The Ethernet Data Plane Loopback function allows you to run loopback tests to test the connectivity and quality of connections
through a Layer 2 cloud. You can run this test on:
You can use this feature to test the throughput of an Ethernet port remotely. You can verify the maximum rate of frame transmission
with no frame loss.
This feature allows for bidirectional or unidirectional throughput measurement, and on-demand or out-of-service (intrusive)
operation during service turn-up.
Two types of Ethernet loopback are supported:
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External loopback - Traffic loopback occurs at the Ingress interface. Traffic does not flow into the router for loopback.
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Internal loopback - Traffic loopback occurs at the Egress interface. Traffic loopback occurs after the traffic flows into
the router to the other interface.
Ethernet data traffic can be looped back on per port basis. This feature supports a maximum of 100 concurrent Ethernet data
plane loopback sessions per system. Filters based on frame header can be used for initiating the loopback session. This ensures
that only a subset of traffic that is received on an interface is looped back. You can use Source MAC, Destination MAC, and
VLAN Priority (COS bits) as filters.
Ethernet Data Plane Loopback Configuration Restrictions
These configuration restrictions are applicable for Ethernet Data Plane Loopback:
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CFM UP MEP is not supported with Ethernet data plane loopback.
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Ethernet data plane loopback is not supported on L3 interfaces or L3 sub-interfaces.
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The following filters are not supported:
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Only the following combinations of filters are supported for external loopback:
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Source MAC
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Source MAC and Destination MAC
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Source MAC, Destination MAC, and VLAN priority
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Destination MAC
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Destination MAC and VLAN priority
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The rewrite modification on the loopback traffic is not supported.
Note
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Ensure that no rewrite should be configured on subinterface.
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Ethernet data plane loopback is not supported on packets with destination address as the broadcast MAC address.
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Ethernet data plane loopback is not supported on BVI interface.
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Ethernet data plane loopback is not supported on bridge-domian interfaces in Cisco IOS XR Release 6.3.2.
Layer2 VPN bridge-domains internal loopback is not supported.
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Only one Ethernet loopback session, either internal or external, can be active on the same interface at any given instance.
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This feature supports a maximum throughput of 10Gbps for internal loopback over all the sessions. For external loopback,
there is no throughput limit.
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Dropping of packets that are received in the non-loopback direction is not supported.
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Ethernet data plane loopback is not supported on packets having destination as multicast and broadcast MAC address.
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External and internal Ethernet data plane loopback is not supported over bridge domain.
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The Cisco NCS Routers do not support Ethernet loopback (external and internal) on Layer2 VPN bridge-domain.