CALABASAS, CA -- (Marketwire) -- 10/18/11 -- Ixia (NASDAQ: XXIA), the leading global provider of converged IP and wireless network test solutions, today announced that it has completed a thorough evaluation of the new 802.11n Wi-Fi network for Dubai World Trade Center (DWTC), a facility that encompasses over 1 million square feet and services over 1.4 million people per year. This advanced network architecture, a testament to the growing importance of Wi-Fi as an access technology and for cellular traffic offload, will increase connectivity coverage and capacity for the hospitality, convention and real estate customers on the DWTC site. Ixia's end-to-end test solution validates capacity and quality of service as well as network access, and was the only solution capable of providing a complete picture of the network for the facility.
Ixia worked with DWTC to perform multiple pre-deployment assessments that validated traffic handling and coverage capabilities using its award-winning IxNetwork and IxLoad testing applications along with the newest addition to its testing portfolio, IxVeriWave. Using Ixia's industry-leading portfolio of complete-end-to-end testing solutions, DWTC was able to test and verify:
- The interoperability, functional and performance tests of wireless controllers to host the expected volume of users and traffic. Different access devices (802.11 a/b/g/n) and traffic profiles were generated to characterize the most common access patterns (laptops, smart phones, or tablet devices).
- The access network capacity of a conference hall. Understanding the limitation of the network in crucial areas allowed DWTC to properly plan for the dimension of wireless and wired users in an exhibition hall.
- The scalability of edge and core layers. As new services are added, it is essential to validate that the existing aggregation and core networks can accommodate the new traffic demands associated to such services.
- The end-user quality of experience (QoE) and validation of service level agreements (SLA) under load. Perceptual voice/video quality measurement with real Wi-Fi access devices allowed DWTC to learn whether the quality metrics match user expectations.
"In large public venues such as stadiums, concert halls, conference centers, and trade fairs, the number of smart phones and other handheld devices that are in use at any given time within a defined space create some of the most demanding scenarios for 802.11n deployments. With nearly 50 percent of the population carrying and using connected devices, testing must go beyond a simple site survey in order to determine true capacity of the network," said Wesam Lootah, Vice President of Information Technology at DWTC. "Using Ixia's ground-breaking site assessment test methodology, DWTC was able to verify that its next-generation network performed at the level needed to provide a consistently high level quality of experience to its customers."
Ixia's test tools and commitment to next-generation testing techniques provide advanced and reliable testing services to Wi-Fi network operators:
- IxNetwork is designed to test network infrastructure, capacity, scalability, and convergence using its scaled protocol emulation, and works with Ixia's test platform to exchange control and data plane traffic with the device under test.
- IxLoad is a scalable solution for testing converged multiplay services, application delivery platforms, and security devices and systems that emulates data, voice, and video subscribers and associated protocols to ensure quality of experience.
- IxVeriWave is specifically designed to test LAN and wireless LAN networks using a client-centric model in order to deliver repeatable large-scale, real-world test scenarios that are extremely difficult to create by any other means.
Wi-Fi has traditionally been deployed according to the philosophy that radio frequency (RF) coverage is the primary goal. Within the served area virtually any level of application performance was acceptable. This approach assumed that Wi-Fi was a convenience service and any connectivity was better than none. With the increase in connected mobile devices and service expectation, basic access is no longer good enough. Instead of site surveys to determine only network availability, site assessment that characterizes network performance under realistic usage conditions is required. The defining principles of the next generation of best practices are:
- Use application traffic in addition to just signal strength as measurement sources
- Report customer satisfaction metrics
- Use the same high-value client devices that network's users will have
- Be able to test network scalability prior to heavy usage at events
- Be able to isolate client behavior from network behavior.
"The DWTC Wi-Fi network represents a significant achievement in the Middle East in providing unprecedented access to such a large area and number of people. It uses state-of-the art technology and planning in order to fulfill the capacity and performance requirements of today's modern business facilities," said Joe Zeto, senior manager, marketing development at Ixia. "Testing the network required the forward-thinking advances Ixia has pioneered with respect to Wi-Fi deployments, and provides the customer with a full and complete understanding of the abilities of the network as it exists, and of its potential capacity. This is the type of pre-deployment planning and testing that is necessary to establish an outstanding user experience, and to transition the network to its inevitable use in carrier offload strategies."
About Ixia
Ixia provides the industry's most comprehensive converged IP services testing solution -- from the wireless edge to the Internet core. Network equipment manufacturers, service providers, enterprises, and government agencies use Ixia's industry-leading test and simulation platforms to design and validate a broad range of wired, Wi-Fi, and 3G/4G networking equipment and networks. Ixia's solutions create real-world conditions by emulating a full range of high-scaling networking protocols and generating media-rich application traffic to validate performance, conformance, and security of cloud, core, data center, wireless, and multiplay networks. For more information, visit www.ixiacom.com.
About DWTC
DWTC provides global companies with the ideal platform to showcase their products and services, network with potential clients and meet with global industry giants. By exhibiting with us you will also have the opportunity to reach the untapped and lucrative markets of the CIS countries, North & East Africa and the Indian Subcontinent.
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