PP7k/PP15k ATM connection space & call setup rate in PCR3.0
* connection space limits should be read as, for example: 16,000 PVC OR 45,000 SVC OR
45,000 SPVC endpoints, not added for 106,000 total. If a mix of PVC/SVC/SPVC are used on
the same card, the limit is a weighted average of the 3 maximum values:
(# PVCs/Max_PVCs) + (# SVCs/Max_SVCs) + (# SPVCs/Max_SPVCs) < 1
For example, a 16pOC3 ATM FP could run 30,000 endpoints total if mixed as 8000 PVC +
22,000 SPVC endpoints, because (8000/16000) + (22000/45000) = 0.99
** call setup rates shown here follow the Dual FP convention; call path is in one FP and out
another FP. Single-FP call setup rates (call goes in & out same FP) are slightly lower. In large
networks, the end-to-end call setup rate may be lower than the FP call setup rates above, due to PNNI path
computation times. See the ATM Networking Engineering Guidelines for more details on PNNI.
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5. Frame Relay
5.1 Frame Relay FP types: PM1, PM2, PQC
There have been over 40 hardware versions (consideringly only performance-significant
differences) of Frame Relay FPs on Passport 7000/15000. Many of the older ones have been
Manufacture Discontinued (MD), leaving 22 versions currently orderable: 17 FPs on PP7k, 5 FPs
on PP15k.
Table 10 below is an excerpt of Table 2, listing just Frame Relay FPs, grouped by card family.
Refer to Table 3, FPs listed by Hardware Vintage, to identify the exact hardware PEC code that
identifies an FP as, for example, PM1-16MB vs PM2-32MB. Note that for some FPs the
distinction between PQC1 and PQC2 versions is only in the last two letters of the vintage.
New customers only need to consider the 22 currently-orderable frame relay FPs (in bold).
Card
Family
Version
Memory
Other
ASIC
Card type (bold = current version)
Passport 7000:
PM1
PM1
8 MB
SBIC
Oldest vintages of 1pHSSI, 8pV35, 8pV11, 4pDS1, 4pE1, 1pDS3, 1pE3 FR
PM1ch
8 MB
SBIC
PM2 standard
16 MB
SBIC
PM2 premium
PM2
PQC1
PQC2
32 MB
SBIC
Oldest vintages of 4pDS1ch FR, 4pE1ch FR

Current vintages of 1pHSSI, 4pE1, 8pDS1, 1pE3 FR,
Old vintages of 8pV35, 8pV11, 4pDS1, 1pDS3 FR
New vintages of 8pV35, 8pV11, 1pDS3 FR
PM2ch standard 16 MB
SBIC
Old vintages of 4pDS1ch FR, 4pE1ch FR
PM2ch premium 32 MB
SBIC
New vintages of 4pDS1ch FR, 4pE1ch FR, 1pDS3ch FR, 4pE1ch FR-ISDN
PQC1
PQC2
64 MB AQM1.1
128 MB AQM1.1
Old vintages of MSA32

New vintages of MSA32 (6 types of this FP)
Passport 15000:
PQC1
PQC1
64 MB
Old vintages 4pDS3ch FR, 1pSTM1ch FR (Manufacture Discontinued)
PQC2
PQC2
128 MB
New vintages of 4pDS3ch FR*, 1pSTM1ch FR
128 MB
New PCQ12 version of 4pDS3ch FR*
PQC12 PQC12
Table 10 - PP7k/PP15k FP types supporting Frame Relay, grouped by ASIC family

*- The Passport Pricebook lists different order codes for channelized and unchannelized versions of the
4pDS3ch FR, to allow pricing based on the intended use. But they are physically the same hardware:
FP type
Pricebook description
Pricebook
order code
Actual PEC code

printed on hardware
4pDS3ch FR PQC2
4pDS3 FR PQC2
NTQS90AA
NTHR88DA
4pDS3ch FR PQC2
NTQS90BA
4pDS3 FR PQC12
NTQS42AA
4pDS3ch FR PQC12
NTQS42BA
4pDS3ch FR PQC12
NTHR89
Table 11 - 4pDS3ch FR order codes
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5.2 Frame Relay throughput

These figures apply to 128-byte frames.
Card family
(see Table 10 and
Table 3)
Throughput (kfps)
(1000 frames/second)
with 128-byte frames
Mode
Notes
(no
egress)
(no
ingress)
Bidirectional
(sum ingress +
egress)
20
6
35
35
10
10
35
20
6
35
35
10
10
35
20
6
35
35
10
10
35
90
75
90 Applies if MSA32 is running only FR
Depends on mix - see notes
MSA32 mix FR + other services
Ingress Egress
Passport 7000
PM1
PM1ch
PM2 16 MB
PM2 32 MB
PM2ch 16 MB
PM2ch 32 MB
FRUNI, FRNNI, or FRATM*

1pDS3ch FR (exception)
PQC2 - MSA32 FRUNI, FRNNI, or FRATM*
channelized up to 400 channels
Mixed with other services
Passport 15000
PQC2
Unchannelized
(4pDS3ch FR & FRNNI, channelized to 112
1pSTM1ch FR) channels
MD
MD
MD
The 1pDS3ch FR has higher
throughput than other PM2ch FPs
95
75
90
85
70
FRUNI or FRATM*, channelized

to 112 channels
FRUNI or FRATM*, channelized
to 672 channels
Overriding limit: per DS3 port
... or per "slice" of 21 E1s on
1pSTM1ch FR
95
75
60
60
80 On 4pDS3ch, 4 ports x 28 DS1s =

112 channels ("channelized to DS1
90 level"). Throughput gradually
decreases as # channels
provisioned increases (up to max
60 1024); see sample at 672.
40
40
28
28
PQC12
FRUNI or FRNNI, unchannelized
160
130
(4pDS3ch FR)
FRUNI or FRNNI, channelized to

112 DS1s
160
120
FRATM*, unchannelized
95
75
FRATM*, channelized to
112 DS1s
95
75
FRUNI, FRNNI, FRATM*

Overriding limit: per DS3 port
link rate link rate
33 The per-FP limit of 90 kfps cannot

33 be achieved all on 1 port, due to
overriding per-port or "per-slice"
limit. See notes.
260
240 4 ports x 28 DS1s = 112 channels.
Throughput lower than this if
channelized to more than 112
channels (up to max 1024).
90 FRATM does not take full
90 advantage of PQC12 until a future
software release. For now FRATM
throughput is similar to PQC2.
link rate The PQC12 FP does not have the
same per-port limit as PQC2.
Individual ports can saturate DS3
line rate, up to the per-FP limit.
Table 12 - Frame Relay throughput for PP7k/PP15k FPs in PCR3.0

* FRATM throughputs are for FRF.5 or FRF.8 provisioned as Translation or Transparent mode. In Gateway
mode, throughput is about half of this figure, as frames are processed twice as FRNNI and FRATM.
See the MSA32 Engineering Guidelines for MSA32 performance details and service mixes.
FR-ISDN (supported on 4pE1ch FR-ISDN FP and MSA32) has the same throughput as FRUNI.
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5.3 Frame Relay connection space & Call Setup Rate
Card family
Mode
(see Table 10 and

