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· For more information about this and other MierConsulting product compendia, click here.
· For information to vendors about getting your product included, or updated, click here.
VoIP Field Testing Products
The VoIP Field Testing product category includes:
Devices, applications and packages ranging from handheld devices or portable unit/appliances, to software deployed on laptops, perhaps augmented by a separate tap or probe that enable and perform passive VoIP monitoring, testing and/or measurement, and may also perform active testing, typically for monitoring a single site/location and/or a single link; designed and marketed mainly for portable and/or temporary VoIP-monitoring/testing and VoIP-problem-diagnosis environments.
This product compendium last updated 3/3/2010
|
Vendor, HQ location, Web site |
Product(s), version, URL |
Verified? |
Product orientation |
Product description |
Platform(s), software, hardware |
Network connection |
Primary product roles, capabilities |
VoIP call monitoring capacity, codecs |
Signaling, call-control monitoring |
Impairments measured |
Active (synthetic traffic) testing |
Pricing |
|
BroadSoft Ltd. Gaithersburg, MD
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VoIPPro and PacketPro v5.x http://www.broadsoft. com/products/ packetsmart/voippro/ http://www.broadsoft. com/products/ packetsmart/ packetpro/
|
No Info shown here is based solely on data provided by the vendor |
Oriented to service providers and multi-site enterprises |
VoIP monitoring and active-testing service package; vendor's server-based apps collect and analyze data from "micro-appliances" deployed by customer, controlled via Java app on customer laptop |
Server, apps & remote responders are hosted by vendor; customer deploys micro-appliance(s); monitoring & testing is controlled, and reports viewed, from customer's laptop via downloadable Java client |
Micro-appliance inserts in-line on 10/100 Ethernet link, or connects on 10/100 mirrored switch port |
Monitors all active SIP calls (& some SCCP and MGCP versions) Long-term tracking; 30 days VoIP data kept for trend analysis Call-quality rating based on proprietary " MOS estimation" Measures/reports impairments affecting VoIP quality Per-call details; CDR and summary reporting available Enables analysis of call-control and signaling (SIP) Tracks VoIP bandwidth consumption Also performs active (synthetic) test-call generation/rating Same pkg can also do video quality testing (via upgrade option) SLA (service level agreement) monitoring VoIP pre-deployment network assessment Analyzes all network traffic shows how other apps impact VoIP |
Can track all VoIP calls on a 10/100 Ethernet link Low-end appliance monitors 20 concurrent calls High-end appliance monitors 200 concurrent calls Decodes/measures/ assesses: G.711, G.723.1, G.729 & G.722.1 wideband |
Primarily SIP; SIP signaling is collected & archived for 30 days Signaling ladder graphs shown at end of each call; Call success-rate stats Some versions of SCCP and MGCP are also supported |
Real-time jitter (inbound and outbound), Packet loss (inbound and outbound), per sec Out-of-sequence, Worst WAN round-trip time (ping-based), MOS (inbound and outbound), others |
User-schedulable VoIP calls, used to determine IP network impair-ments; selectable codecs, up to 25 concurrent synthetic calls with small appliance |
$500 for kit with two micro-appliances, plus $250 or $500 per month, per kit, for service ($250 for base VoIPPro service; $500 for higher-end PacketPro service) |
|
Vendor, HQ location, Web site |
Product(s), version, URL |
Verified? |
Product orientation |
Product description |
Platform(s), software, hardware |
Network connection |
Primary product roles, capabilities |
VoIP call monitoring capacity, codecs |
Signaling, call-control monitoring |
Impairments measured |
Active (synthetic traffic) testing |
Pricing |
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Clarus Systems, Inc. Redwood City, CA
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ClarusIPC Plus+ v2.6.2 |
No Info shown here is based solely on data provided by the vendor |
Equally useful in Cisco-based service-provider or enterprise environments |
Software for VoIP testing and management of Cisco Unified Comm Manager (CUCM)-based IP-telephony deployments; package does Cisco-based performance monitoring, config management and reports |
Software runs on Windows 2003/2008 Server, 32- and 64-bit servers supported; accessed via Web interface |
VoIP is tracked via Cisco CDRs and CMRs (call management records); package does not directly monitor VoIP signaling or RTP streams |
Monitors/alerts/reports on all active VoIP calls by Route Group/List Long-term tracking of voice-quality metrics, based on phone MOS Collects and processes MLQK (MOS) scores from Cisco CDR and call management records (CMR) for on- & off-net calls Can monitor/alert/report on VoIP quality over WAN User-configurable threshold monitoring, based on CDR/CMR data Per-call details; CDR and summary reporting available Tracks VoIP bandwidth consumption of on-net calls, by location Also performs active (synthetic) test-call generation/rating SLA reports by measuring voice quality compared to thresholds Can monitor/alert based on call-failure code (from Cisco CDR) Cisco-specific configuration and change mgt and reports Troubleshooting and remote-phone apps for Tier-1 help desk |
