Network & Service Analyzer Most Efficient Troubleshooting and Optimization Solution for Mobile Networks and Services
The market-leading Network & Service Analyzer™ (NSA™) is a suite of fully automated software applications for troubleshooting and optimization of mobile networks and services. NSA allows users to trace subscribers’ control and user plane data both in real time and offline over multiple interfaces and network elements. Identification of network problems and service quality degradation (from the symptom down to the root cause) becomes tremendously fast and easy with this tool. The capabilities and benefits of the NSA can be realized across LTE, UMTS (including HSPA+), and 2G networks. As a result, the time required to obtain and analyze data from across wireless mobile networks and in testbed environments is greatly reduced, and carriers and vendors alike can realize improved network testing efficiency. NSA Key Features
• Automatic Topology Discovery Improving Efficiency in 2G, 3G and 4G Testing • Automatic Instrument Configuration • Multi-interface Call Trace • Minimize time required to detect and resolve network and service issues Reduce the time and • Message Statistics and Key cost of development test in the labs Performance Indicators • Extend insight into your network perfomances • Multi-user support • Automated generation of warning and analysis reports Advanced and flexible solution for KPIs • Support of thousands of mobile generation and trend analysis network protocols • 24/7 monitoring • Radio Chart Analysis for UE NSA Key Applications Parameters • IP Throughput and Time Delay Analysis • Campaign based live network troubleshooting • Down-to-the-Bit Frame Analysis • Product Verification & Validation • IOT and Compliance Testing • Mobile Network Optimization
Product Datasheet - NSA | May 2012 | www.tekcomms.com Datasheet | NSA
Features and Benefits
Multi-Technology
The NSA Suite is a state-of-the-art troubleshooting solution for established and emerging mobile network technologies. It is devised to function optimally in development, trial and live deployment environments. With a single software platform, Mobile Network Operators and Network Equipment Manufacturer engineers can monitor and test 2G, 2.5G, 3G, HSPA+ and LTE network environments.
With support for a wide range of 3GPP, Vendor- specific and Industry Forum protocols, the NSA suite of tools helps minimize the time between identifying that an issue exists and determining its root cause. Thus, the NSA assists Network Equipment Manufacturers in meeting the Time-to- K2Air Probe for LTE Uu Air-Interface Market targets of new features as well as Mobile Network Operators in continuously providing their customers with superior Quality of Service (QoS).
Flexible Hardware Platform
Ensuring the ability to capture high data rates without data loss is a critical requirement for monitoring today’s high load networks. This becomes even more crucial as both new and established networks evolve towards all IP networks. The K18 and High.Link probes feed the NSA system with captured traffic in a “stream-store-analyze” mode to ensure that data integrity cannot be compromised. Additionally, the K2Air probe can be used in a similar manner to capture and analyze traffic from the LTE Uu air-interface.
The K18 probes perform real-time capturing under heavy load from High Performance to match the needs of today’s and ATM, PCM, Ethernet and Gigabit Ethernet interfaces. They also perform tomorrow’s mobile networks troubleshooting line-rate hardware filtering (e.g., control plane/user plane, VPI/VCI, IP addresses) to allow users to effectively narrow their troubleshooting activities on a small subset of critical information from the high volumes of monitored traffic. High.Link probes can be used to capture large quantities of data in multi-Gbps IPbased network environments, where both 1G and 10G transport layer connections occur.
With the NSA supporting mixed hardware environments users can easily extend the number and types of probes to match the requirements of their growing installations.
2 Auto-configuration and Topology
In order to minimize unproductive time used on activities such as configuring the system for monitoring activities, the NSA can identify and auto-configure thousands of logical network interfaces and logical links within minutes. Especially users monitoring complex iub/iur interfaces or interfaces with channelized STM-1 probes will significantly benefit from such auto-configuration features.
For static testing environments where traffic load is lower and a learning phase is undesirable, the Topology and Link Configuration Editor allows users to manually populate and/or edit a network topology within a short time span.
