Spirent Helps Service Providers Overcome Operational Challenges of Ethernet Mobile Backhaul Migration

Enhanced Approach to Testing and Performance Monitoring of IP Services in the Mobile Backhaul Improves Operational Efficiencies and Reduces Costs

Singapore – June 21, 2011 – As service providers make the transition from TDM to Ethernet in the backhaul, they are quickly discovering the operational challenges of managing these new networks – especially the need to reduce operational expenses in the face of decreased revenues per bit. Spirent’s important enhancements to its Spirent TestCenter Live service assurance tool drives greater operational efficiency by enabling service providers to align service assurance costs with new Ethernet service business models.

The enhanced Spirent TestCenter Live offering combines 1 Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) and 10 GbE interfaces in a single probe and helps carriers to better plan for service activation and troubleshooting dispatches, while gaining greater visibility into the network for SLA management and reporting. With support for 24/7 remote and automated monitoring of services, and a future-proof design to support 40/100G speeds, the new probes offer unprecedented flexibility in testing and monitoring mobile backhaul networks. This latest solution can deliver cost savings of more than 25 percent over competitive solutions.

“As the cost per bit associated with delivering data decreases, service assurance solutions must become more efficient with increased port density and functionality,” said Sean Yarborough, senior director of Strategy & Business Development at Spirent. “By allowing service providers to assure more services with fewer probes, Spirent provides a unique foundation for enabling growth and profitability among today’s leading telcos, cable and wireless operators.”

The probes feature both testing and performance monitoring capabilities aimed at those building and operating LTE networks, including critical precision clock synchronization (IEEE 1588) and one-way delay measurements. The new Spirent TestCenter Live probes are available in two configurations – Spirent 7502 and Spirent 7606A – that can support from two to six 1GbE or 10GbE ports. A single probe can now facilitate up to 45 unique test sessions, with each test session supporting on-demand or performance monitoring tests of up to 4000 VLANs.

Prior to this Spirent advance, service providers needing both 1GbE and 10 GbE probes had to purchase them separately. Additionally, while most competitive probes are still limited to a single Ethernet test port per probe, Spirent’s innovation is enabling network operation centers (NOCs) to overcome inefficiencies, upgrade limitations and cost restrictions often associated with utilizing multiple test ports and probes. With its ability to support multiple test interfaces as well as its field upgradeability, service providers can continue to use Spirent TestCenter Live as their requirements grow, while conserving valuable rack space. These multi-port probes only require a one-time chassis installation and can then be field upgraded to address new functionality in the future.

“Our rich history of providing the most advanced Ethernet testing and measurement tools for the lab and live networks is further extended through this latest enhancement to Spirent TestCenter Live,” said Yarborough. “We’re helping service providers to improve operational efficiencies, quality of service and SLA compliance, from services that range from business Ethernet and mobile backhaul to VoIP, IP video, and IP/VPN - a capability which is unmatched in industry.”

Spirent TestCenter Live provides simultaneous on-demand testing and proactive, 24/7 performance monitoring on a single probe, enabling Layer 1-3 testing. This combination of features provides efficiency and automation for typical NOC activities such as service turn-up, troubleshooting, and SLA compliance. With support of industry standards such as 802.1ag, Y.1731, and RFC 2544, Spirent TestCenter Live can perform coordinated tests with CPE devices already in the network to provide true end-to-end test coverage. With Spirent, service providers benefit from a huge reduction in total cost of ownership, and continued operational efficiency over the service lifecycle.

Visit Spirent on Booth BL3-07 at CommunicAsia 2011, being held June 21-24 at the Marina Bay Sands in Singapore.

For more information on Spirent TestCenter Live visit http://www.spirent.com/Solutions-Directory/Spirent-TestCenter_Live.aspx.