An Element Manager Software (EMS) manages one or more of
a specific type of telecommunications network element (NE),
for example a Router, Switch, Blade Server etc.
The commercial success of the EMS depends upon its superior
element management functionality such as fault, configuration,
accounting, performance, and security (FCAPS) for the managed
device, in realistic environments. This involves effective
testing of the EMS in real world conditions with the specific
device type. However, in real life, the building and testing
of an EMS involves the following challenges.
Challenges in Building and Testing EMS
More often, the developers who design and program the
device-management application and the quality-assurance
personnel rely on a new device that is under development.
Hence the actual device is not available for testing.
Expensive third-party equipment must be purchased and
the time to research, purchase and install the equipment
consumes human resources and delays the time-to-market.
Negative conditions and critical test scenarios such as
device failures and agent crashes happen very infrequently
and are hard to recreate.
Trained people with technical expertise and knowledge
on the technologies it supports are required in handling
the specific device types.
Simulation Toolkit Solution
The solution is sophisticated simulation tools that shorten time-to-market
while assuring EMS functionality. See how the in-built features
in Simulation Toolkit can assure the required functionality to the
EMS and at the same time shorten the time-to-market.
In-built library of pre-configured devices like host,
printers, cisco series routers and switches substitute
the actual devices. The simulated devices contain realistic
data of the specific device types and provide the required
knowledge in designing a successful EMS. The devices support
SNMP, TL1, TFTP, FTP, Telnet and IOS protocols. IPv4 or IPv6 Address can be assigned to the devices.
The simulator precisely mirrors the MIB object values
of both standard and device specific MIBs. To experiment
with changes in the device values, any variation on
this basic simulation can be easily created by configuring
MIB values from the UI or through scripts.
To duplicate any existing device in the network,
the agent recorder can record the real SNMP devices.
The recorded device provides testing needs during
development. The recorded configuration can also be
suitably modified to re-create problems or test configuration
variations
To test the performance monitoring capabilities
of the EMS, device values like CPU, Memory, Disk utilization,
device interface traffic etc. can be made to vary
or remain constant based on the simulation types configured.
Simulation Toolkit supports Constant, Random, Linear,
Wave, Exponential, Sine Wave simulation types based
on the node syntax.
Critical test scenarios can be setup using powerful
script API to confirm that the EMS will perform
the required functionality in all scenarios. For
example, schedue network state that change SNMP
variables, make addition and deletion to SNMP table
rows dynamically for provisioning, change read-only
and read-write variables, update node values, change
interface status, start and shutdown devices etc.
These simulations can be enabled dynamically without
disrupting the simulation process.
Trap Simulation feature enables testing the Fault
Management functionality of the EMS like alarm handling,
trouble-detection and correction. Configuration of
SNMP traps with varbinds can be customized to be sent
at different scenarios on a daily or periodical basis,
at the specified time. For example, send link up/link
down traps to update the interface status, send cold
start/warm start traps at agent start up etc. Trap
Recording wizard can record and replay SNMPv1 and
v2c traps sent by real devices.
Trap Storms can be generated to validate the effective
load handling of the EMS for receiving any number
of traps at the specified time interval or at the
burst mode.
SNMP request and response SNMP PDU can be customized
to send garbled/invalid responses for testing the
device managers' robustness in the event of receiving
bad packets. Error responses can be configured from
the UI or through scripts.
Negative conditions like device failures, agent
crashes, delay in SNMP responses, make agents stop
responding to SNMP requests etc. can be setup using
powerful script APIs to verify if the EMS is capable
of reacting to dynamic negative changes in the nework
device.
Key Benefits
Reduced capital cost
Simulation Toolkit allow EMS developers to design and test against
virtual hardware. Since there is no need to buy expensive equipment
and setup a lab, simulators reduce the initial capital costs of
the equipment and lab. Less equipment also means less infrastructure
and support professionals.
High Quality EMS
Testing the EMS applications in simulated network environments
gives the developers an accurate appraisal of the software
and confirm that the software will perform the required
functionality in all scenarios.
Simulators allow them to play "what if" games
with their configuration to make sure the application can
hold up firm against all positive and negative conditions.
This results in a high quality EMS which eliminates post
deployment troubleshooting, reduces calls to customer support
and optimizes the end-user experience.
Shortened Time-to-market
Simulated devices substitutes for the actual hardware product
being developed. Instead of waiting for the new device to
exercise specialized functionality, the developers and testing
departments can use the device simulations. This allows
EMS development to progress concurrently with hardware development
and shortens the time-to-market.
