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EQUIPMENT
GL’s end-to-end wireless network LAB solutions - for 2G, 3G,and 4G GL COMMUNICATIONS INC offers complete end-to-end communications network lab solutions to cover 2G, 3G, and 4G operations. Speaking to reporters, Jagdish Vadalia, senior manager for product development at GL, said, “GL supports a wide range of wireless network simulators, which provide reliable integrated solutions to vendors and service providers for testing, simulation, monitoring and troubleshooting 2G, 3G and 4G mobile networks. These networks can be invaluable for protocol characterisation and testing, performance measurement, and training.” GL's MAPS™ 2G, 3G, and 4G Lab Suite, along with radio access elements, are used to provide an advanced full-fledged network environment that enables testing of applications, devices and services prior to deployment on a real-time network. The test suite can be used to simulate all or specific elements within wireless networks infrastructure using simple ready-to-use test bed setups. The test systems allow for simultaneous execution of various test cases across networks. It also allows for performance and conformance testing compliant with 3GPP standards. GL’s MAPS™ (Message Automation and Protocol Simulation) platform helps in the implementation of end-to-end wireless core network lab solutions. With the integration of third party tools for radio access network, and widely available mobile phones, the entire wireless network can be operated in real-time. MAPS™ can be used in many configurations depending on the device or network under test. Scenarios include: • Single interface test setup, where a single interface can be tested using MAPS™. • Multi interface test setup, where DUTs over different interfaces can be tested simultaneously using a single MAPS™. • Wrap around test setup, in which vendors can test their DUT by replacing all the nodes interacting with the device with appropriate MAPS™ products. According to Vadalia, MAPS™ is dongle based licensed software supporting a variety of protocols under a common architecture. Complementing the simulation capability in MAPS™, is GL’s PacketScan™, an all-in-one call signalling and traffic monitoring tool, which can be used to capture and analyse signalling
and data in a live network across any IP interface. GL’s MAPS™ 2G Lab System can be used to simulate multiple instances of nodes in network such as MSC, BSS, SGSN, and GGSN to perform functional and load/stress testing. MAPS™ 3G Lab System can be used to simulate a complete 3G UMTS network, allowing various network elements testing including RNC, MSC, SGSN, GGSN, Home NodeB, Home NodeB Gateway, and NodeB. The possible simulation includes both User Plane and Control Plane; circuit-switched voice and packetswitched data traffic simulation, resembling real user activity (like webbrowsing). MAPS™ 4G Lab System for LTE can be used to simulate both E-UTRAN and EPC (Evolved Packet Core) allowing complete testing of the LTE network. MAPS™ 2G, 3G, 4G Lab Systems features include: • Perform end-to-end testing supporting Mobile-to-Mobile simulation, HTTP Web Access simulation, and Mobile-to-PSTN simulation (GSM GPRS Network Lab). • Perform end-to-end testing to simulate Mobile-to-Mobile Call Scenario and HTTP Web Access simulation (UMTS Network Lab). • Perform end-to-end testing supporting HTTP Web Access simulation (LTE Network Lab). • Virtual real-time network simulation. • Using network elements with user's DUT to perform single interface, multiinterface, or wrap-around testing. • Easily handle complex scenarios, such as handovers. • Generated and validate packet data traffic using GTP Mobile Traffic modules within MAPS™ GPRS products (ETH101, ETH102, ETH103). • Circuit switched traffic can be generated and recorded using RTP application. • Supports Circuit Switched Fallback scenario (LTE Network Lab).
For more information, contact: Shelley Sharma at info@gl.com
Equipped to deal with South Africa's digital culture SOUTH AFRICA IS a nation in 'digital chaos' with only sheer luck preventing us from losing precious personal photos, videos and files - according to digital storage company WD, which recently released results of a study that found that South Africans store personal files on no fewer than 14 electronic or storage devices, with 60 per cent never backing up a single item of data. Carried out amongst 1,000 South African adult respondents, the study was conducted to celebrate the launch of WD's new family of personal cloud storage solutions, My Cloud, and found that although 89 per cent South Africans claim they are organised in their daily lives, the complete opposite could be said for their digital footprint. The research found that South Africans keep files on a plethora of devices including mobile phones, tablets, laptops, personal computers, and USB sticks. Of those that do not back up, 40 per cent blamed their busy schedule and 15 per cent said they cannot be bothered. With many having a personal reluctance to be digitally organised, 50 per cent of parents have even admitted they'd rather pay their children to back up their files for them rather than go through the hassle of doing it themselves. Organising parents' digital content is the new household chore - replacing the traditional pocket money earner of gardening work and cleaning the car, which ranked in third and second place respectively. Although South Africans are digital scatterbrains, it appears they fare slightly more favorably compared to their European counterparts. Of the five European
“South Africans keep precious digital files on 14 different devices, with more than 60 per cent never backing up” 32 Communications Africa Issue 1 2014
The My Cloud family of personal cloud solutions from WD enables file access anywhere, anytime using mobile and desktop apps
countries involved in the study, Spain was cited as the most digitally disorganised using sixteen devices - with the Germans and Italians not far behind with fifteen each. Anamika Budree, sales manager for WD branded products in South Africa, said, "Years ago, people would get their photos developed and organise them in family photo albums, but now we are a nation in digital chaos with only good fortune preventing us from losing files and photos forever. With almost one in five South Africans admitting they don’t know how to back up their all important data, the new My Cloud personal cloud device not only enables people to organise their data in one place and on one device, but also means that it can be accessed anywhere in an instant, making sharing with friends and family easier than ever before."
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