Network Element Performance Assurance
Our partner Metrodata launches a family of Ethernet devices that are conveniently arranged at the edges of the transport network and allow intrusive and non-intrusive measurements to be carried out capable of verifying the performance and performance of said network and compliance with SLAs (Service Level Agreement) towards customers/users.
Some of the questions we usually ask ourselves
- Has my service provider provided my link according to my requirements?
- How often are we experiencing network problems or what percentage of the time is the network simply down?
- Are the latency and jitter parameters within those allowed for my telephony over IP service?
- If we implement a new video conferencing service between our headquarters, how will this impact the rest of the services that currently run on the same network?
- Does the performance of our network vary throughout the day or month or does it remain unchanged?
Our solution
Our solution is composed of a set of tools that allow us to measure the performance of the network, performing intrusive measures for the installation and deployment of services as well as 'in-service' measurements in the background capable of monitoring said performance. Efficient network is crucial when deploying any mission-critical service with a high bandwidth demand. Due to the bad experiences of some services running on the Internet, it is very common to always blame the transport network. That is why it is essential to have tools capable of diagnosing and isolating any problem within our network.
Our solution is composed of a set of tools that allow us to measure the performance of the network, performing intrusive measures for the installation and deployment of services as well as 'in-service' measurements in the background capable of monitoring said performance. Efficient network is crucial when deploying any mission-critical service with a high bandwidth demand. Due to the bad experiences of some services running on the Internet, it is very common to always blame the transport network. That is why it is essential to have tools capable of diagnosing and isolating any problem within our network. Due to the fact that Ethernet is a non-deterministic technology, monitoring the performance of our network, especially latency and jitter which are critical parameters for the correct functioning of voice over IP, is a particularly complex procedure compared to previous generation networks supported over PDH/SDH transport. Particularly, if the Ethernet connection between our network points is made through multiple operators it is tremendously difficult for a customer to know if they are really getting the level of quality they are paying for. Through Metrodata's network elements, we can remotely launch invasive tests including RFC2544 and Y.1564 at any time between any two points of the network, visualizing in real time the results of these tests in the operations center. These tests are indicated for the provision of new customers or to detect specific errors in our network but cannot be carried out during the normal operation of the network as they consume all (RFC2544) or part (Y.1564) of the network flow continuously. Therefore, Metrodata network elements also include minimally invasive tests capable of comparing their results with SLA patterns and reporting an alarm (e.g., via SNMP trap) when they do not satisfy the SLA.
NetTESTER
The NetTESTER family offers a very versatile set of measurements for Ethernet networks that are spatially oriented to the Enterprise market. These measures are designed for continuous operation 'always-on' at specific points of the network where we want to measure its performance. NetTESTER devices can be installed in two ways: either inserted into the user data passage path, i.e. between the service provider's WAN termination and the customer's LAN equipment, or simply as another switch or router on the customer's LAN. In the first case, NetTESTER is totally transparent to user traffic, maintaining all its capabilities to launch invasive tests or monitor network parameters 'always-on' without affecting the speed or performance of connections. In the second case, although it cannot measure only the WAN parameters of access to the transport network, it can perform 'on-demand' and 'always-on' measurements of the performance parameters of our LAN network.
The NetTESTER family is made up of the elements NT1003 and NT1005 . Both models include the hardware module 'MetroSAM' (Service Assurance Module) for generating loops and test traffic at wirespeed following the RFC 2544 and ITU-T Y.1564 standards in both Layer-2 (Ethernet Switched) and Layer-3 (IP Routed). The devices also support background measurements according to ITU-T Y.1731 standards for Layer 2 networks and TWAMP (Two-way Active Measurement Protocol) for Layer 3 networks. Users can access the devices locally via console or remotely via Telnet/SSH or Web Browser (coming soon) to configure and start the different tests and monitor their results. In the case of background tests, the equipment is able to notify any alarm through an SNMP Trap when any of the parameters measured is not in accordance with the SLA configured in the test. In addition, all measured parameters can be retrieved remotely in real time via SNMP as objects in the device's MIB.
The NetTESTER family
The NetTESTER family of devices consists of the following three elements:
LAN & WAN
- Full transparency to user traffic when installed between the WAN and LAN interfaces of our network
- Electrical and optical connections and traffic monitoring at speeds of up to 1Gbps
- DDM statistics on SFP ports and option to integrate an automatic 'OTDR' for fiber fault reporting
On-demand Testing
- Generate, loop, and analyze traffic with accuracy down to the microsecond
- RFC2544, ITU-T Y.1564, and customizable profiles, in both Layer-2 (Ethernet MAC) and Layer-3 (IP)
- Measurement data can be retrieved via SNMP objects for long-term reporting
'Always On' SLA Monitoring
- Delay (latency) and delay-variation (jitter) monitoring according to ITU-T.1731 and TWAMP-lite
- Generation of alarms in the event that any measured parameter exceeds the thresholds defined in the SLA of the test
Management & Alarms
- Local management via console and remote via Telnet/secure SSH or Web Browser (coming soon)
- TACACS+ for User Authentication
- Sending alarms via SNMP traps