This software tracks VoIP calls by collecting CDR/CMR data from the CUCM server. With this info the software can report: Voice/VoIP quality in both directions, on a per-RTP-stream basis Various other VoIP-oriented reports |
Cisco SIP and older SCCP ("Skinny") call-control environments are supported. Reports call success-rate, failure reason, and related statistics |
Cisco CUCM CDR and CMR data collected and processed by this package include per-call details on: Jitter Packet loss Latency (one-way) |
Active testing exercises functionality using actual Cisco IP phones; automated; used to determine availability to end users during deployment, upgrades and daily |
Complete Clarus software for a 1,000-phone CallManager installation lists for $25,000 to $30,000, including 1st year maint and support |
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Vendor, HQ location, Web site |
Product(s), version, URL |
Verified? |
Product orientation |
Product description |
Platform(s), software, hardware |
Network connection |
Primary product roles, capabilities |
VoIP call monitoring capacity, codecs |
Signaling, call-control monitoring |
Impairments measured |
Active (synthetic traffic) testing |
Pricing |
|
Codenomicon Ltd Cupertino, CA (US office; company is based in Finland)
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Defensics for VoIP, Traffic Capture Fuzzer vD2/D3 http://www. codenomicon.com/ products/test-suites.shtml#voip |
No Info shown here is based solely on data provided by the vendor |
Equally useful in service-provider or enterprise environments |
Software that does infrastructure and device testing for all VoIP protocols; generates test cases, for development, pre-deployment, field tests and security assessments/audits |
Software is offered in versions for Windows, Linux and any Java-enabled platform (including Java-supporting netbooks and PDAs); accepts data in PCAP (packet capture) format from 3rd party probes, taps, databases or network analyzers |
Depends on underlying platform's IP connectivity; bridged port or in-line; monitors 10/100 or gigabit Ethernet, T1, ATM, even wireless links |
Software for testing robustness of VoIP infrastructure and devices With optional Traffic Capture Fuzzer, can automatically generate test cases from any captured VoIP protocol traffic sequence Can generate impairment tests and then monitor VoIP products for quality, reliability and security weaknesses VoIP pre-deployment testing of network bottlenecks & vulnerabilities Protocol testing of video devices and transmission infrastructure User-settable threshold/triggers on measured parameters & metrics Offers a full monitoring API (application programming interface) |
VoIP traffic can be captured, and then used as the basis of generated tests. Software is not designed, however, for ongoing or diagnostic monitoring of VoIP |
Tests can be generated employing most standard VoIP signaling protocols, including: SIP, MGCP, STUN/TURN, RTCP, H.248, H.323 and others |
Devices and infrastructure can be measured as impairment tests are run |
Active testing exercises VoIP infrastructure and devices; can consist of VoIP streams of any captured traffic and protocols |
Defensics for VoIP costs from $11,500 to $120,000; Traffic Capture Fuzzer costs $26,400 |
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Vendor, HQ location, Web site |
Product(s), version, URL |
Verified? |
Product orientation |
Product description |
Platform(s), software, hardware |
Network connection |
Primary product roles, capabilities |
VoIP call monitoring capacity, codecs |
Signaling, call-control monitoring |
Impairments measured |
Active (synthetic traffic) testing |
Pricing |
|
Codima Inc. Denver, PA
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Codima Toolbox (autoVoIP family of software modules and options) v7.0 |
No Info shown here is based solely on data provided by the vendor |
Equally useful in service-provider or enterprise environments |
Integrated software package with many modules and options, which collectively address: VoIP pre-deployment assessment, and post-deployment monitoring, active testing and VoIP troubleshooting |
All modules run on Windows XP, Vista, 2003 Server or Windows 7 on users' laptop, desktop PC or server; Windows-style user interface; any Toolbox software can be configured as a probe, all remotely controlled |
Underlying Windows platform can connect via bridged port or in-line; monitors 10/100 or gigabit Ethernet |
Monitors all VoIP calls or specific call(s) via bridged/spanned port Historically tracks all displayed data for long-term and trend analysis Can capture and replay VoIP calls (with Call Playback module) VoIP pre-deployment testing VoIP call quality, via R factor and MOS, for each RTP direction Automatically tries to correlate VoIP impairments with possible cause Detailed long-term call data records (with SQL Call-Logging add-on) Tracks VoIP bandwidth consumption User-settable thresholds, alerts (SNMP, email) on any measured data Monitoring, threshold alerting based on user-defined SLA values Active (synthetic) call testing over specified time periods SIP and Cisco SCCP call-control monitoring; SIP and Cisco IP-telephony system monitoring |
Tracks up to 10,000 concurrent VoIP calls (signaling and RTCP for quality) or up to 1,000 (including RTP) Supports (decodes, assesses) most standard narrowband and wideband codecs Can capture, save (as Quicktime files) and replay VoIP calls (with optional module) |
