IP/VoIP Protocol Simulators

Core Network Simulators

Traffic Simulation across IP, Analog, TDM, and Wireless Networks with MAPS™

Traffic Simulation across IP, Analog, TDM, and Wireless Networks with MAPS™

Overview

As traffic intensity increases, network elements (including switches and transmission) can impart various impairments such as errors, excessive delay, congestion, blocking, loss, and degraded quality. Simulating traffic can be valuable to characterize the impairment as a function of traffic intensity and traffic types (e.g. Voice, Fax, Data, & Video).

Message Automation and Protocol Simulation (MAPS™) is a multi-protocol, multi-technology platform used for signaling and traffic generation for a vast array of communication protocols covering IP, Analog, TDM, and Wireless networks. MAPS™ can be used to test legacy networks (which use conventional signaling such as CAS, SS7, ISDN, PPP,…), newer generation IP networks (such as SIP, MGCP, MEGACO, SIGTRAN, Diameter…), and also the Wireless networks (which use GSM, UMTS, LTE and Diameter signaling).

With MAPS™ Client-Server application, MAPS™ supports a Command Line Interface (CLI) such as the Python, Java, TCL and other scripting tools, to provide the capability of remote operation, automation, and multi-site connectivity.  User can remotely perform all functions such as start testbed setup, load scripts and profiles, apply user events such as send digits/file/tones, detect digits/file/tones, dial, originate call, terminate call, start and stop traffic and so on.

GL’s MAPS™ HD is a High Density 1U network appliance that is capable of high call intensity (hundreds of calls/sec) and high volume of sustained calls (tens of thousands of simultaneous calls/1U platform) for a vast array of communication protocols covering IP and Wireless networks. MAPS™ HD network appliance is designed to easily achieve up to 20,000 endpoints per appliance (5000 per port). This requires GL’s RTP HD traffic generation capability (PKS109) and specialized 1U rack system with integrated HD NIC ( w/ 4x 1 GigE. Or 2x 10 GigE).

For more details, visit Signaling and Traffic Simulator webpage.

  Traffic Type License

GTP Mobile Traffic Simulation
Generate and verify user mobile data (Email, Web-HTTP, and FTP), gateway traffic, and packet traffic over (GTPv1 and GTPv2) GPRS Gb, UMTS (GnGp, IuPS), and LTE (S1, eGTP) network interfaces

  • Stateless simulation of HDL Files, Hex string, and BER patterns,
ETH100
  • GTP Mobile Traffic Core - Stateful HTTP traffic simulation
  • Simultaneous simulation of multiple GTP sessions per user
ETH101
  • PacketLoad™ (HD GTP Mobile Traffic Core)- Stateful high density packet traffic generation
  • TCP/HTTP, UDP, and PCAP Replay
(requires optional license-contact GL)
  • Mobile Traffic Core - Gateway
ETH102
  • Mobile Traffic Simulation - GPRS Gb
ETH103

RTP Traffic Simulation 
over SIP, SIP I, MGCP, MEGACO, UMTS, GSM, Diameter, and LTE networks 

  • Create, manage RTP sessions and generate and receive RTP traffic over the sessions with complete automation capability
  • Simulation of RTP Traffic such as Voice, Digits, Tones, IVR and Impairments
  • Automate the IVR testing process (call establishment and traffic generation / detection) process through scripts

All Voice Codecs supported including -

    • G711 µ-law and A-law with VAD
    • GSM-FR, HR, EFR
    • G729A, G729B, G722, G722.1
    • G726 (40K, 32K, 24K, 16K) with VAD
    • AMR (codec rates-4.75, 5.15, 5.9, 6.7, 7.4, 7.95, 10.2, 12.2) with VAD (requires additional licenses)
    • AMR-WB (Codec rates-6.60 kbps, 8.85 kbps, 12.65 kbps, 14.25 kbps, 15.85 kbps, 18.25 kbps, 19.85 kbps, 23.05 kbps, 23.85 kbps) with VAD (requires additional licenses)
    • EVRC, EVRCB, EVRC-C (requires additional licenses)
    • SMV, SPEEX, SPEEX-WB, ILBC
PKS102
  PKS106
 
  • RTP Voice Quality Measurements - MOS, R-Factor scores
PKS108
  PKS200, and PKS211
  PKS109

SMS Traffic Simulation
over the GSM, UMTS, and MAP interfaces

  • Ability to push / pull Short Messages over the network as if sent by thousands of mobile phones (Short Message Mobile Originated (SMS-MO)). MAPS™ can also transmit a Short Message to a mobile phone (Short Message Mobile Terminated (SMS-MT)).
 

