Transport network testing!

Anritsu has announced important enhancements for its portable user-friendly MT1000A Network Master Pro and MT1100A Network Master Flex, the new family of all-in-one transport network testers. The enhancements include the support of CPRI/OBSAI and RFC 6349 TCP throughput testing, Optical Transport Network (OTN) multi stage mapping for OTU3/4, a powerful remote operation tool and support of a Video Inspection Probe.

The explosive spread of smartphones and tablets has dramatically increased demand for coverage and bandwidth in mobile networks, which has driven a change in mobile networks to Centralized-Radio Access Networks (C-RAN). The centralized Base Band Units (BBU) and multiple Remote Radio Head (RRH) units are connected via standardized interfaces, such as the Common Public Radio Interface (CPRI) or Open Base Station Architecture Initiative (OBSAI). With these new enhancements, the MT1000A and MT1100A now support 8 CPRI interface rates from 614.4 Mbps to 10.1376 Gbps, which ensures testing of all current and future requirements. Testing of CPRI over OTN and testing of OBSAI are also included in the enhancements.

Network operators verify IP networks using tests based on IETF RFC 2544 and ITU-T Y.1564. However, customers may still complain that the achieved throughput is below the expectations, which may be caused by a non-optimal configuration of the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP). The MT1000A and MT1100A with the new TCP Throughput option both support the RFC 6349 test methodology, making them ideally suited to support TCP throughput optimization up to 10 Gb/s.

The MT1100A inputs and outputs support XLAUI / CAUI signals, allowing connection of devices such as 40Gb/s / 100 Gb/s / 400 Gb/s transceivers, framer ICs and network equipment using a CFP 10 lanes extender. MT1100A also supports CFP4 transceivers, the latest 100 Gb/s optical transceiver, using a CFP2-CFP4 adaptor.

The Remote Operation function of the MT1000A and MT1100A allows operation from a remote PC as if on-site. The Remote Control package for the MT1000A and MT1100A also supports file transfer including download of measurement reports and results files, upload and download of configuration files, and remote software upgrade. In addition, the dedicated Remote Control package supports Multi user access to the instrument, allowing one user per port.
The MT1000A and MT1100A connected to a Video Inspection Probe (VIP) allow the user to check the fiber end face and confirm that quality practices are being followed based on the IEC 61300-3-35 standard.

“With the new enhancements customers can test CPRI, CPRI over OTN and OBSAI; and the new technologies in Mobile Fronthaul networks, together with other technologies they need to install and maintain, such as OTN, Ethernet, Fibre Channel and SDH/SONET” said Jonathan Borrill, Director of Marketing at Anritsu (EMEA). “The MT1000A Network Master Pro and the MT1100A Network Master Flex give technicians’ universal tools to test all the technologies supported within the networks they manage.”

The MT1000A Network Master Pro and MT1100A Network Master Flex, provide a complete set of functionality for testing OTN, Ethernet, CPRI/OBSAI, Fibre Channel and SDH/SONET, as well as handle legacy PDH and DSn interfaces. The MT1000A and MT1100A Network Master are the first compact all-in-one OTN testers that give the user the capability to test the network with Ethernet, CPRI, Fibre Channel and SDH/SONET client signals. The MT1000A and MT1100A with the new enhancements are available for immediate delivery. More information on both products are available on the website.