Can track and decipher SIP and Cisco SCCP signaling and call control Can decipher, use RTCP data Tracks, analyzes & assesses failed calls Tracks and reports call success rates & call set-up times |
Jitter Packet loss One-way latency and round-trip delay, including between remote locations R factor-based MOS, for each RTP direction |
With AutoVoIP Simulator module, can generate and measure synthetic VoIP traffic quality (full-duplex RTP streams), to monitor and track call quality to specific destinations |
Entire Toolbox scales from $3,000 (for 1,000 managed devices) to $40,000 (5,000 devices); VoIP simulator starts at $2,000; about $30 per phone for full monitoring and troubleshooting |
|
Vendor, HQ location, Web site |
Product(s), version, URL |
Verified? |
Product orientation |
Product description |
Platform(s), software, hardware |
Network connection |
Primary product roles, capabilities |
VoIP call monitoring capacity, codecs |
Signaling, call-control monitoring |
Impairments measured |
Active (synthetic traffic) testing |
Pricing |
|
JDSU Milpitas, CA
|
T-BERD/ MTS-4000
http://www.jdsu.com/ product-literature/ tbmts4000_ ds_fop_tm_ae.pdf |
No Info shown here is based solely on data provided by the vendor |
Primarily oriented to service providers' field technicians |
Handheld device supporting several connectivity options; does multi-layer tests, enabling technician to turn-up and maintain various copper/DSL, fiber (FTTx) and triple-play networks |
Base software plus additional, optional software for: VoIP testing, Cisco SCCP and/or Nortel Unistim protocol support; various accessories supported; typical Windows and Web (IE) user interfaces |
10/100/gig Ethernet is standard; optional DSL, copper, and OTDR or PON fiber/ optical modules; also support USB, WiFi & Bluetooth |
Monitors specific/specified VoIP stream in real-time VoIP call-quality MOS rating, per R factor, for each RTP direction Measures impairments that affect VoIP quality VoIP pre-deployment testing of network segments Can capture VoIP streams of supported codecs User-settable thresholds/alerts on measured parameters & metrics Deciphers/analyzes most leading call-control/signaling protocols Can operate remotely, unattended, controlled via IP link Same package can also monitor/test video traffic On-board Web browser, email and html, xml, PDF and txt readers and report export |
Supports (decodes, assesses) G.711, G.723.1, G.726, G.729 and wideband (G.722 and G.722.1) codecs; can capture VoIP streams |
Standard support for: SIP, H.323, H.248 and MGCP VoIP signaling and call-control protocols Cisco SCCP and Nortel Unistim protocol support optional |
Jitter Packet loss One-way latency and round-trip delay R factor-based MOS, for each RTP direction
|
Accessories, including microphone/ headset, let user place VoIP calls |
Street price: From $9,500 depending on interface modules, per MierConsulting research; vendor declined to provide official price info; 1-year warranty |
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JDSU Milpitas, CA
|
DA-3400 v4.2 |
No Info shown here is based solely on data provided by the vendor |
Equally useful in service-provider or medium-to-large enterprise environments |
Modular appliance that, with software options, performs high-call-capacity VoIP monitoring, analysis of VoIP quality and signaling problems |
Supports a single interface module at a time; software options add VoIP monitoring and playback; a Windows client on user's PC/ laptop controls one or more units; alternate package for voice-over-ATM monitoring (not VoIP) |
10/100/gig Ethernet module connects unit to spanned port or in-line; alternate package for ATM/ WAN-link connectivity & monitoring |
Monitors/measures thousands of concurrent VoIP calls in real-time Tracks specific calls by IP address, phone number, other criteria VoIP call-quality MOS ratings & R factor, for each RTP direction Measures impairments that affect VoIP quality Long-term data storage; summary reports; includes report generator VoIP pre-deployment testing of network segments Capture and (with option) replay of supported-codec VoIP streams User-settable threshold/triggers on quality & measured parameters Deciphers/analyzes most leading call-control/signaling protocols Multiple units can operate unattended, controlled by single user Tracks VoIP bandwidth consumption (by RTP streams) Also general data/protocol analysis, application response times |
Supports (decodes, assesses) G.711, G.723.1, G.726 & G.729; can capture these and, with software option, can replay User chooses whether to incorporate RTCP info into call quality |
Can track & decipher SIP, MGCP/NCS and Cisco SCCP VoIP signaling and call-control protocols All are supported with call-by-call ladder diagrams & full decodes Can also decode (only) H.323 & H.264 |
Jitter, for each call direction Packet loss, for each call direction One-way latency and round-trip delay, based on RTCP, if enabled by user R factor and both listening and call-based MOS, with min, max & average |
None; passive monitoring only; active testing is not supported on the DA-3400 |
Street price: About $20,000 configured for VoIP, per MierConsulting research; vendor declined to provide official price info; 1-year warranty |
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JDSU Milpitas, CA
|
PVA-1000 v2.0 |
No Info shown here is based solely on data provided by the vendor |
Designed for standalone use in enterprise and call-center applications |