TDM Traffic Simulation
over ISDN, SS7, GSM, CAS interfaces

  • Simulation of TDM Traffic such as digits, voice file, single tone, dual tones, Dynamic VF
xx610xx620

 

xxFT0

 

  • TRAU GSM traffic over GSM Abis interface
  • Create, monitor, and terminate TRAU GSM traffic sessions
XX646

 

Voice, Digits, Tones

With the purchase of additional license (xx610, xx620), MAPS™ supports transmission, detection and capture of DTMF/MF digits, voice files, single /dual tone over established calls on TDM and Analog networks. The volume of calls can vary from few hundreds to thousands of calls depending on the T1 E1 or Analog platform of choice. 

These features are applicable for MAPS™ ISDN, MAPS™ SS7, MAPS™ GSM A, MAPS™ CAS, and MAPS™ FXO FXS applications only.

TDM Traffic events

TRAU GSM Traffic

For GSM, TRAU (Transcoder Rate Adapter Unit) traffic simulation (xx646) is included with options to create, monitor, and terminate TRAU GSM traffic sessions supporting transmit/receive DTMF digits, files, and tones over established GSM calls. TRAU traffic simulation is applicable for MAPS™ GSM Abis application only.

TDM GSM TRAU Traffic

Fax Simulation over T1 E1

Fax Simulator (XXFT0) is capable of transmitting and receiving bulk fax over many T1 E1 timeslots or through two-wire FXO and FXS lines. The software can emulate many "virtual fax machines" - transmitter as well as receiver. All variations of T.30 fax protocol is supported such as page size, resolution, min & max data rate, and codec type - including high speed fax such as V.34. This application works with MAPS™ TDM products simulating complete real-time single and bulk (100's) fax calls.

GL also supports FaxScan™ (fax decoder/demodulator) software that processes 2-Wire or 4-Wire captures and analyzes voiceband traffic files for fax traffic. The application operates either stand-alone from a batch file or as part of the GL's VoiceBand Analysis application to produce decoded fax image TIFF files and other transmission information.

Fax Simulation over T1 E1

SMS Traffic

MAPS™ also supports sending and receiving SMS (Short Message Service) using signaling channel simultaneously with other voice and data services over a GSM, UMTS, or MAP interfaces. MAPS™ has the ability to push / pull Short Messages over the network as if sent by thousands of mobile phones (Short Message Mobile Originated (SMS-MO)). MAPS™ can also transmit a Short Message to a mobile phone (Short Message Mobile Terminated (SMS-MT)). The short message service testing is available on the GSM, UMTS, and MAP interfaces. GL’s 2G, & 3G Wireless Lab setup supports end-to-end SMS calls simulation in Circuit Switch (CS) network.

This feature is supported in MAPS™ GSM A over IP, MAPS™ MAP, and MAPS™ UMTS IuCS & IuH applications.

SMS test solution

IVR Test Solution

MAPS™ provides a unique architecture for multi-interface, multi-protocol simulation, which make it suitable for testing any core network, access network and inter-operability functions. VQuad™ Probe HD is an all-in-one self-contained hardware supporting multiple physical interfaces for connecting to practically any end point in wired or wireless network while automatically performing end-to-end voice and data testing over any network.

Using ready-to-use scripting with these products it is possible to automate the IVR testing process. GL's IVR test platforms can detect user-defined digits, send DTMF digits in response to voice prompts, tones, and play/record voice files, perform speech-to-text transcription, and analyze transcribed text for correctness, using a simple setup and automate the whole process through scripts.

IVR Testing phone system
Manual mode speech analysis

User Plane Traffic Simulation for 5G, LTE, UMTS, and GPRS Networks

GTP Traffic Simulation modules within MAPS™ supports user-plane traffic simulation in 5G, LTE, UMTS, and GPRS networks. GTP, or GPRS Tunnelling Protocol are the methods for sending IP traffic in Wireless Networks such as MAPS™ 5G N1N2, MAPS™ 5G N4, GPRS, UMTS, and LTE. GTP traffic is identified by a Tunnel ID with multiple HTTP connections. GL now offers an End-to-End Simulation of a Wireless Network, including user equipment access to HTTP services via network elements, with all components such as Base Station, RF channel, and GPRS core elements (SGSN / Signaling Gateway, GGSN / PDN Gateway), combined with mobile gateway traffic emulation.

The solution includes Mobile IP traffic (ETH101 / PacketLoad™), Packet traffic (BERT, Hex String, and HDL File) and Mobile Gateway traffic (ETH102) types of traffic simulation. These modules also support generation and verification of data traffic such as Email, FTP, Web (HTTP), Video, and more.
The below diagram depicts the GL’s MAPS™ platform’s capability in generating user plane traffic with different modules.

