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Move away from manual testing and towards an
automated laboratory environment
Laborautomatisierung
für Netzbetreiber
In today's rapidly evolving business environment, successful
companies need to keep their network infrastructure up to date.
New devices and services need to be tested and certified for
quality, reliability and security before they are integrated into the
active live infrastructure to avoid disruptions or outages. One of
the means to carry out the test procedures in a timely manner is
the use of automated test environments. The areas of
application for laboratory automation are diverse, ranging from
RAN testing to transport and core network testing.
Whereas previously time-consuming, manual test procedures
were often necessary to verify network devices, an automated,
user-configurable fiber optic level can now be used, allowing test
runs or reconfigurations to be carried out within seconds instead
of hours or days, resulting in time and cost savings.
Sophisticated products tailored to your
application
By automating the testing environment, demanding and time-
consuming test cycles can be carried out efficiently without the
need for an employee to be on site. In addition, different
laboratory locations and their high value equipment can also be
linked to each other in order to make the best possible use of the
available resources.
Carrier challenges in "live" networks
•
Extensive test cases involving regression, features,
interoperability and extensions such as Common Protocol
Radio Interface (CPRI)
•
Continuous software updates of network elements
•
Fast deployment of security-related software in network
elements
•
Complex regression testing due to coexistence of numerous
technologies, frequencies and access modes
•
New software releases can have a negative impact on
features and functionality of current live release
The HUBER+SUHNER solution
•
End-to-end lab automation solution
•
High reproduceability, traceability, reporting and increased
efficiency
•
Future ready including new 5G bands and beyond
•
Optical circuit switch which is protocol and data rate agnostic
•
Faster time to market
The HUBER+SUHNER lab automation setup utilises optical
circuit switching, a technology which eliminates the need for
manual patching and enables remote routing of the signal.
Additionally, our RF-over-Fiber solution allows for effective
testing of RF products by switching signals within the optical
circuit switch. The high performance opto-electrical conversion
ensures minimal impact on measurement results and provides
bidirectionality for both the optical and the RF domains.
With the help of readily available tools, resources can be shared
securely and without conflict between laboratories assigned to
different parts of the network. This also enables “follow-the-sun”
access to lab resources with 24-hour global access to shared
test equipment.
RAN labs
By deploying RF-over-Fiber (RFoF) modules to convert signals
from RAN radios into fiber optic signals and utilising fiber optic
switching, labs can fully leverage the solution's end-to-end
benefits. This approach enables much greater transmission
distances with significantly lower losses from Device Under Test
(DUT) to test equipment. Additionally, fiber optics are extremely
lightweight, compact, and have a better bend radius than
coaxial cables, making them easier to deploy. Each end of the
fibers is equipped with RFoF functional blocks to convert optical
signals back to RF. HUBER+SUHNER’s modular RFoF system
is designed to meet the highest transmission performance
requirements, particularly for the highly dynamic range of test
and measurement applications and automated, performance-
optimised system adjustments.
Transport and core network labs
In transport and core networks, new devices or even completely
new network structures must be validated promptly or network
problems must be reproduced, diagnosed and rectified quickly.
Test labs have to simulate scenarios in order to find effective
solutions for the live network.
Our POLATIS optical circuit switch is the heart of the solution for
laboratory automation. Thanks to this solution, you are able to
flexibly connect and measure optical network components and
carry out tests in a test environment. Our solution enables
continuous testing of multiple devices remotely, eliminating the
need for physical presence and manual re-patching. This not
only reduces labor costs but also frees you from tedious manual
tasks.