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WaveLab - WLAN Large Scale Test Bed

WaveLab™, located in San Jose, California, is equipped with the first ever enterprise-class WiFi™ test bed capable of testing dozens of access points, and multiple switches and controllers. WaveLab is ideal for stress-testing of WLAN equipment under real world large deployment scenarios.

Typical WaveLab setup Typical WaveLab setup

As the average number of access points per installation continues to increase, large scale testing on WLAN systems prior to deployment is essential for both equipment manufacturers and service providers. Large-scale testing is a better predictor of performance in enterprise settings, and is more stressful on the equipment than the usual method of running a few FTP sessions on a small collection of access points.

Benefits

Test complex real-world scenarios
Determine the scaling ability of WiFi systems for enterprise use
Load systems under test with thousands of stateful and unique WLAN client sessions
Scale tests from a single AP to dozens of APs with multiple WLAN controllers or switches
Expose performance issues which cannot be determined in small-scale tests
Produce precise latency and jitter measurements, key metrics for voice over WiFi and video applications
Test controllers and/or switches using real APs loaded by thousands of clients
Detect and correct system flaws during development and prior to deployment
Demonstrate product capabilities to prospective customers using WaveLab

Test Methodology

Test	Description	Configurable Parameters
VoIP	Determines the service level capacity, performance, call quality, and service level assurance offered by the system under test	-Test duration -Individual MOS/R-Value score -Calls on the same AP -Maximum call packet loss -Search resolution -Client contention
Roaming	Measures the time needed for one to hundreds of clients to roam among dozens of access points	-Test duration -Total clients -Roaming clients -Client distribution -Dwell time -Time distribution
Throughput	Determines the maximum rate at which the system under test forwards traffic with zero loss	-Test duration -Test traffic frame size -Traffic orientation -Search resolution -Client contention
Latency	Measures the latency and jitter for systems under test ranging from a single AP to multiple APs	-Test duration -Intended load -Test traffic frame size -Traffic orientation -Client contention

Test Setup

Three WaveTest90 chassis equipped with one or two gigabit Ethernet ports and twenty-five 802.11a/b/g test ports
25 RF shielded enclosures, used to reduce interference from the system under test