Table 3)
Connection
Space:
# DLCIs
(PVC/SVC/
SPVC)
Call Setup Rate

(calls/second)
Notes
Accounting
OFF
Acct
ON
Passport 7000
Per-shelf CP2
CP2
24,000
200
PM1
PM1ch
PM2 16 MB
PM2 32 MB
PM2ch 16 MB
300
18
150
18
750
50
40
5,000
50
40
FRUNI, FRNNI
1,000
50
40 MD
750
50
40
40
FRATM*
PM2ch 32 MB
5,000
50
PQC2 - MSA32
3,000
200
FR mixed with other

services
3,000 total
(DLCI +VPI.VCI)
80
9 PM1 FPs (MD'ed in 1998) have
9 reduced # connections with each
PCR release due to code growth.
In PCR3.0 and up, PM1s are
supported as Single-Service ONLY
80 Applies if MSA32 running only FR
Depends on mix
MSA32 mix FR + other services
Passport 15000
Per-shelf CP2
CP2
24,000
200
105
Per-shelf CP3
CP3
24,000
200
105 Per-shelf CP3 FR figures not

measured yet; expected higher
than CP2. Will be updated.
PQC2
5,000
135
105
PQC12
5,000
135
105
Table 13 Frame Relay Connection Space & Call Setup Rate in PCR3.0
* FRATM figures are for FRF.5 or FRF.8 provisioned as Translation or Transparent mode. In Gateway
mode, connection space is about half of this figure, as DLCIs are counted twice as FRNNI and FRATM.
Call setup rates here shown following the Dual FP convention; call path is in one FP and out
another FP. Single-FP call setup rates (call goes in & out same FP) are slightly lower.
5.4 What if my lab sees a different result?

The recommended figures in this document are de-rated from the actual maximum values, so
typically customer labs or live networks will experience performance as good or better than
shown here.
But if a customer finds lower performance, evaluate if it may be related to the performanceinfluencing factors described in section 3.5, and recapped here in Table 14.
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Table 14 - Frame Relay performance-influencing factors

Service
Throughput
# Connections
Call Setup
Rate
ALL SERVICES
Card type, software level, mix of services running,

% mix of ingress vs. egress traffic, link bound
Card type (especially

memory), software
level, LPTs provisioned
Card type,
software level
FR
Frame size, degree of channelization, services with

only 1xDS0, Rate Enforcement, Rate Adaptation,
TODA, DLCI-level egress accounting
Accounting
ON/OFF
FRATM
As above for FR, plus: Translation/Transparent vs.

Gateway mode
Accounting
ON/OFF
5.5 Passport-BNX Interworking

The Passport-BNX Interworking feature was introduced in PCR3.0. It is only supported on the
Passport 15000 4pDS3ch FR FP, PQC12 version.
Table 15 - Passport-BNX Interworking throughput with 128-byte frames in PCR3.0
Per FP
vs.
Per Port
Degree of
channelization
Throughput (kfps)
with 128-byte frames
Notes
Ingress
Egress
(no
egress)
(no
ingress)
Bidirectional
(sum ingress
+ egress)
PP15k 4pDS3ch PQC12 FR-BNX Interworking

Per FP
(4 ports of
traffic)
Per Port
(1 port of
traffic)
Unchannelized (4 DS3 ports)
105
95
100
Channelized to 112 FRUNIs

(4 ports x 28 DS1s)
100
80
90

(4 ports x 168 FRUNIs)
40
40
50

(4 ports x 256 FRUNIs)
50
30
40
Unchannelized (1 DS3 port)
40
40
65
Channelized to 28 DS1s
(1 port x 28 DS1s)
40
40
65

(1 port x 168 FRUNIs)
35
35
50
Channelized to 256
(1 port x 256 FRUNIs)
30
30
40
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Note how throughput

decreases with increased
channelization.
If traffic is concentrated
on one port, see the
overriding per-port
figures below.
These figures are the

max for a single port.
Do not multiply by 4 to
get the card total; instead
refer to the per-FP
throughputs above.
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6. IP
This chapter focuses on throughput for PP7k/PP15k IP access: IP over ATM, IP over Frame
Relay, and IP over PPP (Point-to-Point Protocol). For information on IP-VPN Network Scalability,
such as number of VRs per node, refer to the separate IP-VPN Engineering Guidelines
document. For more background on Passport IP, refer to the IP Overview NTP 241-5701-800.
Factors affecting throughput include: packet size, Accounting on/off, Tunnelling on/off, CoS
(Class of Service) on/off, and DirectConnect vs. VirtualFramer (on IPoverFR). See section 6.1 on
packet size and section 6.2 for an explanation of tunnelling.
6.1 IP packet size

What counts as a 64-byte packet in IP? There are several packet headers to consider, so be
sure to use the right values in throughput calculations. When this document refers to a 64-byte IP
packet, it means as it arrives at the Passport, already including its 20-byte IP header and
RFC1483/RFC1490/PPP encapsulation header. For example, a 64-byte packet in IPoverATM:
IP header
20 bytes
RFC1483
header
8 bytes
IP payload
36 bytes
56 bytes
64 bytes (as arrives at Passport)

AAL5 trailer
8 bytes
5 bytes
ATM cell
header
48 bytes
5 bytes
ATM cell
header
72 bytes
24 bytes + padding 2 x 53 = 106 bytes total

(ATM cell payload is always
48 bytes, so leftover space is padded)
Note how the original 56-byte IP packet (64-byte as it arrives at Passport) uses 106 bytes when
carried over ATM. This large amount of overhead is as per the IP and ATM standards, not a
Passport-specific limitation. The ratio of overhead to user data is better for larger packets.
The above 64-byte packet required 2 ATM cells. Likewise, any packet from 41 bytes to 88 bytes
would require 2 ATM cells, but an 89-byte packet would require 3 cells. In general, calculate the
# ATM cells required as:
round up ((IP packet size as arrives at Passport + 8 bytes AAL5 trailer) / 48 bytes)
Example: 512-byte packet:
round up ((512 bytes + 8 bytes) / 48 bytes)
= round up (10.8 ATM cells)
= 11 ATM cells
Total bytes used: 11 ATM cells x 53 bytes/cell = 583 bytes, which is only 14% overhead.
See Table 17 for an example of how this is used in comparing ATM throughput to IP throughput.
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6.2 Tandem VR vs. Tunnelled VR

IP processing is done at the ingress FP, but some Layer 2 (Frame Relay and PPP) technologies
require software processing on egress. So consider both ingress & egress throughput limitations.
The two basic models in which a VR (Virtual Router) can be deployed are: a tandem model,
where a nodes ingress & egress traffic use the same VR, or an aggregate (tunnelling) model,
where ingress traffic entering the IP access port goes to a VR and egress traffic leaving the node
via a trunk uses a VCG (Virtual Connection Gateway).
The total customer usable throughput of an FP will differ based on which of the above models is
used. Figure 4 shows the tandem VR configuration and on which FPs the ingress or egress IP
forwarding is being measured. Figure 5 shows the aggregate (tunnelled) VR configuration, and
the FPs on which the ingress and egress IP with tunnelling throughput is being measured.
Figure 4 - Tandem VR configuration
VR
VR
Access
FP
Trunk
FP
Trunk
FP
Access
FP
Ingress IP FP
Egress IP FP
Ingress IP FP
Egress IP FP
Traffic
VR
VR
VCG
Access
FP
Ingress IP with
Tunnelling FP
VCG
Trunk
FP
Trunk
FP
Access
FP
Egress IP with
Tunnelling FP
Ingress IP with
Tunnelling FP
Egress IP with
Tunnelling F P
Traffic
Figure 5 - Tunnelled (aggregate) VR configuration (VR + VCG)
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In the case of tunnelling the ingress FP needs to do more processing to add the tunnelling IP
header to the original IP packet. The additional IP header (20 bytes) and processing needed at
the ingress FP reduces the total customer usable throughput capabilities of the FP. The tunnelling
IP header becomes less significant as the customer IP packet size increases.
6.3 IP over ATM