Windows software for the capture and analysis of VoIP calls; options include Capture Agents, which run on Windows PCs in remote locations, capture calls based on MOS, and FTP them to central server |
The base software, as well as the Capture Agent option, run on Windows XP or Windows Vista |
Typically connects to a spanned port (10/100 or gig Ethernet); signaling must be present on the link along with RTP streams to capture calls |
Software can capture calls that fall below a user-defined MOS Report generator; creates summary & poor-call-quality reports VoIP call-quality MOS & R factor rating on all captured calls, for each RTP direction Measures impairments that affect VoIP quality Can replay captured VoIP stream with user-settable jitter buffer Full decode and per-call ladder diagrams for supported signaling/call-control protocols Consolidated call-per-page detail reports, Word and PDF formats Full capture file analysis with audio playback |
Supports (decodes, assesses) G.711, G.723.1, G.726 & G.729; optional Capture Agent needed to capture VoIP calls RTCP data is used with other data for call-quality assessment Can track up to about 500 concurrent calls |
Can track & decipher SIP, MGCP/NCS and Cisco SCCP VoIP signaling protocols All are supported with call-by-call ladder diagrams & full decodes |
Jitter, for each call direction, measured and RTCP-reported Packet loss, for each call direction One-way latency and round-trip delay, based on RTCP R factor and both listening and call-based MOS, with min, max & average |
None; passive monitoring only |
About $8,000 (software only); 1-year warranty; options include remote capture agent software, and expanded codec and signaling-protocol support |
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JDSU Milpitas, CA
|
SmartClass Triple Play Services (TPS) Tester |
No Info shown here is based solely on data provided by the vendor |
Oriented mainly to service-provider field technicians |
Multifunction handheld device for field testing VoIP, video and Internet access/performance (triple-play service), as well copper-loop and ADSL service maintenance, testing |
The unit is fixed configuration; provides user a typical Windows interface and integral Web browser |
Can assess VoIP over integral 10/100 Ethernet port or copper/ ADSL port (RJ-11) |
Assesses VoIP quality, based on R factor,per RTP direction VoIP call capture Configurations are input and results downloaded via USB flash drive Same unit also performs advanced IP video analysis Can observe/track all calls on the 10/100 Ethernet interface Integral Web browser for Internet access and connectivity testing Voice and video quality rating based on user-settable thresholds |
Supports (decodes, assesses) G.711, G.723.1, G.726, G.729a and wideband (G.722, G.722.1 & G.729.1); reports conversational, call and listener MOS |
Can track and decipher SIP, MGCP, H.323, H.248 and (optionally) Cisco SCCP VoIP signaling and call-control |
Jitter Packet loss One-way and round-trip latency Call- and line-quality R factor Current, min, max & average on most impairments measured |
Unit can generate a VoIP call using SIP or H.323 signaling, and G.711 or G.722 codec; VLAN tag is also user-settable |
Price starts at $3,000, depending on options (the "silver package" includes VoIP and MOS); 1-year warranty |
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JDSU Milpitas, CA
|
DSAM-6300 http://www.jdsu.com/ product-literature/ DSAM_Family_ Brochure.pdf |
No Info shown here is based solely on data provided by the vendor |
Oriented to field technicians, primarily in HFC (hybrid fiber/cable), cable environments |
Battery-powered handheld device for testing cable-based triple-play (VoIP, digital video and data-over-cable, per DOCSIS specs) services, as well as extensive RF-signal measurement |
Apps run on a Windows environment; remote units can be centrally managed via IP; various software options; user runs software client on PC to remotely access this device |
Supports 10/100/gig Ethernet; also includes built-in cable modem (works on all current DOCSIS versions) |
Testing can separate VoIP-quality issues between IP and cable/RF Tests in-home for suitability for cable-based VoIP service, as well as RF and data-over-cable performance VoIP quality assessment based on R factor, per RTP direction User-settable threshold monitoring/alerting on impairments & MOS Same unit also performs video quality assessment Same unit also performs extensive RF-performance measurement Canned and user-definable reports; PDF, Excel and HTML formats Reports, remote management accessible via Web client interface |
Supports (decodes, assesses) G.711, G.728 and G.729; reports MOS on a per-call direction; legacy software option incorporates RTCP data |
Can track and decipher MGCP/NCS (cable VoIP environments) |
Jitter Packet loss Round-trip delay R factor/E-model-based MOS, per each RTP direction |
Passive (non-intrusive) testing only |
$4,000 to $8,000, depending on model, software options and configuration; 1-year warranty standard |
|
Vendor, HQ location, Web site |
Product(s), version, URL |
Verified? |
Product orientation |
Product description |
Platform(s), software, hardware |
Network connection |
Primary product roles, capabilities |
VoIP call monitoring capacity, codecs |
Signaling, call-control monitoring |
Impairments measured |
Active (synthetic traffic) testing |
Pricing |
|
NetHawk Oyj Oulu, Finland
|
NetHawk M5 v3.1 |
No Info shown here is based solely on data provided by the vendor |
Equally useful in service-provider or enterprise environments |