Call Table and Call Trace
Call Tracing effectively equips users with a magnifying glass to detect the needle in the haystack of collected data. By reducing a large number of calls listed in the Call Table by filter criteria such as a specific IMSI Powerful auto configuration and network topology or a release cause value, users can quickly drill-down into those calls that require further attention. The selected call shows then the complete message flow across all relevant network elements. A Detailed frame view allows down to the bit analysis of the call trace to facilitate root cause analysis.
NSA’s call trace application provides various export capabilities, from exporting the complete call table to individual call flows or even frame decodes, thus assisting the user in creating reports on network problems.
Detailed reports to highlight network issues faster
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Message-based Statistics and KPIs
The user requires often a tool that can make a broad scan of the comprehensive set of KPIs that provide key insight into the influence captured traffic and quickly identify potential problems. An unexpected that different parameters have on each other. This allows for domain or unusually high incidence of a particular event (e.g. RAB assignment area identification of service problems, mapping of service issues to failure, can swiftly be identified by analyzing the statistical distribution of network issues, and results in reducing the time required for network relevant messages and release causes. By performing such analysis over optimization and troubleshooting. For maximum flexibility, users can time, users can quickly see whether the issue is related to a particular continuously modify which relationships they wish to investigate (i.e. is incident (i.e. a network node restart), or is spread evenly throughout the the problem related to a particular nodeB, a particular cell or a particular testing period. The NSA allows “drill-up” from individual messages and handset type). Drilldown to the calls/transactions behind a KPI provides events to the related call trace so that users can quickly investigate the the user with the information to go from KPI to the identification of the influence of an event on the related user experience. NSA also provides problem cause with just a mouse click. All KPI measurements are a comprehensive set of tools for assessing IP packet level QoS, including stored within an open MYSQL database, and can be accessed by third throughput, packet delay and packet loss, displayed in both tabular and party tools. This allows for easy integration of the solution within existing graphical formats. measurement systems. For networks with a low to medium amount of data volume (e.g. in a lab environment), users can easily define new At other times only Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that map complex KPIs (e.g. message counters, event ratios or delay measurements) relationships between multiple parameters and call phases are sufficient within minutes and integrate these into appropriate KPI reports. to confirm or refute a hypothesis. For these cases, the NSA provides a
Sample Analysis of Message Statistics and Time Delay
4 Multi-user support
A typical testbed environment can find multiple users who need to see only a subset of interfaces or handsets that are under test. Users require full flexibility to filter out and save data relevant to their test, and do not wish to be impacted by the applications being used by others that are sharing the system. The NSA’s Multi-user capabilities allow users to work completely independently by sharing the data captured by a common set of probes, and forwarding only the data required by the individual user to his remote terminal. Here the user has the freedom to use the NSA applications of his choice without impacting the performance being experienced by other users. Multi-user capabilities ensure maximum system utilization and efficiency of engineering teams.
Multi-user capability for more efficient testing and troubleshooting
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Air Interface Monitoring
In 2G/2.5G and 3G technologies, significant air interface information wireless information with information collected on the S1 and X2 is available on wireline interfaces such as Abis and Iub. With the interfaces. This capability provides the user with a 360° view of implementation of self-governing eNodeBs within the LTE network, radio network performance. Graphical depictions of key RF physical this form of control information is no longer sent on a wireline interface. layer parameters are supported to investigate RF performance and Users are required to move closer to the radio interface itself to gain quality, and can be analyzed in conjunction with higher layer protocol key insight into the performance of the eNodeB and the radio network. information to determine the impact that RF PHY performance has on service quality, for example. Additionally, by monitoring key interfaces The NSA provides, in conjunction with K2Air, the LTE Uu probe, air within the Evolved Packet Core (EPC), such as the S1, S5, S11 and SGi interface insight by supporting promiscuous air interface monitoring interfaces, the user is able to correlate events within the EPC with their via the CPRI control port implemented on the majority of eNodeBs. impact on the air-interface. Applications such as call trace and KPIs seamlessly correlate the