IP over ATM (AtmMPE)
FP
Family
FP type
(see Table 2
and Table 3)
Mode
PP7k
CQC
Throughput (kpps) with 64-byte packets

Ingress
Egress
Bidirectional
(no egress) (no ingress) (sum ingress +
egress)
60
60
45
19
18
link rate*
link rate*
link rate*
link rate*
link rate*
175
330
60
60
45
19
18
link rate*
link rate*
link rate*
link rate*
link rate*
link rate*
link rate*
60
60
45
19
18
link rate*
link rate*
link rate*
link rate*
link rate*
350
660
330
link rate*
660
270
link rate*
540
w. Tunnels
175
link rate*
350
w. Tunnels + CoS
175
link rate*
350
w. Accounting
9 FPs - see list IP/ATM
w. Accounting
w. CoS
w. Tunnels
w. Tunnels + CoS
PQC12 4pOC12/STM4 IP/ATM
60
330
330
270
175
175
700
60
link rate*
link rate*
link rate*
link rate*
link rate*
link rate*
60
660
660
540
350
350
1400
700
link rate*
1400
9 FPs (see
Table 2) with
ILS Forwarder
card
IP/ATM
w. Accounting
w. CoS
w. Tunnels
w. Tunnels + CoS
MSA32 w DS1/E1s only IP/ATM

w. CoS
w. Tunnels
+ OC3/STM1
IP/ATM
port
w. CoS
PQC2
w. Tunnels
2pOC3/STM1, IP/ATM
PQC2 versions
w. Accounting
of 3pDS3, 3pE3
w. CoS
PP15k
PQC2
(PQC12 version)
w. Accounting
link rate*
w. CoS
w. Tunnels
390
link rate*
780
w. Tunnels + CoS
380
link rate*
760
Comments
With ILS Forwarder card
E.g., link rate of 30 DS1s @ 64byte packets, with cell padding*
= 53 kpps per direction

E.g., link rate of 30 E1s + 1 STM1
@ 64-byte packets, with cell
padding* = 246 kpps per
direction
Link rate for 2 OC3 ports with
64-byte packets = 330 kpps
per direction
Same as on PP7k PQC2 FPs.

Note that on the OC3/OC12/
OC48 FPs, throughput is less
than link rate due to the OC6
limit of PQC2.
700 kpps @ 64-byte packets =
link rate of one OC12/STM4.
Figures with CoS coming in
the next version of this
document.
Table 16 - IP over ATM Throughput in PCR3.0

*- where link rate appears in the above table, it refers to link rate of the ATM cells carrying the
IPoverATM. When translating this to # IP packets, be sure to consider all the overhead and the
rules for segmenting packets into ATM cells, as described in section 6.1.
For example, a 41-byte IP packet would be transmitted as 2 cells:
41-byte IP packet + 8-byte AAL5 trailer = 49 bytes > 48-byte ATM cell payload, so 2 cells reqd:
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one full cell (41 bytes user data + 7 bytes AAL5 trailer) + one cell with only the last byte of the AAL5
trailer + 47 bytes of padding. (Only one packet fragment is allowed per cell.)
So in this example ATM throughput is link rate but the

IP throughput is less. See Table
17 for the translation of link rate to IP packets/second for various packet sizes on MSA32.
IP packet # cells
size (as req'd for
arrives at
each
Passport) packet
64
128
256
512
IPoverATM Measured
ATM line
Throughput for DS1
rate x 30 Calculate:
(pps)
DS1 ports Line rate /
(cps per # cells per
Per
direction)
packet direction Bidirectional
2
3
6
11
108,660
108,660
108,660
108,660
54,330
36,220
18,110
9,878
53,800
35,900
17,900
9,800
IPoverATM Estimated
ATM line
Throughput for E1
rate x 30 Calculate:
(pps)
E1 ports Line rate /
(cps per # cells per
Per
direction)
packet direction Bidirectional
107,600
71,800
35,800
19,600
140,370
140,370
140,370
140,370
70,185
46,790
23,395
12,761
70,000
46,000
23,000
12,000
140,000
92,000
46,000
24,000
Table 17 - Meaning of "link rate" for MSA32 IP over ATM throughput
6.4 IP over Frame Relay (FRDTE)

IP over Frame Relay (FrDTE)
(FRDTE, DirectConnect and FRUNI on the same FP) or (FRDTE, VirtualFramer and FRUNI on the same FP*)
FP
FP type / mode
Mode
Comments
Family (see Table 2
Ingress
Egress
Bidirectional
and Table 3)
egress)
PP7k
MSA32 using
DirectConnect
using vFramer
PM2
11 FR FPs
(see Table 2
and Table 10)
(not including
Ethernet FPs)
IP/FR
w. Tunnels
IP/FR
w CoS
w. Tunnels
IP/FR
80
80
20
20
15
15
70
70
15
15
15
15
80
80
20
20
15
15
w. Accounting
15
15
15
w. CoS
12
12
12
w. Tunnels
10
12
10
w. Tunnels + CoS
10
10
10
25
25
25
DirectConnect feature
introduced in PCR2.3
With FRDTE + VirtualFramer +
FRUNI on the same FP*.
Measured on 1pDS3 FR
(unchannelized).
PP15k
PQC2
4pDS3ch FR
IP/FR
(PQC2 version), w CoS
1pSTM1ch FR
w. Tunnels
PQC12 4pDS3ch FR
IP/FR
(PQC12 version)
w CoS
w. Tunnels

More figures coming in next
version of this document.
More figures coming in next
version of this document.
Table 18 - IP over FR throughput in PCR3.0
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* - VirtualFramer recommendations are for FRDTE + Vframer + FRUNI on the same FP; better
throughput may be achieved by separating these components on different FPs, or using physical
hairpins. Contact DNE (Data Network Engineering) for suggestions.
6.5 IP over PPP

IP over PPP
FP
Family
FP type
Mode
PP7k
MSA32 w DS1/E1s only IP/PPP
IP/PPP w. Tunnels

Ingress
Egress
Bidirectional
egress)
link rate
link rate
link rate
link rate
link rate
link rate
Comments
Link rate of 32 DS1 ports @

64-byte packets = 96 kpps
(E1: 124 kpps) per direction
Table 19 - IP over PPP throughput in PCR3.0

More IP over PPP figures coming in the next version of this document.
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7. DPRS
Dynamic Packet Routing System (DPRS) is a Passport internal routing system used to carry
frame-based traffic through the network. Between nodes, DPRS logical trunks may physically
travel across Passport frame-cell trunks (in the case of PM2 cards) or Passport ATM trunks (for
CQC and PQC cards). So an access service may traverse the network as, for example, Frame
Relay over DPRS over ATM.
7.1 DPRS Throughput

Figures for 64-byte packets.
FP family
Card types
DPRS mode
(see Table 2 and Table 3)
DPRS Tandem Throughput