Windows Software that enables VoIP-signaling and VoIP-quality analysis; remote platforms can be controlled via IP link and Web interface |
Software runs on Windows XP, Vista or Windows 7 environments; various software modules/options include: SIP/IMS signaling analysis; speech playback and MOS assessment; |
Observes 10/100 or gig Ethernet link via spanned port or user-supplied tap; hardware options offered for ATM and T1 connectivity |
Can observe/track up to 1,000 concurrent VoIP calls (single link) VoIP capture and replay (in .wav file format) Real-time monitoring of all VoIP calls, or focus on specific call(s) Can display signaling-state ladder diagrams in real-time Reports MOS, via proprietary algorithm, for each RTP direction User-configurable threshold monitoring, based on measured data Per-call VoIP activity details; CDR, call length, etc. Special features for cellular support (i.e., GSM decode/playback) Analyzes/decodes most popular call-control/signaling protocols Useful for VoIP pre-deployment assessment of network performance Can filter on specific call details or measurements & create reports |
Up to 1,000 concurrent calls can be fully tracked and assessed Supports (decodes, and assesses) G.711, GSM (FR and EFR) and narrowband AMR codecs |
Can decipher/track: SIP, H.248, MGCP and Cisco SCCP Displays signaling state diagrams in real-time Can decipher and use RTCP and XR report data |
Jitter Packet loss Call noise DTMF performance |
Passive (non-intrusive) testing is supported only |
$25,000 and up includes most VoIP options; includes 3-year warranty |
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Vendor, HQ location, Web site |
Product(s), version, URL |
Verified? |
Product orientation |
Product description |
Platform(s), software, hardware |
Network connection |
Primary product roles, capabilities |
VoIP call monitoring capacity, codecs |
Signaling, call-control monitoring |
Impairments measured |
Active (synthetic traffic) testing |
Pricing |
|
NetIQ Corp Houston, TX
|
NetIQ AppManager Suite, VoIP (including Vivinet Assessor and Vivinet Diagnostics) v7.0 |
No Info shown here is based solely on data provided by the vendor |
Equally useful in service-provider or enterprise environments |
Assortment of Windows software, which collectively addresses network assessment for VoIP, end-to-end VoIP and QoS monitoring, reporting, VoIP capacity planning and VoIP problem diagnosis |
Software runs on various Windows platforms including: "agent" PCs and user's laptop; a dedicated back-end Microsoft SQL Server 2005 database, Windows Server 200x, and IIS Web components |
Typically 10/100 and/or gig Ethernet; also, QoS and SLA data can be collected from Cisco routers |
Real-time monitoring of all VoIP calls, or focus on specific call(s) VoIP capture and replay (with Vivinet Diagnostics) Long-term/historical tracking of VoIP activity/quality/impairments VoIP quality assessment, per R factor/E model, on a per-call basis Can obtain and report SLA and QoS data from Cisco routers User-configurable call-quality threshold monitoring, alerting Tracking per-call VoIP activity details; CDR, MOS, etc. Features for diagnosing poor-quality calls and isolating causes Tracks VoIP bandwidth consumption Useful for VoIP pre-deployment assessment of network performance Extensive report features, plus single dashboard interface Extensive capabilities for monitoring with active/synthetic VoIP calls |
Supports (decodes, assesses, saves, replays) G.711, G.723.1, G.726, G.729 & most other common codecs, including wideband (G.722.1, etc) Call-monitoring capacity limited only by back-end hardware and bandwidth |
Separate module offered for analyzing Cisco calls and traffic Can track and report call set-up time and call success-rate stats Can decipher and use RTCP & XR report data |
Jitter Packet loss One-way latency and round-trip delay Call noise |
Extensive and configurable active VoIP call generation, including mixed streams of most common codecs, and support for Cisco SAA VoIP stream testing |
From $600/mo for base App-Manager agent; $10 to $30 per AppManager-for-VoIP agent; $1,300 for 2-week Vivinet Assessor use; $5,000 for Vivinet Diagnostics |
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Vendor, HQ location, Web site |
Product(s), version, URL |
Verified? |
Product orientation |
Product description |
Platform(s), software, hardware |
Network connection |
Primary product roles, capabilities |
VoIP call monitoring capacity, codecs |
Signaling, call-control monitoring |
Impairments measured |
Active (synthetic traffic) testing |
Pricing |
|
NetScout Systems, Inc. Westford, MA
|
nGenius Service Assurance Solution Release detailed here is due out 1Q 2010 |
No Info shown here is based solely on data provided by the vendor |
Package can be specifically optimized for service-provider or enterprise environments |
Set of tightly integrated software modules and hardware appliance(s) (called InfiniStream), which collectively provide scalable, server-based VoIP service-delivery management |
Core software runs on security-hardened Linux or Windows servers (vendor or user supplied); data-collection appliances are supplied by vendor; "remote console" access is via Web browser, thin or thick client |
Appliances connect in-line, via taps or on mirrored switch ports, typically 10/100 or gig Ethernet; options support T1, ATM wireless & IMS (carrier) links |
