The document discusses FlowCoder, a tool from iThinkTest that emulates Media Termination Adaptors (MTAs) and Cable Modem Termination Systems (CMTSs) to test PacketCable protocols. FlowCoder allows instantiating multiple MTA/CMTS instances to analyze protocols from Call Management Servers. It can override functions and alter responses for negative testing. Event logging tracks responses. FlowCoder helps test PacketCable compliance, interoperability, features and regressions in a detailed, efficient manner to find problems and ensure stable products.

1. iThinkTest, Inc.
FlowCoder:MTA/CMTSEmulationToolSetFlowCoder:MTA/CMTSEmulationToolSet
The Next Generation Communications market is emerging and OEMs need
to be ready to satisfy customer needs with stable, well tested products.
PacketCable™ (CableLabs™ initiative) is meeting this need with developing
interoperable interface specifications for delivering advanced real-time
multimedia services over two-way cable plants. PacketCable networks are
built on top of industry standard "Data Over Cable Service Interface
Specifications" (DOCSIS). As such media elements such as the Call
Management Servers (CMS), Media Termination Adaptors (MTA) and Cable
Modem Termination Systems (CMTS) will be communicating via the NCS,
COPS (DQoS) and Security (IPSec, Kerberos, PKINIT, IKE) protocols. How
can these critical protocols be analyzed from the CMS in a detailed and
efficient manner? Naturally with the FlowCoder CMTA/S - E “Combo”!
KEY BENEFITS:
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KEY FEATURES:
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Ability to instantiate multiple CMTA/S-E
instances for detailed Protocol Analysis
of CMS responses
Ability to Override basic MTA/CMTS
functionality and alter datagram
responses for negative testing of NCS,
COPS (DQoS) and Security (IPSec,
Kerberos, PKINIT, IKE) protocols
Event Logging per MTA/CMTS Entities
Supported OS (Windows)
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KEY APPLICATIONS:
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PacketCable Protocol Compliance
Testing
Interoperablity, Functional, Feature and
Regression Testing
Save Design and Test Engineering time
and resources during testing and
debugging of problems
Save money on rework and labor due
to the fact that there are less problems
in-house and in the field
Ensure stable, PacketCable compliant
product to customer

2. CASE 1: CMTA/S-E with several pots lines: CASE 2: Many CMTA/S-E's Instantiated with many pots lines attached:
"NO-NONSENSE TEST SOLUTION THAT GIVES THE RESULTS YOU NEED!"
FLOWCODER PRODUCT FAMILY:
FlowCoder CMS Emulator [NCS, DQoS]
FlowCoder CMTA/S Emulator [NCS, DQoS, Security]
FlowCoder ComBlast Load Generator/Analyzer
FlowCoder Call Flow Libraries:
- Conformance Tests (i.e. PacketCable CTPs)
- Stress/Performance Call Flows
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Patent Pending 60/444,466
The FlowCoder CMTA/S (POTS + MTA + CMTS) Emulation tool set
is the first of it's kind to intelligently evaluate NCS, COPS (DQoS)
and Security (IPSec, Kerberos, PKINIT, IKE) protocol datagram's
from the CMS. It responds to all PacketCable compliant datagram's
and allows the user to insert negative responses to legal or illegal
datagram's sent from the CMS. The MTA entities can be configured
to communicate with or without a Key Distribution Center (KDC) to
generate compliant AP Requests and evaluate AP Replies from the
CMS. This is critical to producing proper Security Associations.
The CMTA/S-E logs all events in various levels of detail for each
instantiated MTA and CMTS entities for different levels of analysis.
The power of the CMTA/S Emulation tool set approach to testing
CMS Compliance becomes apparent when testing several different
CMS devices from different vendors. Since the CMTA/S emulates a
true MTA + CMTS, there is no need to modify any scripts or write
any programs to accommodate basic CMS functionality.
Modifications are required only when Overrides are needed during
negative testing. This can be done by just entering a text file to
change a state response. This patent pending technology stores
various test cases by easily saving the test configurations. To rerun
the test cases simply instantiate the saved configuration files.
Feature testing can be automated with any scripting tool (i.e.
TCL/TK, Expect, Perl, Python, etc.)
iThinkTest, Inc.
164 S. Pastoria Ave.
Sunnyvale, CA 94086
www.ithinktest.com
Phone: 408.732.1731
408.247.6029
Fax: 408.247.6010
Email: info@ithinktest.com
iThinkTest, Inc.