Ixia Accelerates Multi-Service Network Rollouts With Enhanced, High-Precision Assessment Tool

Ixia (Nasdaq:XXIA), a leading, global provider of IP performance test systems, announced today the latest release of IxChariot®, the popular tool for simulating real-world applications to predict network infrastructure performance. The new IxChariot 6.40 supports multiple clock synchronization techniques, including external clock synchronization to Network Time Protocol (NTP) Stratum-0 clock sources such as GPS-based clocks. This provides more accurate video and audio media quality measurements using one-way delay, jitter and MOS scores enabling both large enterprises and service providers to better manage their SLAs and improve Quality of Experience for their customers. IxChariot 6.40 also includes Auto-Recovery of tests when errors are caused by network conditions. This enables more reliable testing of large-scale, unpredictable networks such as those carrying IP services over wireless. Novarum, an independent consulting firm providing comprehensive broadband wireless advisory, analysis and testing services, uses IxChariot for its ongoing Wireless Broadband Review, which compares the performance and availability of metropolitan Wi-Fi networks with 3G and 2.5G cellular services. IxChariot measures application delay as well as download and upload throughput for all available wireless services. "Metropolitan wireless broadband networks are becoming ubiquitous. IxChariot is the Gold standard tool in both assessing the technologies being deployed in these networks and in monitoring the user quality of experience,” said Ken Biba, managing director of Novarum. "This new release will enable us to keep up with the overwhelming speed with which these networks are being deployed. It will also help us to better assess the ability of these networks to deliver voice and data services.” Today, global wireline and wireless networks are being stressed by thousands of multi-service applications. This poses significant challenges to network equipment manufacturers in determining the true performance of their equipment when deployed. In addition, service providers offering service level agreements (SLAs) need to offer concrete performance measurements that prove the capabilities of their networks in supporting these applications. As IxChariot can simulate thousands of applications and types of traffic, even over high-jitter wireless networks, the enhanced synchronization measurements enable network providers to observe changes to their production networks’ baseline performance and take corrective action. This gives both carriers and their customers more confidence that their SLAs are being met. It also enables equipment vendors to more accurately gauge their system performance under real-world conditions. In addition to enhanced clock synchronization, IxChariot 6.40 includes support for Microsoft’s Windows Vista OS. With a new Windows Vista-specific endpoint, including support for the new qWAVE Quality of Service API, device and application vendors now have a tool to test and qualify their devices for this next generation OS. IxChariot 6.40 also supports the OpenWrt open operating system, based on Linux, for embedded devices. It runs on many popular wireless devices, including the Linksys WRT54G Wireless-G Broadband Router. Support for this platform opens up new methods for pre-deployment testing of enterprise and metro Wi-Fi networks by spreading endpoints in the network to obtain multiple samples. "IxChariot is the industry's leading tool for simulating real-world applications to predict system performance under realistic load conditions,” said Errol Ginsberg, Ixia CEO. "These new features can increase our customers’ confidence in successful service deployment by offering better visibility into the effectiveness of their SLAs.” IxChariot 6.40 is available now. For more information, please go to http://www.ixiacom.com/products/display?skey=ixchariot. About IxChariot IxChariot tests the transport network – whether wired or wireless, access or core. This is accomplished by simulating application traffic – including data, voice, and video – and measuring end-to-end performance and quality. Measurements include throughput, latency, jitter, Mean Opinion Score (MOS), and Media Delivery Index (MDI). IxChariot scales to thousands of endpoints and is used by almost every Wireless LAN certification lab in the world for measuring network performance. About Ixia Ixia is a leading provider of performance test systems for IP-based infrastructure and services. It’s highly scalable solutions generate, capture, characterize, and emulate network and application traffic, establishing definitive performance and conformance metrics of network devices or systems under test. Service Providers, Network and Telephony System Vendors, Semiconductor Manufacturers, Governments, and Enterprises use Ixia’s test systems to validate the functionality and reliability of complex IP networks, devices, and applications. Ixia's Triple Play test systems address the growing need to test voice, video, and data services and network capability under real-world conditions. Ixia's vision is to be the world's pre-eminent provider of solutions to enable testing of next generation IP Triple Play networks. Ixia's test systems utilize a wide range of industry-standard interfaces, including Ethernet, SONET, ATM, and wireless connectivity, and are distinguished by their performance, accuracy, reliability, and adaptability to the industry's constant evolution. For more information, contact Ixia at 26601 W. Agoura Road, Calabasas, CA 91302; (818) 871-1800, Fax: (818) 871-1805; Email: info@ixiacom.com or visit our Web Site at http://www.ixiacom.com. Ixia, the Ixia four petal logo and IxChariot are registered trademarks or trademarks of Ixia. Other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. This material is for informational purposes only and subject to change without notice. It describes Ixia’s present plans to develop and make available to its customers certain products, features and functionality. Ixia is only obligated to provide those deliverables specifically included in a written agreement between Ixia and the customer.