Real-time monitoring of all VoIP calls, or focus on specific call(s) Can capture, save and replay VoIP streams of supported codecs Long-term/historical tracking of VoIP activity/quality/impairments VoIP quality, per R factor and proprietary MOS, per RTP direction User-configurable threshold monitoring, alerting on measured metrics Tracking per-call VoIP activity details; CDR, MOS, etc. Same package tracks video, assesses impact on VoIP of other traffic and applications Tracks VoIP bandwidth consumption VoIP pre-deployment assessment of network performance Rich signaling-protocol support, and special features for managing Avaya and Cisco VoIP deployments |
Supports (decodes, assesses, saves, replays) G.711, G.723.1, G.726, G.729 & most other common codecs, including wideband (G.722, etc) Automatic capture, storage and playback of G.711, GSM and other media streams |
Can decipher/track: SIP, H.323, H.248, MGCP & Cisco SCCP Uses RTCP data Can accept Cisco NetFlow & SLA data Can track and report call set-up time and call-success-rate stats |
Jitter Packet loss One-way latency and round-trip delay Audio loss |
None. System is based on passive monitoring of actual VoIP packets |
Total package can be deployed starting from $50,000; 3-mo software warranty, 1-yr hardware |
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NetScout Systems, Inc. Westford, MA
|
Sniffer Analysis v4.7 |
No Info shown here is based solely on data provided by the vendor |
Oriented to use in enterprise environments |
Same hardware appliance as with vendor's nGenius package (see above), but uses Sniffer Analysis client software for direct access and user interface; for analysis of VoIP and other applications |
Appliance has own integral database; software runs on user's Microsoft-based laptop/PC, employs typical Windows interface |
Appliance connects in-line, via tap, or on mirrored switch port, 10/100 or gig Ethernet; monitors traffic on a single link |
Can capture, save and replay Cisco (only) VoIP streams Useful for VoIP pre-deployment assessment of network performance Tracks VoIP bandwidth consumption Rich signaling-protocol support, decode and analysis Supports Cisco/IOS-based NetFlow/SLA/QoS link/traffic data Measures, reports impairments affecting VoIP quality Captures call and performance info & creates per-call CDR records
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Supports (decodes, assesses) G.711, G.723.1, G.726, G.729 and wideband G.722 codecs Can observe/track up to 1,500 to 2,000 concurrent VoIP calls |
Can decipher/track: SIP, H.323, H.248, Cisco SCCP & MGCP Can accept Cisco NetFlow & SLA data |
Jitter Packet loss One-way latency and round-trip delay Audio loss |
None. System is based on passive monitoring of actual VoIP packets |
Starts at $20,000 per appliance; Windows software included at no charge; 3-mo software warranty, 1-yr hardware |
|
Vendor, HQ location, Web site |
Product(s), version, URL |
Verified? |
Product orientation |
Product description |
Platform(s), software, hardware |
Network connection |
Primary product roles, capabilities |
VoIP call monitoring capacity, codecs |
Signaling, call-control monitoring |
Impairments measured |
Active (synthetic traffic) testing |
Pricing |
|
OPNET Technologies, Inc. Bethesda, MD
|
ACE Live VoIP Monitoring Module v7.2 http://www.opnet. com/solutions/ application_ performance/ acelive/voip.html |
No Info shown here is based solely on data provided by the vendor |
Oriented to use in enterprise environments |
Modular appliance, accessed from user laptop/PC, that provides real-time and historical VoIP data about network performance and call quality |
Appliance contains integrated operating software; accessed and controlled from any user laptop/PC with Web browser and running Java 1.5.0_10 or later |
Observes one or more 10/100 or gig Ethernet links, via spanned port or in-line via tap |
Can observe/track up to 500 concurrent VoIP calls, create CDRs Monitors all active VoIP calls or specific VoIP calls/RTP streams VoIP quality rating, using R-factor & PSQM, for each RTP direction Can display signaling-state ladder diagrams in real-time User-configurable threshold monitoring, based on MOS scores Long-term/SLA tracking of VoIP activity, quality, impairments Supports Cisco/IOS-based NetFlow/SLA/QoS link/traffic data VoIP pre-deployment assessment of network performance Can track VoIP bandwidth consumption Can filter on specific call details or measurements and create reports |
Up to 500 concurrent calls can be fully tracked and assessed Supports (decodes, and assesses) G.711, G.726, G.729 and most other common codecs, including wideband (G.722, G.729.1, etc) Can decipher and use RTCP & XR data |
Can decipher/track: SIP, H.248, MGCP and Cisco SCCP Displays real-time signaling-state graphs Tracks/reports call set-up time and success-rate stats |
Jitter One-way latency Packet loss Alerts via email, SNMP, syslog when user-settable thresholds exceeded |
Passive (non-intrusive) testing only is supported |
$35,000 to $70,000 for ACE Live, plus $8,000 to $30,000 for VoIP Monitoring Module, depending on no. concurrent calls; 1-yr warranty |
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Vendor, HQ location, Web site |
Product(s), version, URL |
Verified? |
Product orientation |
Product description |
Platform(s), software, hardware |
Network connection |
Primary product roles, capabilities |
VoIP call monitoring capacity, codecs |
Signaling, call-control monitoring |
Impairments measured |
Active (synthetic traffic) testing |
Pricing |
|
PathSolutions, Inc. Santa Clara, CA http://www. pathsolutions.com/
