FarSync BERT | ![]() |
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FarSync BERT - Getting Started
The FarSync Bit Error Rate Tester (BERT) is a Windows-based application that is used to test the quality of both synchronous and asynchronous lines. Industry-standard test patterns are used to identify bit error rates for the line under test. The results of the tests are collated and displayed as industry-standard metrics e.g. Errored Seconds (ES) etc.
In addition to the standard configuration, the FarSync BERT’s Multi-Drop mode can be used to test the data paths of multiple nodes simultaneously on a Multi-Drop network using Industry-standard test patterns.
An additional Round Trip Delay mode enables the BERT to measure the Round Trip Delay of packets to a resolution of 1ms.
The FarSync BERT runs on both Windows 8/8.1 and Windows 10 as well as on Windows Server 2008 and 2012. It uses either a USB-attached FarSync Flex device or a FarSync T2Ee PCI Express card to connect to the line under test.
Using the FarSync BERT is quick and easy:
1) Ensure that either a FarSync Flex is attached, or a FarSync T2Ee card physically installed in the machine. The device/card's drivers must then be installed - instructions for the Flex are here; instructions for the T2Ee are here.
2) Ensure that the FarSync BERT application has been installed by running its setup.exe (instructions are here).
3) Run the "FarSync BERT" entry that appears in the menu displayed when you click Start-All Programs-FarSite (Note that the FarSync BERT will start automatically following installation)
4) When the FarSync BERT display appears, configure the required RATE, PATTERN and LENGTH values along with the (I)nterface, INT/EXT clocking and Async/Sync interface (M)ode settings as required for the test.
5) Then simply click the FarSync BERT's Start button (as shown in the diagram below)
Whilst the test is running the Errors pane will display the number of Bit Errors, Block Errors, Errored Seconds, Framing Errors (FRM), Parity Errors or All Errors that have occurred during the test. The Secs pane displays the total number of seconds that the test has been running for.
Pressing the Errors button (as shown in the diagram below) causes the Errors pane to switch between BIT, BLOCK, SECONDS, PARITY, FRAME and ALL error counter values.
At any point the Table button can be used to display a table of statistics for the current (or most recent) test.
To return to the compact view (i.e. without the statistics table displayed) press the Table button once more.
If the test is setup to run continuously (i.e. with LENGTH set to CONT) then use the Stop button to complete the test when required.
Test results are retained until either the test is restarted (by pressing the Start button) or the test is reset at any time (using the Reset button).
When the FarSync BERT is unable to synchronise with the incoming data (e.g. due to a physical break in the line, the wrong test pattern configured etc.) the Loss-of-Sync (LOS) indicator will be highlighted.
The interface signals states (DTE and DCE), as well as the RIV indicator, are updated in real-time in the Signals pane whilst the test is running.
Note that right-clicking the Table/Menu button presents a context menu:
The Reset To Defaults menu option can be used to completely reset all the FarSync BERT’s configuration parameters back to their factory default values.
For details of the FarSync BERT Test Functions click here.
The FarSync BERT User Manual is here.
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