GPRS tunneling protocol network

GTP Mobile Traffic Simulation is supported in MAPS™ 5G N1N2, MAPS™ 5G N4, MAPS™ LTE S1, MAPS™ LTE eGTP, MAPS™ UMTS Gn Gp, MAPS™ IuPS, MAPS™ UMTS IuH, MAPS™ GSM Abis IP, MAPS™ GSM A IP, and MAPS™ GPRS Gb applications only.

Packet Traffic Simulation - GTP (ETH100)

This module is used for stateless end-to-end data verification by generate IP traffic and verify the same at the other end over GTP (GPRS Tunneling Protocol). The IP traffic can be generated as Sequence Number, Hex string, BER patterns, or playback captured Ethernet traffic (*.HDL) files.

Using file playback feature, the packet data can be carried as pre-recorded traffic files (GL's proprietary Ethernet traffic capture format *.HDL files) to destination points and the same can be verified at the receiving end. The various statistics that are verified includes packet loss, lost frames, bit error count, Tx Rx frames count and other traffic parameters.

Mobile Traffic Core - GTP (ETH101)

Module supports stateful user-plane packet transmission and reception services between any two nodes (GTP-U protocol entity) in UMTS (SGSN, GGSN, RNC), and LTE (SGW, PDNGW) networks.  It allows simultaneous simulation of multiple sessions per user. Currently, supports HTTP traffic simulation with the base requirements such as port number, server IP address, and pre-canned HTTP traffic file. Each GTP traffic is identified by a Tunnel ID, UDP port (2152 is default for GTP-U traffic), and the multiple HTTP connections are differentiated by Connection ID. The Mobile Traffic Core-GTP (ETH101) module can also support generation and verification of data traffic such as Email, FTP, HTTP, and more.

Mobile Traffic Core - GTP Protocol Stack

Mobile Traffic Core – GTP Protocol Stack

HD Mobile Traffic Core - GTP

GL’s MAPS™ platform with PacketLoad™ appliance provides high density (up to 4 Gbps) stateful TCP/HTTP, UDP, and PCAP Replay traffic simulation solution in UMTS (SGSN, GGSN, RNC), and LTE (SGW, PDNGW) networks. PacketLoad™ is a 1U network appliance that includes 4 x 1GigE ports supporting total capacity of up to 4 Gbits/sec stateful packet traffic generation. 

PacketLoad™ high density GTP

PacketLoad™ is available in following platform variants-

PacketLoad™ 4 x 1Gbps (PKS172) - Data Traffic Generator 1U Rack Appliance with 4 x 1Gbps NIC interfaces: total capacity of up to 4 Gbits/sec Stateful TCP/HTTP Traffic

PacketLoad™ 1G

PacketLoad™ 4 x 10Gbps (PKS174) - Data Traffic Generator 2U Rack Appliance with 4 x 10Gbps NIC interfaces: total capacity of up to 40 Gbits/sec Stateful TCP/HTTP Traffic

PacketLoad™ 10G

Download the PacketLoad™ brochure for more details.

It allows simultaneous simulation of multiple sessions per user.  Currently, PacketLoad™ supports HTTP traffic simulation with the base requirements such as port number, server IP address, and pre-canned HTTP traffic file.
To verify bearer allocation bandwidth at the end points, the packet traffic can be generated with GL’s MAPS™ UMTS / LTE simulators along with PacketLoad™ module that allow to encapsulate the generated packet data within GTP headers and transmit through the gateway points such as SGSN & GGSN, or SGW & PGW.

At the other end, MAPS™ with PacketLoad™ is used to verify the received data with the various statistics like Total packets transmitted and received, Latency, Delay, Bandwidth, No. of TCP connection created, Successful connection, Packet loss, and so on.

Call Graph uses the results from statistics to plot graphically the Bandwidth on each port, HTTP_latency, TCP_Latency, and UE related statistics in form Bar/Line/Pie charts.

Mobile data raffic statistics

At the other end, MAPS™ with PacketLoad™ is used to verify the received data with the various statistics like Total packets transmitted and received, Latency, Delay, Bandwidth, No of TCP connection created, Successful connection, Packet loss, and so on.

