Learn from Luiz Puppin, a Huawei specialist, how to perform a technical analysis of the Forwarding Performance tests carried out in a laboratory environment with the Huawei NE8000 platform, validating the equipment’s ability to operate as an integrated BNG+CGN at high load.

The tests sought to verify:

• Maximum NAT44 session processing capacity
• High-rate traffic support (50 Gbps bidirectional)
• CPU behavior
• Stability and no packet loss

Purpose of Performance Tests

The aim was to prove that the Huawei solution can be sustained:

• 32,000 simultaneous PPPoE subscribers
• 32 million NAT44 sessions
• 50 Gbps of unidirectional traffic
• 50 Gbps bidirectional (25G up + 25G down)
• No packet loss
• With CPU operating within acceptable standards

These features are essential for ISPs and operators with a high concentration of subscribers behind CGNs.

Architecture used

The topology used connects:

• 1 NE8000 acting as CGN/BNG
• Traffic generators simulating thousands of CPEs via PPPoE
• Simulated transport network
• Server simulating Internet/public prefixes

vsm on-board-mode disable
license
 active nat session-table size 32 slot 4
 active nat bandwidth-enhance 90 slot 4
#
nat session aging-time udp 40000
nat session aging-time icmp 40000
#
user-group nat1
ip pool ipv4-1 bas local
 gateway 30.0.0.1 255.255.0.0
 section 0 30.0.0.2 30.0.255.255
#
ipv6 prefix nd-1 delegation
 prefix 2025::/48
#
ipv6 pool nd-1 bas delegation
 prefix nd-1
#
service-location 1
 location slot 4
#
service-instance-group group1
 service-location 1
#
nat instance nat1 id 1
 port-range 1024
 nat ip access-user limit 32
 service-instance-group group1
 nat address-group group1 group-id 1
  section 0 211.0.0.1 211.0.0.250
  section 1 211.0.1.1 211.0.1.250
  section 2 211.0.2.1 211.0.2.250
  section 3 211.0.3.1 211.0.3.250
 nat outbound any address-group group1
 nat filter mode full-cone
#
acl number 6001
 rule 5 permit ip source user-group nat1
#
traffic classifier nat1
 if-match acl 6001
#
traffic behavior nat1
 nat bind instance nat1
#
traffic policy nat
 classifier nat1 behavior nat1
#
traffic-policy nat inbound
#
radius-server group radius
 radius-server shared-key-cipher huawei
 radius-server authentication 172.16.75.51 1812 weight 0
 radius-server accounting 172.16.75.51 1813 weight 0
 undo radius-server user-name domain-included
#
aaa
 authentication-scheme radius
 accounting-scheme radius
 #
 domain nat1
  authentication-scheme radius
  accounting-scheme radius
  radius-server group radius
  prefix-assign-mode unshared
  ip-pool ipv4-1
  ipv6-pool nd-1
  user-group nat1 bind nat instance nat1
#
interface 100GE0/5/0.1
 ipv6 enable
 ipv6 address auto link-local
 statistic enable
 user-vlan 1 4000 qinq 1000
 bas
 #
  access-type layer2-subscriber default-domain pre-authentication nat1 authentication nat1
  authentication-method ppp web
  authentication-method-ipv6 ppp web
 #
#
interface 100GE0/5/1
 ipv6 enable
 ip address 100.0.0.1 255.255.255.0
 ipv6 address 100::1/64

Methodology

1. Authenticate 32,000 PPPoE subscribers in the DUT.
2. Create UDP traffic with 512-byte frames, saturating the advertised capacity of the CGN card.
3. Measure:
   • Sustained real traffic rate
   • Packet loss
   • Number of NAT sessions created
   • CPU utilization
4. Repeat the procedure in two scenarios:
   • 50 Gbps unidirectional
   • 50 Gbps bidirectional (25G/25G)

5. Evidence and Results

Below are the verifications taken directly from the test file.

5.1. Subscribers successfully authenticated

The report confirms the simultaneous authentication of thousands of PPPoE subscribers:

The total validated was:

• 32,000 subscribers → confirmed in the report.

5.2. Creation of 32 million NAT sessions

The DUT has reached the scalability limit set by the manufacturer:

In other words, the equipment was able to withstand 32 million simultaneous streams without any noticeable degradation.

5.3. Sustained Traffic at 50 Gbps – No Packet Loss

In other words:

• Continuous 50 Gbps upstream traffic
• Zero proven loss in equipment and generator

5.4. Bidirectional traffic 50 Gbps (25G + 25G)

The laboratory validated simultaneous upstream and downstream operation:

Again, with zero packet loss:

5.5. CPU stability

The CPU remains at stable levels, without reaching critical limits.

5.6. Completion of Performance Tests

Based on the evidence, it is possible to conclude that:

• The Huawei NE8000 solution can handle extremely high traffic loads.
• 32 million NAT44 sessions were sustained without fail.
• The equipment maintained 50 Gbps of continuous traffic, both unidirectional and bidirectional.
• In all scenarios, there was zero packet loss.
• CPU usage remained stable and within acceptable levels.

Therefore, the platform demonstrates real capacity to operate CGN/BNG in large-scale environments, with a high volume of traffic and a high density of subscribers. This article was developed in collaboration with Huawei Brazil’s team of ISP IP Product Managers, with special thanks to Thiago Sério and Natan Fernandes.

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