|
PathSolutions VoIP Monitor v4.0 |
No Info shown here is based solely on data provided by the vendor |
Equally useful in service-provider or enterprise environments |
Windows software that performs mainly single-sided, active (synthetic-VoIP) testing of network devices; collects data from devices' SNMP agents, Cisco NetFlow data and other sources |
Software runs on a single, dedicated Windows server; Windows XP, Server 2000, 2003, 2008 all supported; accessed via Web; typical Windows interface |
Server connects on a spanned switch port, typically 10/100 or gig Ethernet |
R factor-based MOS rating to/from each monitored network device All device interfaces involved in VoIP are monitored for bandwidth use, packet loss, configuration and status Plain-English explanation of detected problems, likely root causes User-settable thresholds, alerts, based on MOS, packet loss Supports Cisco/IOS-based NetFlow/SLA/QoS link/traffic data VoIP pre-deployment assessment of network performance Ships with over 60 canned reports, exportable in XML to Excel Partial-path VoIP testing isolates problems to local or WAN network Phone-locator report shows physical location of any VoIP phone |
Up to 30,000 network interfaces can be continually monitored via a single server; product does not passively monitor user's VoIP traffic or signaling; can also collect Cisco NetFlow/QoS/SLA data |
None, not supported |
Jitter Round-trip delay (ping-based) Packet loss User-settable alerts, including via email, based on MOS, packet loss, network utilization and status change |
Primary mode of this product; up to 100 concurrent VoIP test calls can be issued to any IP endpoint; user-schedulable and user-settable codec, QoS |
$990 to $96,000, based on network size, for PathSolutions VoIP Monitor (software only); $1,000 for Cisco Net-Flow support option |
|
Vendor, HQ location, Web site |
Product(s), version, URL |
Verified? |
Product orientation |
Product description |
Platform(s), software, hardware |
Network connection |
Primary product roles, capabilities |
VoIP call monitoring capacity, codecs |
Signaling, call-control monitoring |
Impairments measured |
Active (synthetic traffic) testing |
Pricing |
|
SolarWinds, Inc. Austin, TX
|
Orion IP SLA Manager v3.0 http://www. solarwinds.com/ products/orion/ ip_sla_ monitoring/ |
No Info shown here is based solely on data provided by the vendor |
Equally useful in service-provider or enterprise environments |
Family of Windows software modules that collectively monitor WAN and VoIP performance between remote sites, based mainly on Cisco IP SLA/Netflow/QoS data |
Software runs on Windows server platforms (not specified); accessed via Web; typical Windows interface; Cisco IOS routers supporting SLA and test-traffic gen serve as remote probes |
Remote probes and responders (i.e., Cisco routers) connect on links to WAN, typically 10/100 or gig Ethernet, or T1 IP WAN |
Intuitive point-and-click interface to results and reports, says vendor Long-term/historical tracking of VoIP activity/quality/impairments User-settable thresholds, alerts, based on performance data Supports Cisco/IOS-based NetFlow/SLA/QoS link/traffic data Data can also be collected from other (than Cisco) network devices VoIP pre-deployment assessment of network performance Monitoring and reporting SLA of voice call quality Tool for diagnosing VoIP call-quality problems |
Collects Cisco NetFlow/QoS/SLA data; pertinent data also collected from other, unspecified, remote network "probe" and "responder" devices |
Not supported |
Jitter One-way latency Call noise User-settable thresholds and alerts based on measured data and metrics |
Yes; network devices, such as Cisco IOS routers, are configured by vendor's software to place test calls and then results are retrieved and processed |
$1,495 to $9,995 for 5 to unlimited SLA source devices (i.e., Cisco routers); from $2,475 for net performance monitor; and from $1,795 for network traffic analyzer |
|
Vendor, HQ location, Web site |
Product(s), version, URL |
Verified? |
Product orientation |
Product description |
Platform(s), software, hardware |
Network connection |
Primary product roles, capabilities |
VoIP call monitoring capacity, codecs |
Signaling, call-control monitoring |
Impairments measured |
Active (synthetic traffic) testing |
Pricing |
|
TamoSoft, Ltd. Christchurch, New Zealand |
CommView v6.1 |
No Info shown here is based solely on data provided by the vendor |
Oriented to use in enterprise environ-ments |
Windows software for network monitoring and protocol decode, which includes a VoIP analyzer for analysis, recording and playback of SIP and H.323 VoIP communications |
Software runs on Windows XP, 2003, Vista, 2008 and Windows 7; a "remote agent" version can capture packets and send them back for analysis; typical Windows user interface |
Connects via a spanned/ bridged switch port, 10/100 or gig Ethernet; special WiFi edition requires 802.11 adapter on PC |
Monitors all active VoIP calls or specific calls in real-time VoIP quality assessment, using R-factor, in each RTP direction A special version monitors VoIP calls over WiFi (802.11 a/b/g/n) Can capture, save & playback VoIP streams of supported codecs Tracks VoIP bandwidth consumption Analyzes call-control; shows real-time signaling-state ladder diagram |
Can realistically track up to 500 concurrent VoIP calls Can track/measure/ rate RTP streams of most standard codecs, including wideband (G.722.1), plus GSM and others |
