EXFO launches solution to fix rising network latency challenges
May 16, 2017
EXFO, the network test, monitoring and analytics experts, has launched Universal Virtual Sync, a software-based solution enabling communications service providers (CSPs) to accurately and cost-effectively measure network latency (delay). This real-time visibility into latency behavior enables operators to deliver outstanding services, anytime and instantly for applications like video, VoIP and interactive services, and is critical for assuring C-RAN, 5G and NFV’s sub-millisecond latency requirements.
Delay is frustrating for subscribers using interactive, real-time applications like streaming and gaming, and they will change providers if they aren’t getting the quality of experience they expect. Delay is also difficult to manage and varies greatly depending on whether the IP traffic is going in an upstream or downstream direction. As a result, CSPs must be able to reliably measure unidirectional latency in order to identify the direction of degradations and the location of excessive or uncontrolled delay.
“This ability to measure one-way delay in a simple, cost-effective manner, without needing either expensive external clocking or GPS, seems critical to measuring network latency more accurately,” said Alan Breznick, Cable/Video Practice Leader for Light Reading. “Such an approach potentially offers a far superior way of ensuring the best possible subscriber experience.”
“Customers are demanding more bandwidth, better coverage and predictable service performance. To satisfy those demands, CSPs need a sound strategy concerning network latency management,” said Claudio Mazzuca, EXFO’s Vice-President Systems and Services. “EXFO’s standards-compliant measurement algorithm is simple to deploy. There is no need for hardware to install, maintain or upgrade, which also delivers CAPEX and OPEX savings.”