(kpps) (1000 packets/second)
with 64-byte packets
Ingress Egress
Bidirectional
(no egress) (no ingress)
(sum ingress +
egress)
Passport 7000
PM2 (If used for
frame-cell trunks)
CQC
PQC2
See Frame Relay Table 10 Loadshare/

list of 16 PM2 FP types
Loadspread
CQC versions of
3pDS3 ATM, 3pE3 ATM
3pOC3/STM1 ATM
"ATM IP" cards:
2pOC3/STM1, PQC2
version of 3pDS3, 3pE3
MSA32
Loadshare/
Loadspread
Loadshare/
Loadspread
Loadshare/
Loadspread
LoadSpreadFast
60 link rate
120
34 link rate
68
34
68
700**
140 link rate
280
180 link rate
360
115 link rate
230
130 link rate
260
Loadshare/
Loadspread
120 link rate
240
LoadSpreadFast
180 link rate
360
130 link rate
260
180 link rate
360
130 link rate
260
525 link rate
1,050
400 link rate
800
Loadshare/
Loadspread
LoadSpreadFast
Passport 15000
PQC2
PQC12
4pOC3/STM1 ATM
12pDS3, 12pE3,
16pOC3/STM1,
1pOC12/STM4,
4pOC12/STM4 (PQC2),
1pOC48/STM16
4pOC12/STM4 (PQC12
version)
Loadshare/
Loadspread
LoadSpreadFast
Loadshare/
Loadspread
LoadSpreadFast
@ 64 bytes/packet
LoadSpreadFast
@ 128 bytes/packet
Table 20 - DPRS throughput in PCR3.0
** 700,000 pps There is no DPRS-specific limit on the egress, which on most FPs means link
rate. But the 3pOC3/STM1 CQC can only reach 72% of link rate (760,000 cells/sec), as shown in
the ATM section of this document, so the DPRS egress limit is similarly limited to 700 kpps.
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7.2 DPRS Loadshare, Loadspread, LoadspreadFast

The DPRS mode Loadshare vs. Loadspread vs. LoadspreadFast can be provisioned via this
shelf-wide parameter:
rtg dpn forwardingPolicy
The default is loadspread, but loadspreadfast has the highest DPRS tandem throughput. Some
customers choose Loadshare for its ability to share traffic more evenly between low-speed links
in a link group. See Table 21 for a description of the options, and refer to the DPRS Guide NTP
for more details.
DPRS
forwardingPolicy
Typical use
Loadshare
Useful on PP6k/PP7k to balance the traffic on low-speed (below DS3) trunks, for
more even bandwidth usage on average. However, loadshare has lower per-FP
throughput than Loadspreadfast. On PP15k, use LoadspreadFast instead, because
PP15k only has trunks of DS3 or higher.
Loadspread
Default. Often used on older frame-cell trunks, but all DPRS over ATM trunks (even
CQC) can get higher throughput with LoadspreadFast.
LoadspreadFast
Offers best per-FP throughput on all PQC FPs: PP6k/PP7k ATMIP FPs and all
PP15k FPs. Note it is allowed to turn on this option on nodes that have a mix of
PQC, CQC, and frame-cell trunks, though the improved throughput will mainly appear
on the PQC FPs.
Table 21 - When to use Loadshare vs. Loadspread vs. LoadspreadFast
7.3 DPRS Tandem vs. Endpoint

The DPRS throughput figure most often quoted is Ingress Tandem, because this figure is
usually the bottleneck. On an access node where Frame Relay ports are deployed, DPRS would
mainly be doing Ingress Endpoint or Egress Endpoint, which have line-rate throughput. The
meaning of these terms is explained here.
When a Frame Relay connection is set up between 2 Passports at remote ends of the network,
DPRS does processing both at the endpoints (same shelf as the FR card) to package the FR
frames into DPRS packets, and at every intermediate hop (tandem nodes) to make routing
decisions dynamically for each packet.
The amount of processing required is different for tandem nodes and endpoint nodes, and also
depends on the direction; hence the max DPRS throughput is different. The 4 possible
throughputs are:
1) Egress endpoint: leaving the first node. DPRS egress activity is all done in
hardware, so it is only limited by line rate (or in the case of a 3pOC3/STM1 CQC
FP, its max ATM throughput; see ATM section). In practice, of course, the
egress here is effectively limited by the ingress of the FP on the next node.
2) Ingress tandem: entering the middle hop. This is where the most processing is
required. The FP reassembles ATM cells into a DPRS packet, makes a routing
decision, and segments the packet back into ATM cells again. This is the main
bottleneck in DPRS, because it is typically less than line rate. Depends on
loadshare vs. loadspread vs. loadspreadfast (shelf-wide option provisioned as
rtg dpn forwardingPolicy )
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3) Egress tandem: leaving a middle hop. As above, egress activity is done in

hardware, so this can be up to line rate (see disclaimer for 3pOC3/STM1 FP).
4) Ingress endpoint: entering the last node. CQC FPs do part of this work in
software, so the throughput is the same as (actually slightly larger than) ingress
tandem throughput, 34 kpps. PQC FPs do this work in hardware, so for them
Ingress endpoint is essentially line rate.
Endpoint Node
FR
FP
Trunk
FP
FR traffic
source
Tandem Node
Egress
Endpoint
Ingress
Tandem
Ingress
Endpoint
Egress
Tandem
Trunk
FP
Trunk
FP
Endpoint Node
Egress
Tandem
Ingress
Endpoint
Ingress
Tandem
Egress
Endpoint
Trunk
FP
FR
FP
Figure 3 - DPRS Tandem vs. Endpoint, Ingress vs. Egress
Note MSA32 could

play the role of Trunk
FP, FR FP, or both
on the same FP
So some points in the path can be line rate because they are not limited by DPRS processing.
However, since the egress of one FP is really limited by the ingress of the next FP, the net effect
is that DPRS trunks are typically not running at line rate, except for a 2-node connection with no
tandem. On average, the Ingress Tandem figure becomes the per direction figure. For
example, if a network is all PQC2 trunk FPs, the 180 kpps ingress effectively becomes 180 kpps
per direction, or 360 kpps bidirectional.
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8. PORS
Path-Optimized Routing System (PORS) is a Passport proprietary routing system used to carry
BTDS, HTDS and voice. Between nodes, PORS trunks may physically travel across Passport
frame-cell trunks (in the case of PM2 cards) or Passport ATM trunks (for CQC and PQC cards).
So an access service may traverse the network as, for example, HTDS over PORS over ATM.
8.1 PORS throughput

Throughputs shown here are all for the case of one frame per cell. That is, frame sizes of: 44
bytes for BTDS & voice (standard voice cell size), 20 bytes for HTDS on ATM FPs (fits as one
frame per cell), and 64 bytes for HTDS on PM2 FPs (no cells, just frames).
FP Family
Card types
PORS mode
(see Table 2 and

Table 3)
Frame
size
PORS throughput (kfps)

Ingress
Egress
Bidirectional**
(no egress) (no ingress)
(sum ingress +
egress)
Passport 7000
PM2 (If used for
frame-cell trunks)
CQC
PQC2
See Frame Relay Table Frame (HTDS)

10 list of 16 PM2 FPs
Cell (BTDS, voice)
64
66
link rate
132
44
66
link rate
132
3pOC3/STM1 ATM ,
AAL5 MAP mode
CQC versions of 3pDS3, AAL5 MUX mode
3pE3 ATM
SPO MAP mode
20
760*
760*
1520*
20
40
760*
80
44
760*
760*
1520*
760*
50
SPO MUX mode
44
25
"ATM IP" cards:

AAL5 MAP mode
2pOC3/STM1, PQC2
version of 3pDS3, 3pE3 AAL5 MUX mode
SPO MAP mode
20
link rate
link rate
link rate
20
554
link rate
1108
44
link rate
link rate
link rate
SPO MUX mode
44
554
link rate
1108
20 or
44
link rate
link rate
link rate
MSA32
All modes (if PORS

only)
4pDS3ch ATM, 12pDS3,

12pE3, 4pOC3/STM1,
16pOC3/STM1,
1pOC12/STM4,
4pOC12/STM4 (PQC2),
1pOC48/STM16
AAL5 MAP mode
20
link rate
link rate
link rate
AAL5 MUX mode
20
554
link rate
1108
SPO MAP mode
44
link rate
link rate
link rate
SPO MUX mode
44
554
link rate
1108
4pOC12/STM4 (PQC12
version)
AAL5 MAP mode
20
link rate
link rate
link rate
AAL5 MUX mode
20
1330
link rate
2660
SPO MAP mode
44
link rate
link rate
link rate
SPO MUX mode
44
1330
link rate
2660
Passport 15000
PQC2
PQC12
Table 22 - PORS throughput in PCR3.0

