Agilent E6474A Wireless Network Optimization Platform

Product Overview

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Troubleshoot and optimize wireless networks with a comprehensive, flexible solution.

Facing the challenges of wireless networks

As voice and data networks continue to grow and expand worldwide, your need for network deployment and test tools grows accordingly. Wireless service providers need to attract new customers and retain existing customers while maintaining the highest quality of service throughout their networks. Network equipment manufacturers need to gain rapid acceptance of their infrastructure, which requires fast and accurate optimization of the network. Optimizing your network, expanding service coverage, and introducing new technologies and data services are critical to the retention and acquisition of customers. Leveraging existing wireless test equipment for rapid expansion, enhancement or migration of wireless networks, as well as proactively maintaining networks to ensure customer satisfaction in a cost effective manner present challenges to wireless service providers and network equipment manufacturers. Part of the solution to facing these challenges is choosing the right tools to understand your network. In todays rapidly evolving and expanding wireless industry, expandable, accurate, and cost-effective tools are needed to provide depth of insight into network performance. The Agilent E6474A Network Optimization Platform enables wireless service providers and network equipment manufacturers to address their challenges in optimizing wireless voice and data network performance by accurately identifying problems, while minimizing time and effort throughout all phases of the network lifecycle. The Agilent E6474A Network Optimization Platform provides you with a Windows based wireless network test solution that can be leveraged to enable site evaluation, base-station turn-on, system acceptance, and on-going optimization. The Agilent E6474A Network Optimization Platform grows with your needs, and provides industry-leading performance during all phases of the network lifecycle.

Figure 1: E6474A Network Optimization Platform The Agilent E6474A Network Optimization Platform provides functionality and performance designed to address the challenges facing the wireless industry across all major technologies. Agilent is committed to offering early to market solutions to help you stay ahead of your competition as you roll out next generation networks and services. Whether your system is CDMA, cdma2000, GSM, GPRS, TDMA, iDEN, W-CDMA/UMTS or a combination of technologies the Agilent E6474A Network Optimization Platform provides a solution that will assist you in addressing your challenges.

Expand tools rather than expanding budgets

The functionality of the Agilent E6474A Network Optimization Platform can be increased, as your network testing needs increase. Whether determining quality of service from the customer perspective, or performing comprehensive network management, the Agilent E6474A Network Optimization Platform offers a common solution to fit your requirements. As your network testing requirements increase, you may expand your tools, leveraging your existing hardware and software. If you decide to enhance your current network, or migrate your network, the Agilent E6474A Network Optimization Platform can be leveraged so that your tools and training investment is minimized as you evaluate and turn-on new technologies and data formats. Network performance from your customers perspective Starting with a phone-only solution, the foundation for in-depth testing has been laid. A phone-only solution will identify trouble symptoms within your network. This solution is ideally suited for established networks and provides users the ability to proactively identify trouble spots, and assist in performing preventive maintenance. A phone-only solution can be expanded to include multiple phones, indoor measurements, data (IP layer) measurements or digital receivers as your requirements expand.

Extensive phone support

The Agilent E6474A Network Optimization Platform offers extensive support of phones, including the most popular subscriber phones available today. This provides the ability to most accurately simulate the subscriber experience when optimizing networks. Agilent provides rapid integration of new phones to match the demands of the industry. Specialized measurements from these phones give access to Layer 1, 2 and 3 measurements including RLP, RLC/MAC and LLC parameters (where appropriate), essential in the optimization and troubleshooting of wireless networks. A phone-only solution can be used to: Test network parameters that will allow you to quantify how your network is perceived by subscribers Evaluate call-processing operations Perform selected call processing functions Measure and report the amplitude of the received base station signal Measure and report the signal quality of the received base station signal Read and report the neighbor cell list from the broadcast messages Report the amplitude of neighbor list base stations View and log protocol messages in decoded form for easy interpretation

Figure 2: Powerful phone-based measurement support

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Network independent problem solving A receiver-only solution offers users the ability to make measurements independent of the network. Phones depend on parameters in the network to help maintain the call - such as neighbor lists. A receiver-only solution allows you to identify problems independent of the network. For example, in CDMA networks, pilot pollution and missing neighbors can be identified within your network. In GSM networks co-channel and adjacent channel interference problems can be identified, as can missing neighbors. The E6474A Wireless Network Optimization Platform gives many tools at your disposal to help easily identify the cause of these problems. A receiver-only solution is ideally suited for network build-out and turn-up, band clearing, RF planning, network expansion, and base station installation and maintenance. This solution can be expanded to include multiple receivers, and can support different technologies or data formats. One or more phones can be added to the same platform for comprehensive network management.

