Spirent Communications, a provider of test and assurance solutions for next-generation devices and networks, has announced the addition of cloud-native function (CNF) resiliency testing to its Spirent Landslide solution. This new feature aims to continuously evaluate the impact of CNF performance on the delivery of 5G Standalone services.
Already a solution for 5G Standalone core testing, Spirent Landslide now includes CNF testing within a single platform, designed to address the evolving needs of mobile network operators (MNOs) and network equipment manufacturers (NEMs) as they transition to cloud-native environments.
Spirent Landslide generates real-world 5G traffic while simultaneously impairing the 5G cloud core to assess and correlate its impact on 5G services. This capability is important for cloud deployments, where failures are common, and CNFs must be resilient to prevent consequences for 5G service quality.
The 5G Standalone core, characterized by its service-based architecture and integration of public and private clouds, supports rapid time-to-market and scalable network operations.
Traditionally, MNOs and NEMs have relied on manual testing processes and self-developed automation scripts, which have led to inefficiencies and increased testing complexity. The ambiguity surrounding ownership of 5G services in CNF environments further complicates the situation, requiring a shift from reliability-focused legacy networks to resilient and scalable CNF networks.
Anil Kollipara, VP of automated test and assurance product management at Spirent, emphasized the need to test and optimize the performance of these new distributed infrastructures: “Cloud-native demands completely new processes to realize the efficiencies and operational benefits, while each CNF has unique performance expectations within the cloud environment.
“Adding cloud resiliency testing to Landslide’s already considerable testing and validation capabilities will help network service providers more easily tackle the challenges of embracing new cloud environments to deliver the high-quality 5G services that end users are demanding.”
Patrick Kelly, founder and principal analyst at Appledore Research, said, “Spirent Landslide’s CNF resiliency testing introduces a vital advancement in core 5G testing for mobile operators tackling the intricacies of 5G standalone and advanced networks.”