* 760,000 fps There is no PORS-specific limit on the egress, which on most FPs means link rate. But the
3pOC3/STM1 CQC can only reach 72% of link rate (760,000 cells/sec), so the PORS egress limit is similarly
760 kfps (when the frame size is such that one frame fits per cell).
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** Bidirectional = sum of frames in both directions, where traffic is 50% ingress + 50% egress.
When traffic is link rate in one direction, the bidirectional figure may look confusing. For example,
if a 1pOC12 FP in SPO-MUX mode has a throughput of 554 kfps ingress-only, and link rate
(1412 kfps for one OC12) egress-only, one might expect the bidirectional figure to be near the
sum of these two maximums, 554 + 1412 = 1966 kfps.
It is true that the FP can achieve this total, but only if traffic happens to be flowing in this 554 vs
1412 ratio, that is, 28% ingress, 72% egress. In most applications this is unlikely, or at least not
wise to plan on. If the actual traffic is 50-50%, then the total will be less than 1966 kfps.
So this document does not quote 1966 bidirectional, because by definition it would mean 50% of
that figure is ingress = 983 kfps -- and the FP can do max 554 kfps ingress. So the only figure
that matches the definition of a realistic 50-50% traffic flow is 554 x 2 = 1108 bidirectional.
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9. Shelf Capacity
9.1 Passport 7000 shelf capacity
For throughput and redundancy reasons, the PP7k system has two buses on the backplane. The
buses are 32 data bits wide running at 25 MHz. This provides a total backplane capacity of 1.6
Gbits/second. All traffic traverses the backplane in proprietary 64-byte cells, containing a 4-byte
header and 60 bytes of data. So the actual total backplane user data capacity is (60/64) x 1.6 =
1.5 Gbits/s.
Since there are two identical backplane buses, a failure and resultant shutdown of one bus would
decrease the bus throughput to 800 Mbits/second (data throughput of 750 Mbits/second), but
would not cause an entire module failure.
Calculating bus usage:

Example 1
An FP sending 512-byte packets at a rate of 1000 pps across the backplane to another FP will
use:
cells/packet * pps * backplane_cell_size * bits/byte
= (roundup [packetsize/60]) * pps * 64 bytes per backplane cell * 8 bits/byte
= (roundup [512/60]) * 1000 pps * 64 bytes/cell * 8 bits/byte
= 9 cells/packet * 1000 pps * 64 bytes/cell * 8 bits/byte
= 4,608,000 bps
= 4.6 Mbps
= 0.3% of the backplane capacity
Example 2
An FP sending ATM cells at a rate of 1000 cps across the backplane to another FP will use:
1 backplane cell per ATM cell * cps * 64 bytes per backplane cell * 8 bits/byte
= 1 * 1000 * 64 * 8
= 512000 bps

Each Passport 15000 shelf contains two fabric cards each fabric being Single-stage, full-duplex,
non-blocking 56.32 Gbps capacity (40 Gbps of user capacity).
Both fabrics are used to carry traffic, although a single fabric can handle all traffic carried by a
fully provisioned and configured Passport 15000. Under normal circumstances, each processor
card transmits to and receives from half the processors on the upper fabric (usually labeled the X
fabric) and half on the lower fabric (the Y fabric).
Each of the 16 links (FP/CP slots) to the fabric supports 3.52 Gbps bi-directional data rate per link
or, 2.5 Gbps bi-directional user data rate. For redundancy purpose, each CP and FP has an
independent 3.52 Gbps link to each of the two fabric modules.
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Calculating fabric usage:

Passport 15000 uses a fixed 68-byte cell (or packet) in the fabric to route between the processor
cards.:
3 bytes - switch routing header
64 bytes - Passport proprietary cell. And as before with PP7k, the ATM cell is stored in
the Passport proprietary cell payload.
1 byte - CRC to protect the payload. CRC byte is checked and stripped by the receiving
FP.
Example 1
An FP sending 512 byte packets at a rate of 1000 pps across the backplane to another FP will
consume:
cells/packet * pps * backplane_cell_size * bits/byte
= (roundup [packetsize/64]) * pps * 68 bytes per backplane cell * 8 bits/byte
= (roundup [512/64]) * 1000 pps * 68 bytes/cell * 8 bits/byte
= 9 cells/packet * 1000 pps * 68 bytes/cell * 8 bits/byte
= 4,896,000 bps
= 4.896 Mbps
= 0.012% of backplane capacity
Example 2
An FP sending ATM cells at a rate of 1000 cps across the backplane to another FP will consume:
1 backplane cell per ATM cell * cps * 68 bytes per backplane cell * 8 bits/byte
= 1 * 1000 * 68 * 8
= 544000 bps
= 0.544 Mbps

The new Passport 20,000 (PP20k) is not generally available yet in PCR3.0, but this note is
included here for advance planning. See the Passport Plan of Record (POR) for the rollout.
The PP20k runs the same software and many of the same FPs as the PP15k, but it has
enhanced mechanical design, new switching fabrics (112 Gbps), and four slots (6, 7, 14, 15)
capable of supporting new 10 Gbps FPs. The total usable switch capacity is 70 Gbit/s.
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10. Appendix A: MSA32 Performance

This section already exists in the MSA32 Engineering Guidelines document; repeated here for
reference. See the notes in the next section for mixes of access services on the same MSA32.
Table 23 - MSA32 Connection Space as of PCR3.0
Service
Connection space
Recommendation
All
services
# Connection endpoints (DLCIs + VPI/VCIs) per FP
Notes
3000
# Services (ATMUNI + FRUNI + CES etc.) per FP
Same since PCR1.2
500
Table 24 - MSA32 Call Setup Rate as of PCR3.0

Service
Call Setup Rate (calls/second)

Accounting OFF
Notes
Accounting ON
FR
200
75
ATM
300
200
Same since PCR1.2

Increased to this at PCR2.2.1.
Table 25 - MSA32 single-service throughput as of PCR3.0

See Section 3.5, Performance Influencing Factors, for config options that may affect these values.
Service
Mode
Throughput (frames/second,
cells/second, or packets/second) when
not mixed with other services
Egress
(with no
ingress)
Ingress
(with no
egress)
Notes
Bidirectional
(50% ingress
+50% egress)
FR
FRUNI, FRNNI
75,000
90,000
90,000
FRATM
FRF.5, FRF.8 Translation

or Transparent Mode
75,000
90,000
90,000
FRF.8 Gateway mode
40,000
50,000
50,000
Same since PCR2.1.

Applies to 64 to 256
byte frames (except, of
course, when limited by
link rate. See section
3.3- link rate meaning)
CES
Unstructured,
basicStructured, or
structured with CAS
link rate
link rate
link rate
Link rate of 32 DS1/E1

ports. See limit on #
services 1xDS0 with
CAS
ATM
ATM UNI, PNNI, IISP
link rate
link rate
link rate
Link rate of 30 DS1/E1

ports + 1 OC3/STM1.
~link rate
~link rate
~link rate
Link rate of 22 E1 or 24
DS1 ports, minus the
usual IMA overhead.
IMA
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usual IMA overhead.