Figure 3: Network independent measurements with Agilents digital Receiver A receiver-only solution can be used to: Find network problems faster through network independent measurements Reduce network downtime by identifying interfering signals while the network is live Manage interference with co-channel and adjacent channel measurements (e.g., GSM networks) and detection of other spurious signals Carry out BCH Analysis on GSM networks, includes BSIC decode feature. Perform Pilot scanning for CDMA pilot pollution including multipath measurements and chip delay. Do Code Domain Power measurements on IS-95A and cdma2000 1XRTT networks for over-the-air base station testing. Perform spectrum analysis, covering both the downlink and uplink bands Measure Channel and CW power

For information on Agilent receiver technologies and bands supported please refer to the E6474A Configuration Guide (5988_2396EN) or contact your Agilent representative.

Figure 4: Agilent receivers support multiple technologies and bands Base station turn-on and maintenance The Agilent E6474A Network Optimization Platform may be used to measure code domain power (CDP) for IS-95A and cdma2000 1XRTT signals. These measurements provide real-time insight for traffic analysis, capacity management, and base station health. CDP trace capability measures the relative powers of all 64 cdmaOne Walsh codes, and all 128 cdma2000 Walsh codes, depending on the configuration. The Walsh codes are displayed in a bar graph format with a unique color for each channel type. View CDP statistics, as well as TopN pilots to provide a complete analysis of your base station health.

Figure 5: Code Domain Power View Comprehensive network management To perform comprehensive wireless network testing, a phone/receiver combination solution is required. A phone/receiver combination solution allows you to identify network problems, and quickly determine the cause of the problems, assuring the highest level of network optimization and reducing potential negative impact on your customers quality of service. The operation of the receiver and phone can be linked, so that the receiver automatically tracks the phones serving cell as you move through your network. Both the phone-only solution and the receiver-only solution can be upgraded to a phone/receiver combination solution. This solution is beneficial for rapid network installation, expansion, and proactive maintenance. Multiple phones and receivers may be added when needed for evaluation and turn-on of new technologies and data formats, or to simultaneously monitor networks occupying different bands.

Figure 6: Comprehensive network management A phone/receiver combination solution can be used to: Monitor the RF uplink and downlink bands while on a call Perform integrated analysis using the phone and receiver at the same time Correlate call drops within the RF environment Compare network neighbor list with the actual strongest neighbors measured from the receiver (i.e, missing neighbor analysis) Manage your network lifecycle measurement needs with one integrated solution Save training and support costs with a single vendor, single interface phone and receiver system Please refer to the technology specific Data Sheets for detailed phone and receiver measurement information.

Powerful platform generic features to address your network optimization challenges

There are a number of invaluable features that are common to the E6474A platform software, irrespective of technology. These integral features include the ability to record and playback data sets, export the data for further analysis (including decoded protocol messages), link parameters, create customizable views, display parameters on time charts and route maps and define flexible alerts and alarms, based on user requirements. The platform software includes powerful on-line help and tutorial facilities. Outdoor and Indoor Configurations The Agilent E6474A Network Optimization Platform can be configured for both indoor (optional) and outdoor applications. When you are ready to perform indoor testing with your phone-only, receiver-only, or phone/receiver combination solution, simply add an optional battery pack and backpack, along with a pen-based tablet computer, and proceed to make measurements in places such as office buildings, shopping malls, and airports. For further information on the Indoor measurement solution refer to Agilent Indoor Wireless Measurement System Product Overview (5968-8691E). Route Map view The Route Map view shows current position and the route traveled on a map as data is collected. Several layers of user selectable information can be displayed, including map layers, letter and color coded channel / signal information, alarm markers, and notes. Base station locations, with site names and sector orientations, can also be plotted on the map when linked to the appropriate cellsite naming database.

In-depth, easy to use alarms The Agilent E6474A Network Optimization Platform provides comprehensive alarm functionality. Implementing complex alarms and measurement thresholds that alert users to specific signal conditions is simple and thorough. Alarm configurations can be exported and imported, allowing operators to share alarm set-ups. Markers and sounds can be used simultaneously, providing operators with an audio cue when established conditions are met, as well as providing a visual cue on the Alarms View display the routemap and the Chart View if required. Alarm markers can be viewed during a drive test and in playback of the test. Alarm markers can also be exported for post-processing. A customizable pop-up dialog box can be set to appear when defined alarm conditions are met. Alarms can be set during the playback of a data file, as E6474A collects all data during a drive test, while maintaining a small data file size using the Agilent SD5 file format. Alarms can also be set to stop or pause testing if required.

Figure 7: Easy to use alarm features

Manage the Integration and Quality of Data Services With the convergence of mobile phones and the Internet, wireless networks need to be optimized for data services. Agilents Wireless Data Measurement options enable end-toend testing of data connections with independent transmit and receive measurement capabilities, for both circuit switched and packet switched technologies. Key data characteristics such as bit error ratio, packet error rate, latency and data throughput can be measured together with network accessibility and recorded for further analysis. The wireless data measurement capability utilizes the Agilent E6474A Network Optimization Platform and is based on a mobile client(s) and fixed server(s) architecture with user definable data application sequencing. Test results are collected and displayed on the mobile client(s). The wireless data measurement options are wireless technology independent and are applicable to all supported Agilent 2G, 2.5G and 3G technologies (check for availability) and allowing measurements to be made simultaneously across multiple networks. Please refer to the Wireless Data Measurement Product Overview and Data Sheet (Literature Numbers 5980-2310E and 5988-1507EN) for further information.

