For a pure packet blaster, you can use a tool such as the Sniffer and play back trace
files.
At my place of work, we use a tool called Smartbits by Netcom systems. It is a bit
more sophisticated than just playing back a trace file, as it measures such
characteristics such as latency and throughpout, etc. This is a software/hardware
based solution.
For transaction simulation, we use Mercury Load Runner. Load Runner allows you to
script transactions as well as simulate multiple users, etc. Mercury also makes a tool
called Topaz, which allows you to install a probe that consistently runs the
loadrunner scripts. This allows you to establish running baselines.
For traffic simulation, Ganymede Chariot is supposedly a very good tool, although I
have very little experience with it.
Additionally there are other tools such as perf2 and perf3 that perform tasks such as
file transfer, etc.
It all depends on what you are trying to achieve. What are you looking to do:
Stress network components?
Stress applications?
Establish baselines?
other?
Tom Kager
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