User defined graph

Mobile Traffic Core - Gateway (ETH102)

Mobile Traffic Core - Gateway module allows simulation of Gateway and transfer user plane data from RNC to GGSN. It handles GTP tunnels on both direction of SGSN. It can also act as GGSN for user-plane traffic by encapsulating IP traffic over GTP. This module is supported in MAPS™ GnGpMAPS™ LTE S1MAPS™ LTE eGTP-c

Mobile Gateway Traffic Simulation
Mobile Gateway Traffic Simulation

Mobile Traffic Simulation - GPRS Gb (ETH103)

Mobile Traffic Simulation - GPRS Gb Module allows simulation of Mobile traffic over Gb interface between BSC and SGSN. Currently, this module transmits the pre-canned HTTP file (*.txt) between BSC and SGSN nodes. It multiplexes both signaling and traffic over Gb interface. This module is supported in MAPS™ GPRS Gb.

GPRS Gb call-control

Traffic Simulation - CLI

In addition to the GUI, all the traffic simulation action within MAPS™ can be automated and controlled remotely through a Command Line Interface (CLI). All of the GUI based functionalities are available in CLI. Supported clients include C++, TCL, Python and others.

Traffic simulation on a local network as well as from a remote location is possible with the client interface.

Traffic  Simulation between IP to TDM

Traffic Simulation between IP to TDM

Resources

Please Note: The XX in the Item No. refers to the hardware platform, listed at the bottom of the Buyer's Guide, which the software will be running on. Therefore, XX can either be ETA or EEA (Octal/Quad Boards), PTA or PEA (tProbe Units), XUT or XUE (Dual PCIe Express) depending upon the hardware.

Item Description
  GTP Mobile Traffic Options
ETH100
ETH101 XXXXX
ETH102
ETH103
PacketCheck™ 
Mobile IP Traffic Core (< 1Gbps)– PacketLoad™ - HD Mobile IP Traffic Core (up to 4 Gbps)
Mobile IP Traffic Core - Gateway
Mobile Traffic Core - Gb
  TDM Traffic Options
XX610
XX620
XX646
File based Record/Playback (includes xx600)
Transmit/Detect digits (Place Call/ Answer Call) (includes xx600)
Multi-Channel TRAU Tx/Rx Emulation and Analysis
XXFT0
XXXFT2
XXXFT3
XXXFT4
XXXFT5
XXXFT6
WCS Fax Emulation Software
2 Fax ports licenses
8 Fax ports licenses
30 Fax ports licenses
60 Fax ports licenses
120 Fax ports licenses
  RTP Traffic Options
PKS102 RTP Soft Core for RTP Traffic Generation
PKS103 RTP IuUP Softcore
PKS106 RTP Video Traffic Generation
PKS107 RTP EUROCAE ED137
PKS108 RTP Voice Quality Measurements
PKS200

PKS202
PKS203
PKS204
PKS205
PKS206
RTP Pass Through Fax Emulation

2 Fax Ports Licences
8 Fax Ports Licences
30 Fax Ports Licences
60 Fax Ports Licences
120 Fax Ports Licences
  Related Products
XX692 MAPS™ GSM A
XX693 MAPS™ GSM Abis
XX648 MAPS™ ISDN
XX649 MAPS™ SS7
XX647 MAPS™ SS7 Conformance Scripts
XX651 MAPS™ CAS Protocol Emulator
XX624 MAPS™ FXO FXS Emulator
PKS120
PKS121
MAPS™ SIP
SIP Conformance Test Suite (Test Scripts)
PKS122
PKS123
MAPS™ MEGACO
MAPS™ MEGACO Conformance Test Suite (Test Scripts)
PKS124
MAPS™ MGCP Protocol Emulation with Conformance Test Suite
PKS126 MAPS™ SIP I
PKS130 MAPS™ SIGTRAN
PKS135 MAPS™ ISDN SIGTRAN (ISDN over IP)
PKS137 MAPS™ GSM A over IP Emulator
PKS140 MAPS™ LTE S1 Emulator
PKS142 MAPS™ LTE eGTP (S3, S4, S5, S8, S10, S11 & S16) Emulator
PKS160 MAPS™ UMTS IuCS Interface Emulation
MAPS™ UMTS IuH Interface Emulation
PKS164 MAPS™ UMTS IuPS Interface Emulator
PKS166 MAPS™ UMTS - Gn Gp Interface Emulation
PKS131 MAPS – Gb Emulator over IP for BSC & SGSN
  Related Software
XX120 SS7 Analyzer Software
XX100 ISDN Analyzer Software
PKV100 PacketScan™ (Online and Offline)
PKB100 RTP Toolbox™
PKV105 SIGTRAN Analyzer (requires PKV100)
PKV107 LTE (Long Term Evolution) Analyzer (Optional with PacketScan™)
VBA038
PKV104
FaxScan for T.30
FaxScan for T.38
FXT001
FXT002
GL Insight - Single Modem Analysis – TDM
GL Insight - Single Modem Analysis - IP