Max 6 IMA groups per
Maker (12 per FP).
DPRS
DPRS Tandem,
link rate
115,000
230,000
link rate
130,000
260,000
link rate
link rate
link rate
Endpoint is all done in

hardware, so no PQC2
impact. So OC3/STM1
DPRS (if no tandem)
has no impact on FR
throughput on same FP.
link rate
link rate
link rate
On DS1/E1 ports.
(OC3/STM1 data not
currently available)
80,000
80,000
With 64-byte frames.
Loadshare or Loadspread
DPRS Tandem,
LoadSpreadFast*
DPRS Endpoint
(see diagram defining
endpoint vs. tandem)
Figures here achievable

on OC3/STM1 port. If
doing DPRS on DS1/E1
ports (up to 32 ports,
including over IMA),
limiting factor is link rate
PORS
AAL5 MUX/MAP, SPO

MUX/MAP modes
IP
IP over FR with Direct

Connect feature, (same
throughput with or without
IP tunnels)
70,000
IP over ATM (AtmMpe),

with or without tunnels,
and with or without IP
CoS (all same throughput)
Link rate
minus cell
padding**
Link rate
minus cell
padding**
Link rate minus

cell padding**
Throughput for IP over

ATM is essentially line
rate, except for a packet
overhead effect
described below.**
Link rate
Link rate
Link rate
Remember this is for up

to 30 DS1/E1 ports
(ATM cannot be run on
ports #30-31)
IP over PPP, with or

without tunnels
Throughput was lower

before DirectConnect
introduced in PCR2.3
*- DPRS Loadspreadfast: for Passport nodes with PQC2 trunk FPs (like MSA32), for best throughput,
provision:
rtg dpn forwardingPolicy

The default is loadspread, but loadspreadfast has higher DPRS tandem throughput.
** - IPoverATM throughput link rate minus cell padding this refers to the fact that the
throughput is link rate for ATM cells carrying IPoverATM. When translating this to # IP
packets/second, be sure to consider all the overhead and the rules for segmenting packets into
ATM cells, as described in section 6.1.
For example, a 41-byte IP packet would be transmitted as 2 cells:
41-byte IP packet + 8-byte AAL5 trailer = 49 bytes > 48-byte ATM cell payload, so 2 cells reqd:
one full cell (41 bytes user data + 7 bytes AAL5 trailer) + one cell with only the last byte of the AAL5
trailer + 47 bytes of padding. (Only one packet fragment is allowed per cell.)
So in this example ATM throughput is link rate but the
IP throughput is less.
See Table 26 for the translation of link rate to packets/second for various packet sizes on
MSA32 IPoverATM
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ATM line
rate x 30
DS1 ports
(cps per
direction)
packet
# cells
size (as req'd for
arrives at each
Passport) packet
64
128
256
512
2
3
6
11
108,660
108,660
108,660
108,660
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IPoverATM Measured
Throughput for DS1
Calculate: (pps)
Line rate /
# cells per Per
packet
direction Bidirectional
54,330
36,220
18,110
9,878
53,800
35,900
17,900
9,800
107,600
71,800
35,800
19,600
ATM line
rate x 30
E1 ports
(cps per
direction)
140,370
140,370
140,370
140,370
IPoverATM Estimated
Calculate: Throughput for E1 (pps)
Line rate /
# cells per Per
packet
direction Bidirectional
70,185
46,790
23,395
12,761
70,000
46,000
23,000
12,000
Table 26 - Meaning of "link rate" for MSA32 IP over ATM throughput
10.1 MSA32 performance architecture

Many MSA32 performance figures are quoted per port-block of 16 ports, #0-15 or 16-31. This is
because the link processing is handled by two identical and independent sets of hardware
components, each including a Maker: a Maker MXT3010 cell processor chip. So figures per
port-block are also sometimes referred to as per Maker.
Frame Relay throughput, however, does not depend on port numbers because there is a single
point of FR processing on an MSA32. This is a logical representation:
16 ports
16 ports
Link
Processing
Frame Relay
Processing
Passport
backplane
Link
Processing
10.2 MSA32 Multi-service mixes

The previous sections described performance and # ports rules for MSA32 when provisioned as
single-service, for example, 32 ports of FRUNI + FRNNI. This section describes multi-service
mixes, such as 10 FRUNI + 5 CES + 5 ATM ports.
There are two types of mixing relevant on MSA32:
1) Multiple services on the same port-block (DS1/E1 ports # 0-15
or 16-31), competing for Maker capacity. Certain mixes
exhaust the resources of the Maker cell processor chip before
reaching 16 ports, even though the motherboards PQC, CPU
and memory are not exhausted. This leads to hard limits of #
ports per Maker.
2) Multiple services on the same card (across 32 DS1/E1 and
1+1 OC3/STM1) competing for PQC and CPU capacity. The
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140,000
92,000
46,000
24,000
v1.1 January 2002
single-service max throughputs for frame/packet services like FR, IP and DPRS (ingress
tandem) are typically determined by the point where they exhaust the PQC2 chip. So
mixes of these services will share the max frame/packet throughput of the card. For
example, if single-service FRUNI offers 90 kfps, and single-service IPoverFR offers 80
kpps, mixing 16 ports of each on the same MSA32 does not result in 170 kfps instead
the total would be about 85 kfps. So this type of mix leads to soft limits of throughput,
but no hard limits of # ports.
The following are examples of mixes that do not impact each other:
1) 16 ATM UNI ports on the first Maker + 16 FRUNI ports on the other Maker. This has no
mix on the same Maker, and these two services do not compete with each other for PQC
& CPU per-card, since ATMUNI is handled in hardware. So the ATMUNI would run at
line rate, and the FRUNI would have up to the full 90 kfps bidirectional (which, if its only
16 ports, means line rate).
2) 32 CES ports + 1 OC3/STM1 ATM link using PNNI. This has no mix on the same Maker,
and these two services do not compete for PQC & CPU per-card. The OC3/STM1 ports
do not go through the Maker chips at all.
3) 32 FRUNI ports + 1 OC3/STM1 port for DPRS trunks over ATM. This has no mix on the
same Maker, and in this case the DPRS would typically not compete with FR for PQC &
CPU resources because it would be DPRS
that is, traffic originating &
terminating on this shelf. DPRS ingress
would use PQC, but there would usually
not be much/any traffic tandeming through an access node where MSA32 is deployed.
4) 24 DS1 IMA ports, with DPRS trunks over the IMA ports. This does not count as a mix.
IMA is generally unable to mix with any
services on the same Maker, but
networking applications PNNI, IISP, DPRS, PORS or MCS can run over IMA.
So, when planning a service mix on MSA32, consider:
1) If packet/frame services are used, calculate the total throughput as a weighted average of
each services single-service max per-FP throughput. For example, 20 FRNNI ports + 12
IPoverFR ports: (20/32 x 90 kfps) = 56 kfps FRNNI + (12/32 x 80 kfps) = 30 kpps IP.
The actual throughput may be slightly lower due to the effects of mixing, but typically this
degradation would be within the safety margin already built into the single-service
throughput de-rating.
2) Whenever possible, group similar services on the same Maker. For example, put all
ATMUNI on the first Maker and FRUNI+FRNNI+FRATM on the second Maker. This
example allows up to 32 ports, but FR+ATMUNI on both Makers would have incurred a
limit of only 24 ports total (in some software levels). In particular, IMA should be grouped
because it generally cannot be mixed with any other access services per Maker.
3) If mixing per-Maker is required, refer to the following hard limits. Since the mix is only
relevant per-Maker, the limits are listed # ports per 16 ports. The two Makers are
completely independent, so the mix on one Maker does not affect the other.
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Table 27 - MSA32 Service mixing rules in PCR3.0

