Key Requirements for Selecting an Application-Aware Testing Solution
Service providers, enterprises, network equipment manufacturers and government network operators are using application-aware systems to detect and classify the applications running on their networks to enforce policies that maintain a high quality of service (QoS) and security. However, with applications, such as Netflix, FaceTime, Facebook, Skype, Twitter and BitTorrent, evolving and being introduced at an accelerated pace, these operators and their vendors are struggling to test their network configurations and component systems under real, production-like conditions.
When more than 80% of your traffic is driven by applications, it’s easy to see why legacy test tools that focus on network protocols are inadequate. These tools generate artificial application transactions, using random data in the application payload, to try to mimic the applications.
This is a fundamentally flawed testing foundation—you simply can’t test real networks with fake traffic.
This document captures the key requirements for helping you select an application-aware testing solution to effectively test the scalability, functionality and security of today’s intelligent networks.
