Mobile Metrics - Wireless Test Systems

The Torrent 7200 WTS (WiMAX Test System) is designed to comprehensively test 802.16e base stations, and builds on the foundation established by the Torrent 7100 which was the world's first system for testing ASN gateways and CSNs. It provides an entire Mobile WiMAX ecosystem which surrounds the base station and can then be used to perform functional testing, load testing, and performance testing. Although an entire Mobile WiMAX ecosystem is provided, components can be swapped out for commercial counterparts if desired; for example although we supply an ASN gateway, you could use your own, but then still user our CSN.

The Torrent 7240 is almost identical to the Torrent 7100, except that it includes a real RF (or optionally coax) inteface so that the mobiles can connect to a live base station or base stations under test.

• Faster time to market
• Reduced development and test effort
• Interoperability confidence
• Performance and capacity confidence
• Subscriber QoE / QoS assurance

• 802.16e MAC Testing
• 802.16e PHY Testing
• Live Airlink Testing
• Drive Test Capability
• Serial Baseband Interface
• RF Interface at 2.5GHz, 3.3GHz, 3.5GHz, and 3.8GHz
• ASN Profile A and C support
• Client Mobile IP (CMIP) Support
• Proxy Mobile IP (PMIP) Support
• Network Entry
• Auth/Reauth: EAP-MD5, EAP-TLS, EAP-TTLS, EAP-SIM, EAP-AKA, MSCHAPv2
• Initial Service Flow Activation
• Network Exit
• Full Dataplane Support (IP CS)
• R6 Handover
• R4/R6 Mixed Mobility Handover
• R3 Relocation (with Auth Relocation)
• Uncontrolled Handover
• Multi-target Handover
• Full Tracing (R3/R4/R6)
• Dynamic Key Distribution
• Idle Mode Entry
• Paging
• Location Update
• Idle Mode Exit
• Reauthentication

 Torrent 7240 Product Brochure (PDF) 
 

Realistic Mobile Simulation

A central feature of the system is that it is realistic, and simulates mobiles and the application data traffic that they generate as precisely as possible. In particualr, mobiles are stateful and have their own network stacks built-in. 

Realistic Network Simulation
Because the entire network aroudn the system under test is authentically simulated, compelex tests such as inter-ASN gateway handover with ensuing R3 relocation and authenticator relocation can be performed -- all with concurrent data path continuity testing. 

Commercial Hardware and Software
Because our systems run primarily on Linux, off-the-shelf PC hardware can be used. Thus the Torrent solution rides both the PC hardware power curve and the Linux operating system power curve. As a convenience, Mobile Metrics certified hardware platforms may be used if desired. 

Highly Parallel Simulation
Parallelism is supported on numerous levels. Typically, parallelism is created when more than one test case is executed at the same time during a test suite of by hand. However, parallelism can be extended down to the individual mobile subscriber as illustrated in the following mobile script:

attach bs <asn1>
parallel:
        http_get url http://test.mobilemetrics.net
        handover bs <asn2>
parend
detach

Full Automation Support
Test cases may be fully automated and allow the end user to interact with the system under test via ssh, telent, ftp, etc. through an Expect style interface. 

Linear Scalability
Any traffic profile can be scaled linearly by simply adding more computing hardware, and this can be accomplished wihout having to rewrite or otherwise modify test cases. 

Ease of Use
The Torrent 7200 features a simple installation process and intuitive multi-user GUI. And it does not require programming knowledge to operate. 
 

QoE Characterization
A key aspect of the system is that it allows the end subscriber's experience to be characterized through a number of key performance indicators (KPIs). For each KPI, the system tracks not only the mean and standard deviation, but a complete high resolution histogram as shown below for MMS:
 

Histograms are particularly useful for studying the effect of background traffic on interactive traffic, especially under heavy loads. 

QoS You Can See and Hear
A unique feature of the system is that it allows any PC to connect to one of the simulated mobiles and relay all of its traffic through it. In this way, the performance of streaming media applications such as YouTube can be subjectively evaluated under different traffic conditions. 

Detailed Hierarchical Statistics
Hundreds of statistics are captured by the system on both the MTS and NTS and they are organized in a hierarchical manner to allow both the big picture and the finer details to be seen more clearly. These statistics may be examined in real time by test cases, or they may be exported in build via CSV file to Excel. Additionally KPIs may be graphed dynamically. 
 

Full Messaging Control
All control and data messages and their associated message flows may easily be modified by the end user using our patent-pending filtering layer. This allows a virtually limitless number of error scenarios or unusual messages flows to be tested. 

Network Service Assurance
Although the Torrent system is typically used in a lab environement, it may also be used to perform in-service network monitoring. For example, network entry, handover and data path functionality can be spot-checked periodically and an alarm raised if failures are detected. 

Extensive Dataplane Support
Dataplane functionality is seamlessly and naturally integrated into the system. Each mobile directly supports: IP, TCP, UDP, HTTP, WAP, MMS, PTT (PoC), SIP, RTP, RTCP, FTP, SMTP, POP3, ICMP, DHCP, and DNS. 

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