Services mixed on the
same port-block (Maker)
Total # ports usable per

16 ports
# ports that must

be left unused and
unprovisioned
Notes
FR* only
16
CES only
16
IP only
16
ATMUNI only
16 first Maker, or
14 second Maker
Ports #30-31 on 2nd Maker

can be used for other service
(except for IMA)
FR + IPoverFR
16
Note both compete for PQC &

CPU for throughput
FR+CES
16
MAX 8 FR ports in the 16
IPoverFR + CES
16
ATMUNI+FR
12
ATMUNI+CES
16
ATMUNI+FR+CES
12
See limit on # 1xDS0 +CAS

services
When mixing ATMUNI+CES,

MAX 30 of the CES services
can be 1xDS0 CES+CAS.
MAX 8 FR ports in the 12
ATMUNI+IPoverFR
12
ATMUNI+CES+IPoverFR
12
IPoverATM + FR
12
IPoverPPP + FR
12
IMA only
12 DS1 or 11 E1
4 DS1 or 5 E1
1-8 ports per IMA group, but

max 6 IMA groups per Maker
(12 IMA groups per FP).
[PNNI, IISP, DPRS or

PORS] over IMA
12 DS1 or 11 E1
4 DS1 or 5 E1
No impact from running

networking applications over
IMA
IMA + [FR, CES, IP or

ATMUNI]
General policy : do not mix IMA per-Maker. However, if and only if the # IMA
ports is 4 or less, they may be mixed with up to 4 ports of one other service:
8
MAX 4 IMA ports in the 8.
*- In this table FR encompasses FRUNI, FRNNI and FRATM, as they all mix the same.
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Summary of the rules forming the above table:

In general, do not mix IMA with any other access services (FR, ATMUNI, CES or IP) on
the same Maker. That is, if IMA is provisioned on one port, other ports in that block must
either be provisioned as IMA as well or left unused.
If IMA mixing per-Maker is absolutely required, note that a small amount of mixing is
possible if the # IMA ports is 4 or less. Up to 4 ports of CES, ATMUNI, FR or IP can be
mixed with up to 4 ports of IMA, but the other 8 ports must be left unused and
unprovisioned.
IMA can be mixed with networking applications PNNI, IISP, DPRS, PORS, or MCS on the
same Maker (e.g., DPRS trunks over IMA, PNNI over IMA)
IMA can be mixed per card as long as all the IMA is restricted to one Maker, and any
other services (FR, ATM UNI, CES, or IP) are on the other Maker.
When mixing ATMUNI with FR or IPoverFR, limit to 12 ports per Maker, leaving 4 ports
unused.
When mixing FR with CES, use up to 16 ports per Maker, including max 8 FR ports.
When mixing FR with ATMUNI, use up to 12 ports per Maker, including max 8 FR ports.
When mixing CES with ATMUNI, use up to 16 ports per Maker, but do not provision more
than 30 of the CES services as 1xDS0 with CAS (single timeslot service with Channel
Associated Signalling)
Whenever a limit shows that some ports must be left unused, they should also be left
unprovisioned. Ports that are provisioned but not running traffic can still consume some
Maker resources. So for example, do not provision 32 IMA ports and just use 22 for
now.
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v1.1 January 2002
11. Appendix B: Hardware Reliability - MTBF

Passport offers industry-leading hardware reliability. Refer to Table 28 for the MTBF Mean
^9
Time Between Failures (hours per failure) and FITs Failures in 10 hours (failures per billion
hours) of PP15k components. Note MTBF = 1/FITs.
Table 28 - PP15k Hardware Reliability - MTBF & FITs

PEC
Descrption
Number of
failures in billion
hours (FITs) in,
unit = 10-9
Mean time
between failures
in hours (MTBF) 1
NTHR06
Control Processor DS1 (CP2)
6,649
150,398
NTHR35
Control Processor E1 (CP2)
6,649
150,398
NTHW06
Control Processor DS1 (CP3)
6,479
154,282
NTHW08
Control Processor E1 (CP3)
6,479
154,282
NTHR23
12-port DS3 ATM FP
4,267
234,357
NTHR25
12-port E3 ATM FP
4,267
234,357
NTHR17
4-port OC-3c/STM-1 ATM FP (Multi-mode)
5,135
194,742
NTHR21
4-port OC-3c/STM-1 ATM FP (Single-mode)
5,135
194,742
NTHR29
1-port OC-12c/STM-4 ATM FP
3,504
285,366
NTHW21
10,268
93,390
NTHW11
5,515
181,324
NTHW01
1-port OC-48c/STM-16 ATM with APS FP
4,018
248,880
NTHR31
4-port DS3 Channelized ATM with IMA FP
4,086
244,738
NTHR88
4-port DS3 Clear Channel/Channelized FR FP
4,148
241,080
NTHR91
4-port DS3 Channelized CES FP
4,087
244,678
NTHR83
1-port STM-1 Channelized FR FP
2,660
375,940
NTHR08
Shelf Backplane
180
5,555,555
NTHR09
Cooling Unit Backplane Assy
250,000,000
NTHR10
Cooling Unit Controller Assy
NTHR11
MAC Address Module
NTHR12
136
7,352,941
79
12,658,227
Alarm BITS Module
103
9,708,738
NTHR13
Alarm BITS Balanced Module
103
9,708,738
NTHR14
Alarm BITS Unbalanced Module
103
9,708,738
NTHR15
Power Interface Module
14
71,428,571
NTHR16
Switch Fabric Module
1900
526,316
NTHR37
1:6 DS3/E3 Sparing Module
1,389
719,942
NTHR50
Shelf Assembly
180
5,555,555
NTHR51
Cooling Unit, Lower
772
1,295,337
NTHR52
Cooling Unit, Upper
772
1,295,337
MTBF (hours) = 1/(FITs), and, MTBF (years) = [MTBF (hours)]/(365 x 24)
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v1.1 January 2002
12. Glossary of acronyms

