Mu Dynamics introduced a testing solution that uses real application traffic to quickly determine how mobile users and devices impact 4G LTE networks. The new Mu Studio for LTE, which was developed in partnership with Aricent, allows the operator to simulate hundreds of popular applications over GTP tunnels, thereby providing a unique insight into how applications impact the mobile network from a performance and security standpoint.
By using real application traffic, the Mu Studio for LTE can assess how the Evolved Packet Core (EPC) will perform in real-world conditions and with rapidly changing application traffic profiles. Competing network testing solutions typically focus on the tunnels that deliver traffic, versus the applications running over them. The company said its solution can test the following key use-cases:
Application Detection: To verify systems accurately detect and control specific applications and security attacks on the 4G LTE network.
Billing and Charging: To ensure that billing and charging functions are accurately operating based on specific applications and users.
Application QoS: To ensure that application-specific Quality of Service (QoS) policies such as rate limiting, prioritization, Maximum Bit Rate (MBR), Guaranteed Bit Rate (GBR) are functioning correctly under production loads.
Scalability: To validate that the 4G LTE architecture can scale to the expected levels of users with acceptable performance.
Resiliency: To ensure that the 4G LTE architecture can efficiently manage unexpected application traffic inputs.
“As we continue to see an explosion of applications across 4G LTE networks, it becomes more and more critical to test those networks not only for traffic volume, but also for how the network is impacted by the specific applications themselves,” said Dave Kresse, chief executive officer, Mu Dynamics. “Only Mu Studio for LTE, with its integrated store of thousands of ready-to-run application tests, enables mobile operators to test how these applications will impact their 4G LTE networks, ensuring that their subscribers experience superior network performance and security.”
