Ethernet service testing and verification

A method of testing a container within in an Ethernet network, comprising

• provisioning the container on a path in the network,
• coupling a test device to a port on a node in said container's path,
• creating a test connection to said container,
• injecting traffic from said test device into said test connection,
• switching traffic of said test connection to said test device,
• measuring selected parameters of said injected traffic in said test device, and
• using said measured parameters to evaluate the performance of said container.

A carrier Ethernet having at least one service connection within a container, comprising

• a source of traffic coupled to said service connection,
• a test device coupled to a node in a path that includes said container for measuring selected parameters of said traffic,
• a switch capable of selectively switching, based on a service identification and a container identification, to direct traffic to said node to which said test device is coupled, and
• a processor for receiving data from said test device and evaluating the performance of said service connection based on said measured selected parameters.