AAL1
ATM Adaptation Layer type 1, an ATM Forum spec for circuit emulation
APC
ATM Port Controller, a traffic management ASIC
AQM
ATM Queue Manager, a traffic management ASIC
ASIC
Application-Specific Integrated Circuit
ATM-IP
Refers to a family of PP7k cards, formerly known as Second Generation ATM FPs (SGAF),
including the MSA32, 2pOC3/STM1, and the NTJS13xx version of 3pDS3.
CAS
Channel Associated Signalling (an AAL1 CES option)
CAS
Component Administration System (command-line interface to Passport) this term is not used
in this document but included here for contrast with AAL1 CES CAS.
CBR
Constant Bit Rate
CES
Circuit Emulation Service
ch
Channelized
CP
Control Processor; versions: CP1, CP2, CP3 (CP3 on PP15k only)
cps
cells per second (ATM throughput), or calls per second (call setup rate)
CQC
Cell Queue Controller, an ASIC on older PP6k/PP7k ATM FPs and PVG FPs
DCS
Data Collection System
DLCI
Data Link Connection Identifier
DPRS
Dynamic Packet Routing System
DS0
Digital Signal level zero, the basic 64,000 bps unit for a digital voice circuit.
DS1
Digital Signal level 1, line rate 1.544 Mbps, carries 24 DS0s (24 timeslots)
DS3
Digital Signal level 3, line rate 44.736 Mbps, carries 28 DS1s
E1
European signal level 1, line rate 2.048 Mbps, carries 31 DS0s (31 tim eslots)
E3
European signal level 3, line rate 34.368 Mbps, carries 16 E1s
FP
Function Processor
fps
frames per second
FITs
Failures in 10^9 hours (failures per billion hours)
FR
Frame Relay
FRATM
Frame Relay ATM interworking; versions: FRF.5, FRF.8
FRF.5
Frame Relay Forum 5, specification for FR-ATM-FR Network Interworking (i.e., endpoints are
both FR, but ATM inside the network)
FRF.8
Frame Relay Forum 8, specification for FR-ATM Service Interworking
FRF.16
Frame Relay Forum 16, specification for Multi Link Frame Relay (MLFR)
FRNNI
Frame Relay Network-Network Interface
FRUNI
Frame Relay User-Network Interface
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Gbit/s
Gigabits per second it is conventional to write it as Gbit/s when referring to user capacity,
such as 40 Gbit/s throughput on a PP15k backplane. Gbps typically refers to link speed, such
as 56.3 Gbps actual backplane speed, or 2.4 Gbps OC48 line rate. This is the convention,
though Gbit/s and Gbps are often used interchangeably.
Gbps
Gigabits per second
IISP
Interim Inter Switch signalling Protocol
IMA
Inverse Multiplexing for ATM
kfps
1000 frames/second. (i.e., k here means 1000, not 1024 as in memory kbytes.)
LPT
Logical Processor Type, provisionable list of software packages to load on this FP/CP.
Lr
Long reach optical interface
LT
Logical Trunk i.e., Passport Trunk over ATM using DPRS, PORS or MCS routing
Maker
An MSA32 FP has two Maker MXT3010 cell processor chips: one for ports 0-15 and one for
ports 16-31. Port limits are sometimes quoted per Maker or per port-block.
MCS
Multimedia Cut-Through Service
MB
Megabyte (also: Mbyte)
Mbps
Megabits per second
Mm
Multimode optical interface
MSA32
Multi-Service Access card on PP7k, with 32 DS1/E1 ports
MTBF
Mean Time Between Failures
OC-3
Optical Carrier level 3, line rate 155.52 Mbps, based on ANSI SONET standard. (STM-1
used outside North America.)
OC-12
Optical Carrier level 12, line rate 622 Mbps. (STM-4 outside of North America.)
OC-48
Optical Carrier level 48, line rate 2.488 Gbps. (STM-16 outside of North America.)
PCR
Passport Carrier Release, as in PCR3.0, PCR4.1
PEC
Product Engineering Code, a unique identifier for each Nortel product manufactured.
PNNI
Private Network-to-Network Interface
PP7k
Passport 7000
PP15k
Passport 15000
pps
packets per second
PQC
Passport Queue Controller (or Packet Queue Controller); versions: PQC1, PCQ2, PQC12
(internally also known as PQC6v1, PQC6v2 and PQC12v1, respectively).
PORS
Path Optimized Routing System
PPP
Point-to-Point Protocol
QRD
Queue Relay Device, an ATM traffic management ASIC on ATMIP FPs
SAR
Segmentation and Re-assembly
SBIC
Shared Bus Interface Controller, an ASIC on PP7k PM1/PM2 FPs
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Slice
Arbitrary term referring to a certain portion of an FP. The 1pSTM1ch FR FP quotes throughput
per slice, meaning per group of 21 E1s (out of 63 total). A 4pDS3ch FR FP has 4 slices, so
on this FP, per slice = per port.
Sm
Singlemode optical interface
SONET
Synchronous Optical NETwork
STM-1
Synchronous Transport Module 1, line rate 155.52 Mbps, based on ITU-T SDH standard,
equivalent of STS-3 or STS-3c. (OC-3 used in North America.)
STM-4
Synchronous Transport Module 4, line rate 622 Mbps. (OC-12 in North America.)
STM-16
Synchronous Transport Module 16, line rate 2.488 Gbps. (OC-48 in North America.)
TDM
Time Division Multiplexing
TODA
Time of Day Accounting, an option to generate accounting records at specified times
VC
Virtual Circuit (in Frame Relay), or Virtual Channel (in ATM)
VCC
Virtual Channel Connection (in ATM)
VCG
Virtual Connection Gateway (in IP-VPN)
VCI
Virtual Channel Identifier (in ATM)
VPI
Virtual Path Identifier (in ATM)
VR
Virtual Router
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Passport Performance Guidelines for ATM, Frame Relay, IP and Trunks

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3.

Connections vs. connection endpoints ................................................................... 10

Ingress vs. Egress vs. Bidirectional throughput ...................................................... 11

What does Link Rate mean? .................................................................................. 11

Measured values vs. Recommended values............................................................ 13

Performance-influencing factors ............................................................................. 13

ATM connection space & Call Setup Rate................................................................ 17

FRAME RELAY ......................................................................................................... 18

Frame Relay FP types: PM1, PM2, PQC .................................................................. 18

Frame Relay throughput .......................................................................................... 19

Frame Relay connection space & Call Setup Rate ................................................... 20

What if my lab sees a different result?..................................................................... 20

Passport-BNX Interworking ..................................................................................... 21

Tandem VR vs. Tunnelled VR .................................................................................. 23

IP over ATM ............................................................................................................. 24

Passport Performance Guidelines PCR3.0

v1.1 January 2002

IP over Frame Relay (FRDTE) .................................................................................. 25

DPRS Loadshare, Loadspread, LoadspreadFast ..................................................... 28

DPRS Tandem vs. Endpoint..................................................................................... 28

Passport 7000 shelf capacity ................................................................................... 32

Passport 15000 shelf capacity ................................................................................. 32

Passport 20000 shelf capacity ................................................................................. 33

APPENDIX A: MSA32 PERFORMANCE............................................................ 34

MSA32 performance architecture ............................................................................ 36

MSA32 Multi-service mixes...................................................................................... 36

APPENDIX B: HARDWARE RELIABILITY - MTBF............................................ 40

Passport Performance Guidelines PCR3.0

v1.1 January 2002

Passport Performance Guidelines PCR3.0

v1.1 January 2002

1.1 Not covered in this document

1.2 Intended audience

Passport Performance Guidelines PCR3.0

v1.1 January 2002

1.3 Document conventions

PM1 vs. PM1ch, 8 MB

PM2 vs. PM2ch, 16 MB vs. 32 MB

AQM1.1 vs. QRD1.1 vs. QRD1.2 & APC

Passport Performance Guidelines PCR3.0

v1.1 January 2002

Table 2 - Performance-significant groupings of all PP7k/PP15k cards

Card type (bold = current version)

New vintages of 3pDS1, 3pE1, 3pDS3, 3pE3, 8pDS1, 8pE1,

Oldest vintages of 1pHSSI, 8pV35, 8pV11, 4pDS1, 4pE1,

Old vintages of 1pHSSI, 8pV35, 8pV11, 4pDS1, 4pE1 FR,

128 MB QRD1.2, 16pOC3/STM1, 4pOC12/STM4, 1pOC48/STM16 ATM

Passport Performance Guidelines PCR3.0

v1.1 January 2002

Table 3 - PP7k/PP15k ATM & FR FPs by hardware vintage

NTNQ27, NTFN58 PM2

NTNQ11, NTFN73 PM2

NTNQ13, NTFN49 PM2

NTFN16CA , NTNQ50 CQC

NTJS11CA, NTNQ67 PQC1

NTNQ24, NTFN50 PM2

3pOC3/STM1 ATM -sm NTFP38CB

4pOC3/STM1 ATM - sm NTHR21CA

NTFN14CA , NTNQ49 CQC

NTFP17EA , NTNQ52 CQC

NTFP32CA, NTNQ46 CQC

NTJS13CA, NTNQ68 PQC1

NTFP30CA, NTNQ45 CQC