Agilent Technologies Inc. verified that its N2X multiservices test solution validated the performance of IPTV service delivery over the largest multilayer GMPLS/MPLS test network ever constructed. The multivendor interoperability test was conducted at Isocore Internetworking Lab and will be showcased this week at the iPOP 2006 public demonstration.

Working with more than 10 leading MPLS and GMPLS vendors at Isocore, Agilent N2X supported the functional and performance verification of the IPTV service delivery over MPLS and MPLS/GMPLS interworking. The Agilent N2X is the industry's only multiport solution that was able to emulate the optical control plane to establish the GMPLS network -- as well as verify MPLS-enabled services such as multicast VPN, VPLS and IPTV -- all in one platform.

N2X's IPTV channel-zapping application and comprehensive MPLS test capabilities were used together to compare IPTV service delivery across the two forefront infrastructures that service providers are considering to deploy IPTV services: multicast Layer 3 VPNs (mVPN) and hierarchical virtual private LAN services (H-VPLS). The real-time graphical representation of channel join/leave latency enabled vendors to measure the performance of the underlying network and its ability to maintain the service Quality of Experience (QoE) using N2X.

Agilent N2X was also the test solution used at the event for MPLS/GMPLS interworking; specifically, to establish and verify label-switched paths (LSPs) across multiple GMPLS device types, including Lambda, Fibre and Time Division (TDM) switching. This was the first time various switching types were validated across a multivendor optical transport network. N2X was also used to validate link management protocol (LMP), reliable messaging and graceful restart/deletion mechanisms, which are essential for carrier-class IP-optical networks, and the effective delivery of higher layer services like IPTV.

The ability to validate multiple layers in a single, correlated test platform allows network equipment manufacturers and service providers to validate a complete IPTV service deployment faster and more economically:

• Powerful and easy-to-use GUI combines all multilayer testing into a single control and analysis point, delivering greater time-to-insight.
• This industry-leading GMPLS solution now includes support for channelized TDM based LSPs to verify the complete GMPLS switching capabilities required for multivendor network operation.
• Integrated data and control-plane stress testing (including IP routing and MPLS/GMPLS TE signaling protocols) allows for more rapid test plan execution and more realistic scenarios that comprehensively test service establishment and delivery.
• Dedicated triple-play services software, including emulation software (VPLS, mVPN) and productivity applications (high availability, IPTV QoE), enables comprehensive and realistic service testing.

"The flexibility and breadth of features of the Agilent N2X was critical in troubleshooting interoperability issues of GMPLS transport mechanisms for IPTV services," said Rajiv Papneja, manager of Technology and Product Evaluation at Isocore. "The addition of the Agilent IPTV QoE solution on the same platform provided great insight into our evaluations of mVPN and H-VPLS as the underlying service delivery of IPTV."

"The interoperability event compared the ability for different MPLS-enabled Layer 2 and 3 infrastructures to carry IPTV triple-play services over an IP optical network controlled by GMPLS," said Dave Bass, vice president and general manager of Agilent's Data Networking Division. "The Agilent N2X has been a key tool for many leading developers of MPLS/GMPLS technologies, and this interoperability trial demonstrates the N2X's comprehensive breadth of multiservices test capability."

Agilent is delivering a worldwide seminar series covering the challenges of deploying networks to deliver triple-play services over multilayer infrastructures, with specific focus on testing IPTV service quality. Information is available at www.agilent.com/comms/n2x.

U.S. Pricing and Availability
The Agilent N2X multiservice test solution is available now at a starting price of $20,000. More information is available at www.agilent.com/find/n2x.

Product photos are available at www.agilent.com/find/N2X_image.