The world's first Android-enabled smart network tester is launched, and NETSCOUT shares the innovation story behind it

[51CTO.com original article] The most tense and exciting moment for enterprise IT engineering teams is the delivery and acceptance of IT projects. In the past, when delivering network projects, enterprise acceptance personnel often needed to carry multiple devices to accept network performance, including testing network performance, coverage, interference, and a device to test POE power supply. Of course, they also needed a mobile phone for communication, and sometimes even a camera to take pictures of the on-site conditions. Can there be an all-in-one device that can help network acceptance personnel easily complete the testing work? The answer is of course yes.

Recently, NETSCOUT, a leading service provider of business assurance services (with a strong combination of service assurance, network security and business intelligence solutions), announced the launch of LinkRunner G2 Smart Network Tester, the world's first smart network tester based on the Android operating system, designed for the connected world. Before the meeting, the reporter interviewed Mr. Cai Changxin, senior product manager of NETSCOUT, and Ms. Tao Shuting, senior engineering manager, who told the background of the birth of LinkRunner G2 Smart Network Tester, the original intention of research and development, and other behind-the-scenes innovation stories.

Guardian of the entrance to the connected world

Mr. Cai likened the value of NETSCOUT to "the guardian of the entrance to the connected world." It is reported that there will be 30 billion connected devices by 2020. The number and types of connected devices, as well as network traffic, are increasing exponentially. For network maintenance personnel, this means that network complexity is also increasing. If more professional operation and maintenance personnel are invested, the maintenance cost will also increase.

"IT, which represents the information network, and OT, which represents the operation network, are accelerating their integration. In the past, network operation and maintenance personnel were the main service objects of NETSCOUT, but now it is different." Mr. Cai said that the OT market has brought more opportunities. Access network is the concern of every professional serving the interconnected world. Therefore, in many fields such as smart buildings, public living facilities, energy, transportation, smart cities, education, medical care, and finance, support for network testing is needed. "NETSCOUT handheld network testing tools are worthy of being called guardians."

LinkRunner G2's innovations are very practical

After listening to Mr. Cai's introduction, the reporter thought that many of the LinkRunner G2 intelligent network tester's innovations were very practical, and almost all of them were improvements made from the user's perspective. The following two innovations were particularly novel:

First of all, this is the world's first network testing tool that supports the Android operating system. In the past, many technicians used personal smartphones to use the supplier's App, or to check trouble tickets, find technical documents, calculate IP address ranges, and configure network devices. The disadvantage of this behavior is that using personal devices to perform work-related tasks may pose security risks, and network infrastructure information can only be accessed within a limited range, and it is impossible to verify the wired Ethernet infrastructure, such as being unable to test PoE, cables, link negotiation, or network services.

When G2 supports Android, technicians no longer need to use smartphones to operate, but can directly receive fault tickets, view PDF documents, automatically record test results, and perform other operations on G2. It also has a built-in camera, so technicians can scan QR codes/barcodes, take photos and forward them to the person in charge, and record the installed equipment. What's even more surprising is that G2 can not only test POE power supply, but also carry IoT devices such as security cameras, APs, lighting, and HVAC. This is the "all-in-one" one-machine-multiple-purpose solution mentioned above. The key point is that it avoids using private terminals for network detection, which is more secure and more operable.

The second is the powerful function of G2 automated testing. No matter what kind of network interconnection equipment users deploy, they will eventually have to verify the link and network service from the node where the terminal equipment is connected to the network. G2 aggregates numerous tests into a simple but complete AutoTest and implements them automatically, so that the executors do not need to have specific expertise to understand the basic elements of network connection, and even inexperienced network technicians can do it. It is understood that AutoTest can complete the default key network connection test within seconds, so that the test process can be standardized, helping network technicians quickly and accurately determine whether the problem is caused by the interconnection device, the network, or the lack of suitable PoE in the RJ-45 jack.

Four features make G2 unique

When asked about the main differences between NETSCOUT handheld network test tools and other similar products, Ms. Tao Shuting, head of NETSCOUT's Shanghai R&D team, told reporters that almost all of the IT monitoring systems of mobile operators in the world's top 500 use NETSCOUT products. Taking G2 as an example, the reason why it has been recognized by the industry is that it has four features:

First, it is more open. Mr. Cai added that in the past, most network testing tools were used in closed environments, but G2 has good openness and scalability, which better meets the needs of users.

Second, the access is more comprehensive. G2 can support various types of media such as Ethernet interfaces and optical fibers, and quickly view the nearest switches and switch details;

Third, the test is faster. Ms. Tao Shuting explained that after performance optimization, it only takes 15 seconds for G2 to verify network layers 1-7 and send the results to the cloud.

Fourth, support for the Android system. As we all know, the Android system makes product version updates more convenient. NETSCOUT can directly push updates to users to achieve rapid iteration. "We can also develop more targeted versions based on the needs of different users." Mr. Cai gave this summary.

Network testing is a very important part of the acceptance and operation stage, involving many details such as the design capability of the early network, user experience, and operability of operation and maintenance, and requires very high professionalism of the testing products. NETSCOUT has been pioneering in this field for many years. Their high requirements for product performance, especially the innovative design based on the user's use environment, are worth learning from peers.

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