Network Automation

ADVA Ensemble Simulator provides virtual end-to-end network testing

Feb. 10, 2022

The tool can be used to evaluate network growth strategies and verify interworking with umbrella management systems in a virtual test environment.

Stephen Hardy

ADVA’s Ensemble Simulator is designed to mirror production networks, creating a virtual sandbox environment for training, development, and testing.

ADVA (FSE: ADV) says it has expanded its Ensemble software tool portfolio with the Ensemble Simulator, designed to enable virtual optical network test capabilities. The tool can be used to evaluate network growth strategies and verify interworking with umbrella management systems in a virtual test environment.

Ensemble Simulator creates a virtual training, development, and test environment that enables users explore, evaluate, and virtually integrate ADVA’s FSP 3000 and FSP 150-XG400 Series platforms into their infrastructures. The test environment therefore can serve as a precursor to lab and field test of physical hardware. Users can simulate both optical and packet network elements as well as large multi-node networks. The simulator also provides testing and integration of SDN and orchestrator functions with network element software APIs.

The platform is designed to enable multiple users to work independently in a “virtual sandbox” to evaluate configurations, verify APIs, and simulate what-if scenarios. It can be hosted on a self-provided server or in the cloud.

“As communication networks become more complex and software-defined networking (SDN) changes the way they’re managed, engineers are relying more and more on automated applications to design, deploy and operate their infrastructure. But the need to evaluate configurations and device integration creates a major challenge. Our Ensemble Simulator is the answer. It offers a way to simply and affordably spin up test environments on a virtual machine that perfectly mirrors real networks,” said Christoph Glingener, CTO of ADVA. “Now that operators have a fast and risk-free way to model network evolution, they can explore the impact of extensions and upgrades before any changes are made to their production networks.”

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About the Author

Stephen Hardy | Editorial Director and Associate Publisher, Lightwave

Stephen Hardy is editorial director and associate publisher of Lightwave and Broadband Technology Report, part of the Lighting & Technology Group at Endeavor Business Media. Stephen is responsible for establishing and executing editorial strategy across the both brands’ websites, email newsletters, events, and other information products. He has covered the fiber-optics space for more than 20 years, and communications and technology for more than 35 years. During his tenure, Lightwave has received awards from Folio: and the American Society of Business Press Editors (ASBPE) for editorial excellence. Prior to joining Lightwave in 1997, Stephen worked for Telecommunications magazine and the Journal of Electronic Defense.

Stephen has moderated panels at numerous events, including the Optica Executive Forum, ECOC, and SCTE Cable-Tec Expo. He also is program director for the Lightwave Innovation Reviews and the Diamond Technology Reviews.

He has written numerous articles in all aspects of optical communications and fiber-optic networks, including fiber to the home (FTTH), PON, optical components, DWDM, fiber cables, packet optical transport, optical transceivers, lasers, fiber optic testing, and more.

You can connect with Stephen on LinkedIn as well as Twitter.