Figure 8: Comprehensive data measurement features Post-processing measurement data Data logged with the Agilent E6474A Wireless Network Optimization Platform can easily be further analyzed after data collection in either third-party application such as MapInfoTM and Microsoft ExcelTM, dedicated post processing tools such as Actix DV for Agilent and Actix Analyzer, as well as within the E6474A itself. The E6474A has an advanced features including alarms, protocol message decodes (with filtering), routemap display and time-charting to enable the user to identify problem areas during playback mode. So analysis with, for example, poor data throughput, dropped calls and signal strength can be performed right with the E6474A itself. Combine these

analyses with background bitmaps and street maps, and the ability to print them via a Report feature, and the E6474A provides a simple yet complete solution to understand network problems. The E6474A has advanced export utilities to allow users to share all or selected data with other analysis applications. This gives you the ability to easily map and graph collected parameters - including signal strength or other parameters from specific PNs, BCCHs, or DVCCs (depending on technology). Additionally, filtering and analysis functions can be applied so users can export items such as number of pilots above a threshold or, for example, data throughput values only when TBF is active. Analysis Reporter Agilent Technologies now offers an extensive array of tools for different levels of post processing analysis capabilities. The Analysis Reporter option is a simple-to-use report tool, which is integral to the E6474A platform. It works on automatically generated export files, using both phone and receiver data, and can quickly generate comprehensive network performance overview and detailed network analysis reports and histograms including, for example, performance summary reports, call quality analysis reports, details on performance per call, neighbor and handover summary and drill-down, aggregate Ec/Io vs RxPower and many more. Analysis Reporter currently supports GSM, GPRS, cdma2000, UMTS and data measurements on a single E6474A product option.

Figure 9: Example reports from Analysis Reporter

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Actix DV for Agilent For a fast powerful troubleshooting option, Agilent Technologies offers the Actix DV dedicated post-processing solution that will enable network engineers to visualize and troubleshoot network problems with maximum effectiveness. A number of Actix DV options are available which support GSM, GPRS, cdma2000 and UMTS technologies. Actix and Agilent have worked together to deliver this solution based upon ActixVision, a powerful and flexible data processing and statistical analysis engine which is at the heart of all Actix solutions. User-controlled software views enable all of the appropriate information to be displayed on screen in easy-to-read tables, charts and maps. Built-in features such as event navigator, view synchronization, protocol stack browsing and drill-down enable specific events to be diagnosed in detail within the same intuitive user environment, whilst a range of standardized reports represent measurement summaries from up to a days worth of data. For further information please refer to Actix DV for Agilent overview (5988-9147EN)

Figure 10: Quickly troubleshoot problem areas with Actix DV These post processing solutions will help users to identify and manage interference, troubleshoot call processing problems, and processing of complex measurement data into reports. The E6474A, combined with the post processing options, provides users with a complete network optimization and troubleshooting solution. For more advanced engineering analysis and post processing ability, the E6474A can be used with advanced post processing tools such as Actix Analyzer and others. These tools can directly import the SD5 file format and provide additional functionality to map, graph, report, and drill down to help provide further insight into network issues.

Computer hardware requirements

The Agilent E6474A system requires a PC. The PC requirements differ depending on the hardware configuration and on which parameters are being selected. Recommended minimum PC specifications: Windows 2000 or XP (inc XP for Tablet PC) 600MHz PIII, 256MB RAM RS-232 DB9 serial port or USB Port Parallel port or USB Port (for software key) PCMCIA slot or a USB connection (for multiple hardware support) 500 MB hard disk space CD-ROM drive recommended for installation 1024 x 768 display resolution minimum
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Notes

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www.agilent.com

For more product information Visit our website at: www.agilent.com/comms/XPI Additional literature For further information refer to:Agilent E6474A Wireless Network Optimization Platform Configuration Guide (5988-2396EN) Indoor Wireless Measurement System Product Overview (5988-8691E) E6473B Direct Connect Hub Product Overview Agilent Wireless Data Measurement Product Overview E6474A GSM/GPRS Data Sheet E6474A cdma2000 Data Sheet E6474A W-CDMA/UMTS Data Sheet (5988-8177EN) (5980-2310E) (5988-5904EN) (5988-6195EN) (5988-3027EN)

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Product information subject to change without notice. Agilent Technologies, Inc. 2000-2003 Printed in U.S.A. September 23, 2003

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