Summary presentation from a webinar by Aricent testing experts about the challenges of LTE EPC testing. Full webinar recording and presentation are available at http://info.aricent.com/LTE_EPC_Testing_Webinar_Sep14 _2011_ss.html

1. Addressing the Top 10 Challenges of
LTE EPC Testing
LIVE WEBINAR
Sept 2011

2. Aricent
Aricent is a global innovation and technology services company
that helps clients to imagine, commercialize, and evolve products
and services for the connected world
Aricent’s Testing Services
We have more than 15,000 person-years of testing experience
and a dedicated team of more than 1,800 testing specialists.
With domain expertise in telecom technologies, test tools,
automation, and test equipment, we form strategic alliances with
our clients.
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3. Options for LTE EPC Testing
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4. Option 1: End-to-End EPC Testing
• Single vendor offering all EPC
nodes for testing
• Focus on testing of all external
interfaces from EPC
• Integration with external simulators
and applications
Executed end-to-end EPC testing for a Tier-1 OEM using in-house simulators for optimized test
coverage
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5. Option 2: Combinational Testing
• Vendors may offer various
combinations of LTE-EPC
nodes for testing
• Focus on testing features
relevant for the combinational
nodes
• Integration of combination
nodes with simulated/emulated
peer nodes
Successfully tested an SGW+PGW combination for a datacom vendor using in-house simulators
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6. Option 3: Individual Node Testing
• Vendor offers testing for an
individual node
• Multiple inter-dependent
node(s) may be offered for
testing
• Testing of individual nodes for
all their external interfaces
Signaling vendor’s MME was successfully tested for LTE and interworking with 3G networks
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7. CHALLENGES OF
LTE EPC TESTING
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8. Challenge 1
Non-standard Ciphering/Integrity
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9. Challenge 2
Carrier Grade Solutions
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10. Challenge 3
Solution Scalability
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11. Challenge 4:
Interoperability
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12. Challenge 5
Charging Use Cases
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13. Challenge 6
Value Added Policy Control
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14. Challenge 7
Inter/Intra RAT 3GPP Handover
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15. Challenge 8
Interworking with Non-3GPP
Technologies
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16. Challenge 9
Voice Support in LTE
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17. Challenge 10
Test Coverage Optimization
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18. Test Tool Capability
Requirements
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19. Test Tool Capabilities
Generic
• Allows testing invalid and inopportune test scenarios • Supports TLIV, TFLV, TLV, TV, LV and ASN.1 (BER) data
formats
• Enables the creation and execution of automation
suites • Supports transport layer TCP/UDP/SCTP over IPv4/v6
• Readily integrates with any proprietary authentication • Handles multiple protocols and technologies
and encryption algorithm
• Enables auto length calculation, generation of statistics
• Easily extensible and customizable and reporting, and support for verdict.
• Permits message decoding, parameter extraction
Functional Testing Load/Performance Testing
• UE initiated triggers • Create different load and performance scenarios
using built-in procedures
• Network initiated triggers
• Control/govern different load patterns
• Handover (intra-RAT)/TAU
• Collect relevant metrics and measurements
• Policy and charging
• Generate next to real time traffic
• Interworking with 3GPP and non-3GPP
• Support data and signaling paths
• Peer node restart
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20. Key Takeaways
LTE EPC Testing Challenges
– Although very complex, LTE EPC testing challenges can be
overcome with careful test planning and domain expertise
– Selection of test tools with LTE feature support is critical
– Exposure to previous LTE interop/field issues helps with
complex issue resolution
– LTE network element and interface simulators enable greater
test coverage
– Test enablers are pivotal in accelerating time to market
– Expertise on different 3GPP/non-3GPP technologies is very
beneficial

21. Watch the video and download the full presentation at:
http://info.aricent.com/LTE_EPC_Testing_Webinar_Sep14
_2011_ss.html
For any information, please send your questions to:
elizabeth.singh@aricent.com
Or
Call us at: +1-650-391-1615