The NSA platform extends its support to provide market-leading LTE testing solutions
6 NSA for 3G and HSPA+
The NSA is the platform of choice for UTRAN monitoring. With Application Support an extensive set of tools required for performance monitoring, troubleshooting and optimizing 3G networks, Mobile Network Operators • Autoconfiguration of all 3G and HSPA+ Interfaces and Network Equipment Manufacturers are provided with a platform • Call trace including coverage of HSPA+ specific features which minimizes the time to identify and solve service affecting issues. • Extensive range of flexible KPIs covering radio, network and user issues • ATM and IP-based support for all interfaces, including Hybrid-Iub variants as well as E1 ATM IMA support for Iub • Support for vendor-specific variants • Support of key 3GPP releases up to Rel
Advanced 3G HSPA+ Troubleshooting
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NSA for 2G/2.5G
More than 80% of the world’s population is covered by GSM networks, Application Support and a similar percentage of the population have access to data services via GPRS and EDGE networks. These legacy technologies provide the • Automatic interface detection backbone of the 3GPP family and continue to generate key revenue for • Call trace Mobile Network Operators and Network Equipment Manufacturers alike. • Flexible KPIs for handovers, assignment failures, air interface quality, Mistakenly considered to be mature technology, the further evolution etc. of data services (Rel. 7 Evolved EDGE) as well as the move away • Vendor proprietary Abis versions from PCM-based towards more efficient IP-based interfaces, indicate that monitoring and optimization tools for 2G and 2.5G networks are still very much required.
2G and 2.5G Test Applications
8 NSA for CORE
The Core provides the critical transfer functions required to move data Application Support from one part of the network to another and provides gateways to external fixed and mobile networks. The core is also where subscriber • Auto-configuration databases and network intelligence can be found. The core network • Call trace is further evolving with the deployment of softswitch technology and • Flexible KPIs for call volumes, call success rates, throughput, etc. the continued growth of cost-efficient IMS/SIP-based services. Mobile • Dedicated support for MAP & CAP Protocol Analysis Network Operators keen to leverage the cost savings that this paradigm shift can bring must ensure that an IP Core can provide adequate quality and reliability for their voice & data services.
Enabling Effective CORE Network Test
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About Tektronix Communications: Specifications Tektronix Communications provides network operators and equipment manufacturers around the world an unparalleled suite of network diagnostics and management solutions for fixed, mobile, Recommended External PC K18 Probe IP and converged multi-service networks. This Requirements comprehensive set of solutions support a range of • STM1/OC3 – 4 x STM1 receiver ports – SC architectures and applications such as LTE, fixed For low load environments where portability is connector mobile convergence, IMS, broadband wireless key: • GbE – 4 x RJ45 (electrical for 100/1000 access, WiMAX, VoIP and triple play, including Mb/s) or 4 x flexible SFP modules (RJ45 IPTV. Tektronix Communications is headquartered in • Dual Core CPU, 2.6 GHz/6MB electrical, LC 1300 nm optical, SC 850 nm Plano, Texas. Cache/1333MHz), 4GB RAM, 160GB HD optical) E1 DS1 ATM 16 E1/DS1 receiver Learn more about the company’s test, measurement Network Interface supporting Ethernet ports; IMA support; AAL5, AAL2 reassembly and network monitoring solutions by visiting www. • Jumbo frames • ATM STM-1 – 2 x STM1 receiver ports – SC tekcommss.com. • Windows 7 Professional (64 bit) SP1 connector For Further Information: Server Solution High.Link Probe Tektronix Communications maintains a For high load environments, where • 4x 1 GbE - 4x RJ-45 or 4x SFP optical (LC comprehensive, constantly expanding collection performance is key: connector) of application notes, technical briefs and other • 2x- Six Core CPU (3,46GHz/12MB • 2x 10 GbE - 2x XFP optical (SR or LR) resources to help engineers working on the cutting Cache/1333MHz), 32GB RAM, HD 5TB edge of technology. (RAID recommended) K2Air Probe Please visit www.tekcomms.com • Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 • 2x SFP optical for connection to 2 CPRI Contact Tektronix Communications: ports Please visit www.tekcomms.com Phone: 1-800-833-9200 option 1 +1-469-330-4000
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