Best-in-Test 2014 finalists: Network Test

01/28/2014

Very soon we will get to know who has managed to win Best-in-Test Award annually held to announce innovative developments worthy to become the best in test and measuring world. Winners will be rewarded on January 29 in Santa Clara Convention Center, Santa Clara, CA, USA.

Here are the winners in category Network Test.

MT9083 Fiber Visualizer, Anritsu

Two new features in the ACCESS Master MT9083 lower the cost of testing optical networks and provide analysis tools that let technicians verify network performance. The first is Fiber Visualizer, which provides a high level of insight into optical cables, connections and splices. This lets installers check the quality of an optical fiber installation. Fiber Visualizer guides the user through each step of the optical-fiber testing process, including parameter selection, trace acquisition, event analysis, PASS/FAIL acceptance, and report generation. A graphical summary of the entire fiber, along with the corresponding event from the OTDR trace, is presented when testing ends, to provide users with visibility into the fiber span.

New software based on the IEC61300-3-35 standard performs universal Pass/Fail analysis of optical connector end faces, establishing a more streamlined testing process that is 100% repeatable and allows field technicians determine if optical connectors are damaged and need repair/replacement or simply need cleaning. The software eliminates variations when determining connector end-face condition and quality, and lets field technicians to evaluate connectors based upon the IEC613-3-35 standard criteria.

These new features complement the inherent advantages of the MT9083, which combines the capabilities of an OTDR, light source, optical power meter and visible light source.

Anritsu Corporation

Intelligent Over-the-Air (iOTA) Platform, Azimuth Systems

Azimuth's Intelligent Over-The-Air (iOTA) platform addresses the new complexity of mobile networks, which includes MIMO, carrier aggregation, HetNet, and IMS. Both the network environment and device utilization need to be represented as precisely as possible to deliver meaningful, repeatable results.

The iOTA platform consists of a channel emulator and an isotropic chamber to facilitate switching between use cases without the need for recabling. The iOTA platform is optimized for a variety of network sources and use cases. Its software suites include both the Test Executive that lets users run calibration and diagnostics as well as Test Builder/Test Scheduler that allows users to automate end-to-end - testbed configuration to final device qualification.

iOTA is runs a suite of hardware and performance tests in a range of real-world channel conditions and user applications. It's the only platform capable of automatically testing a device in its natural state under field conditions, running typical subscriber use cases, and analyzing that performance. The revolutionary platform design ensures speedier test times, which is crucial given the number of devices, technologies, frequency bands and scenarios requiring test. Based on the foundation of Azimuth¹s award-winning experience in channel emulators, field playback and automation & analytics, iOTA recreates real-world conditions more accurately.

Azimuth Systems

OptiView XG Network Analysis Tablet, Fluke Networks

The OptiView XG is the first portable tablet designed for the network engineer. It automates root-cause analysis of wired and wireless network and application problems cutting troubleshooting time. It supports the deployment and troubleshooting of new technologies, including unified communications, virtualization, wireless, and 10Gbps Ethernet.

With Version 11, Fluke Networks expands the analysis capabilities of the OptiView XG and solves common networking issues with key enhancements including:

• The OptiView Performance Test Remote provides a clear assessment of network capabilities and quality. From the ability to instantly deploy software test agents anywhere in distributed networks, to an economical alternative for full line-rate 10 Gbps instrumentation, Version 11 provides complete flexibility in performance test endpoints. It includes the ability to validate carrier SLAs and Quality of Service (QoS), detect problems caused by internal traffic policing, and resolve performance problems with VoIP phones.
• Automated network mapping allows the user to interact with a map-based discovery user interface, and export that map to Visio for instant documentation. Android users can use the HeadsUp XG app, to get problem notifications by connecting their phone or tablet to their OptiView XG for instant visibility of network issues.
• The New Windows Reflector, a downloadable software agent for instant deployment on PCs anywhere in your network, let's you run performance tests and perform troubleshooting anywhere. You can discover a reading of roundtrip throughput, packet loss, packet jitter, and latency.

Fluke Networks

TestShell 5.0 Automation Software Platform for Lab Infrastructure, QualiSystems

TestShell 5.0 performs complete lab infrastructure management, device provisioning, and test automation. Its object-oriented architecture automates communications labs based on a set of reusable building blocks replacing script-based approaches. Administrators can create user domains, including domains with time-bound, project-oriented visibility and reservation access, thereby retaining control of operations, but with greater speed and efficiency.

TestShell 5.0 lets remote workers, consultants, and external contractors at network equipment manufacturers, telecom operators, datacenter providers, enterprises, and electronics device manufacturers to view and reserve lab resources. Engineers can create automated tests by reusing and sharing scripts.

TestShell 5.0’s object-oriented approach accelerates test cycles, resulting in quicker time to market. Automation of test lab data center infrastructure environments from manual to hands-off operation can bring device utilization from 15% to over 70%. TestShell enhances quality, boosts performance, and increases efficiency, thereby reducing costs and increasing lab productivity and return-on-investment while lowering total cost of ownership.

QualiSystems

Avalanche NEXT Application and Security Test Software, Spirent Communications

Spirent Avalanche NEXT, powerful, easy-to-use software that tests the performance, scalability and security of today’s application-aware network infrastructures by generating authentic traffic and attacks. Features include:

• An intuitive “drag, drop and click” based user interface that can be operated from a web-enabled device such as a tablet, making it easy to set-up and run tests cases. Test engineers can either run methodology-based tests from a browser or download the latest application profiles.
• The industry’s most expansive security test coverage with over 3,500 user scenarios and over 750 protocols that let engineers quickly and easily test with the latest and greatest applications and attacks—all with unparalleled realism and scalability.
• Line rate stateful HTTP traffic for multiple 10G ports enables stress testing of high-scale security devices to find the limits in tracking connections and performance in the most extreme production scenarios
• Over 7 Million connections per second which can recreate seasonal, weekly or special event user spike scenarios to verify how the device or network will react

Spirent Avalanche NEXT can help to address critical areas of the product development and solution deployment cycle such as:

• Testing and enforcing application policies
• Benchmarking performance and capacity
• Validating network security

Spirent Communications

Spectra2 XL3 Core Network Test Software, Tektronix Communications

End-to-end testing has traditionally required multiple platforms, especially when testing from IP to TDM-based signaling. Spectra2 XL3 can test evolved packet core (EPC) and IP multimedia subsystem (IMS) elements for mobile LTE and fixed IP networks. It incorporates an automated set of functional, load and conformance testing applications that can be accessed through a single user interface.

Spectra2 XL3 offers the highest-quality testing for IP, TDM and media protocols, integrated into a single system that can be used in the lab or on a portable PC - delivering media test capacity of more than 400,000 simultaneous, bi-directional G.711 IP-based calls in a single two-unit rack space. It supports a multi-discipline test team with numerous technologies, and test plans, executing simultaneously. Spectra2 XL3 has been recognized as the best-in-breed solution for subscriber quality-of-experience testing because of its flexibility, performance quality, lower cost and simplified use. It lets you test the industry's highest EPC test capacity for the Diameter and IMS protocols because it furnishes exceptional high-load media testing to resolve problems before they arise on live networks.

Spectra2 XL3 will be increasingly valuable to software testing, quality assurance, interoperability, element or end-to-end functionality and capacity, and quality of service. LTE has grown to become an increasingly dominant network protocol, supporting ever richer multimedia applications, like conversational video, and the need for high-volume testing has emerged as a critical capability for global network operations.

Tektronix Communications

EDN Network, www.edn.com