5G Performance Test Challenges

Setting up performance test environments for 5G is more challenging than for any previous network generation. We have seen the start of it when setting up our first test cases for 5G core network testing.

5G offers several new applications that will put challenges on the network as well as test environment from different aspects.

One type of applications are the ultra-low latency ones with a round-trip latency of 1 ms for the core network. These are real-time sensitive applications like gaming and remote surgery with haptic feedback. Another type of applications takes advantage of the radically higher bandwidth offered, giving for example the possibility to download an ultra-HD movie in 10 seconds or less.

One challenge for the test environment is the ability to simulate the many different use-cases, from IOT to streaming, in a realistic manner. Here a tool should use a full-stack implementation to be able to control and measure traffic on a per operation basis. The major gain from this is that the network and servers will react in a non-synthetic way exactly as they will react to traffic from real devices.

The next step is to combine the use-cases to a traffic mix. The traffic mix should be possible to define to a certain use-case type or it can be a mix of different use cases depending your test object, for example optimizing traffic in a 5G network slice.

A key here is repeatability. Tests should be possible to repeat under exact same conditions, using exact same devices, msisdns, use-cases, and traffic mix, this so the results can be compared and trusted.

The second large challenge is perhaps less obvious but as big and is centered around the test environment itself.

The new use cases and characteristics of 5G will require a test environment that make none, or at least minimize, impact to the testing. Testing for ultra-low latency is a good example that create a need not only for a tool but rather for a pre-packaged solution where tool/virtualization/OS need to be tuned and pre-packaged for a certain use. This to ensure that performance measurements are accurate and not being impacted by the test environment.

Having a pre-packaged virtualized solution also greatly help for the repeatability. These solutions will minimize risk for problems coming from the test environment and giving an environment where tests can be repeated under exact same conditions and settings.

I truly look forward to the next few years and helping our customers creating cost effective solutions for 5G network testing.