Ixia Develops Quality-of-Service Tester

The new system uses GPS technology to synchronize network events and provide precise QoS analysis

by Wayne Kawamoto [February 10, 2000]

Ixia Communications recently announced the development of its QoS Performance Tester that utilizes integrated Global Positioning System (GPS) technology. The tester is targeted towards ISPs and Carriers who want to precisely and repeatedly validate network performance to verify the QoS metrics that form the basis of their SLAs.

The QoS Performance Tester measures latency and jitter through a wide area network. Packets generated at one location have time stamps that are inserted by the GPS. The packets then travel across the network and arrive at a second location where another time stamp is inserted by another GPS receiver that resides there. The Ixia technology then calculates the latency between the two locations on a packet-by-packet basis. The integrated GPS technology synchronizes to within 150 nanoseconds, time stamping at both the transmitting and receiving sides.

According to the company, this technology makes real-time and accurate latency measurements available for the first time.

Pricing and availability
The QoS Performance Tester will be available during the first quarter of 2000, priced at $8,000 per chassis.

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