Evaluation of ATM Switches for MobilCom Multimedia GmbH

Our customer
MobilCom Multimedia GmbH 

Project aims
The objective of this project with MobilCom Mulitmedia GmbH was to evaluate the features and performance parameters of ATM switches. The switches were selected by MobilCom AG and were intended to build up the backbone of their new 3G / UMTS core network.

Organising the test
All tests were conducted at the EANTC test lab in Berlin, Germany. The two week test period was attended and supported by both the manufacturer and Mobilcom. The following illustration displays the configured test network with the different test scenarios, using the components to be evaluated.

Description of the test scenario
The test scenarios included the following test areas:

• ATM Functionality and Traffic Management
  The tests in this group evaluated all switch ATM Traffic Management mechanisms, including traffic category prioritisation, policing, and congestion management.
• Alarm and Failover Tests
  This section evaluated the different management alarm, redundancy and resilience mechanisms of ATM switches, including

• switch module redundancy
• interface module redundancy
• SDH Automatic Protection Switching
• Re-routing and connection failover performance at the signalling layer

• ATM Signalling
  Different test cases of the ATM Forum signalling performance and conformance test suites were conducted at this stage:

• Signalling protocol UNI4.0 and PNI1.0 static and dynamic behaviour
• Signalling performance
• Robustness: Long term signalling stability

• PNNI Routing Functionality and Performance
  The correct routing process in large networks was tested with emulators. They enabled us to configure a real switch in a complex emulated network and check both its behaviour and performance. The emulators also evaluated the switch behaviour in an errored or a congested situation. It was also verified as to whether the switches would handle these situations in a technically correct and stable manner.