Can decipher/track: SIP and H.323 Displays signaling state diagrams in real-time Tracks/reports call success-rate stats |
R-factor metrics, including: Jitter Packet loss |
None. Passive (non-intrusive) testing only is supported |
$999 for CommView VoIP; 1-yr free software upgrades; $399 per year software upgrades thereafter |
|
Vendor, HQ location, Web site |
Product(s), version, URL |
Verified? |
Product orientation |
Product description |
Platform(s), software, hardware |
Network connection |
Primary product roles, capabilities |
VoIP call monitoring capacity, codecs |
Signaling, call-control monitoring |
Impairments measured |
Active (synthetic traffic) testing |
Pricing |
|
Touchstone Technologies, Inc. Hatboro, PA
|
WinEyeQ, WinSIP (traffic generation) v1.7.1 www.touchstone-inc.com/ wineyeq.php
|
Yes: Info shown here has been independently verified. Click here for free PDF-down-loadable product report |
Equally useful in service-provider or enterprise environments |
Windows-based IP communications monitoring software that performs monitoring and diagnosis of VoIP and video-conferencing networks; WinSIP is separate VoIP test-traffic-generation software |
Software runs on laptop, desktop or server running Windows XP or Server 2000, 2003; "Windows" GUI. Processor, speed & RAM determine max concurrent calls that can be fully monitored and generated (separate nodes) |
Observes a single 10/100 or gigabit Ethernet connection, via a spanned/ bridged port or in-line insertion (user provides hub or external tap for in-line insertion) |
Monitors all active VoIP calls or specific VoIP calls/RTP streams VoIP quality assessment, using R-factor & proprietary "SQI MOS" Data stored in MySQL DBS; can export in CSV format Complete per-call CDR files, can filter/sort on any data Capture, replay of G.711 calls Capture, analysis of VoIP call control & signaling With WinSIP, also performs active test-call generation Tracks VoIP bandwidth consumption Measures, reports, and alerts on impairments affecting VoIP Same package can monitor/test video VoIP pre-deployment analysis User-settable thresholds/triggers, alerts, alarms & SNMP traps |
Fully tracks up to 1,000 simultaneous VoIP calls Measures/reports VoIP quality in each RTP-stream direction Can capture, save & replay G.711 streams Tracks/measures/ rates RTP streams of most standard codecs, including wideband |
Can decipher/track: SIP, H.323 Cisco SCCP added in latest version Shows real-time signaling state diagrams Tracks/reports call set-up time and success-rate stats |
R-factor metrics: Jitter Packet loss Latency (one-way and round-trip delay) RTCP messages and XR (extended reports) data User-settable alarms on measured parameters/metrics |
Accomplished via separate WinSIP call-generation software. Test calls are very user-configurable (number calls, codec, duration, frequency, etc) |
$895 to $8,000 for WinEyeQ; $695 to $8,000 for WinSIP (call generation), depending on license terms; includes 1-yr warranty; add'l software maint is 15% of cost annually |
|
Vendor, HQ location, Web site |
Product(s), version, URL |
Verified? |
Product orientation |
Product description |
Platform(s), software, hardware |
Network connection |
Primary product roles, capabilities |
VoIP call monitoring capacity, codecs |
Signaling, call-control monitoring |
Impairments measured |
Active (synthetic traffic) testing |
Pricing |
|
VOIPFUTURE Ltd. Hamburg, Germany
|
Smart RTP Monitoring Probe v2.0 http://www.voipfuture. com/index.php/ products-and-solutions/ vfslamonitoring and |
No Info shown here is based solely on data provided by the vendor |
Equally useful in service-provider or enterprise environments |
Hardware probes and server package; does high-capacity VoIP quality monitoring and identifies root causes of problems; long-term SLA (service level agreement) monitoring |
Software runs on dedicated Linux server; hardware probes in the network can run independently or send measurement results back to server; Web access, interface |
Probes and server connect via taps (preferred) or on mirrored 10/100 or gig Ethernet links (also supports 10-gig interface) |
Monitors all active VoIP calls, rates quality in each RTP direction High-capacity VoIP-quality monitoring; probe handles 8 gigabit links Supports 10-gigabit backbone Ethernet connection VoIP quality ratings based on R factor and proprietary MOS User-settable thresholds, alerts sent via email & SNMP traps Tracking VoIP bandwidth consumption Provides a real-time call-quality record every 5 sec for every call Long-term voice call-quality & SLA monitoring and reporting Tool for diagnosing VoIP call-quality problems |
Tracks VoIP call quality on up to 10,500 simultaneous calls Measures/reports VoIP quality in each RTP-stream direction Can track/measure/ rate G.711, G.726, G.729 and G.722 (wideband) streams |
Not supported |
R-factor metrics: Jitter Packet loss Call noise User-settable thresholds and alerts based on measured data and metrics |
None. Passive (non-intrusive) testing only is supported |
Price varies widely with network size; licensing is based on number of concurrent VoIP streams supported |
|
Vendor, HQ location, Web site |
Product(s), version, URL |
Verified? |
Product orientation |
Product description |
Platform(s), software, hardware |
Network connection |
Primary product roles, capabilities |
VoIP call monitoring capacity, codecs |
Signaling, call-control monitoring |
Impairments measured |
Active (synthetic traffic) testing |
Pricing |
|
WildPackets, Inc. Walnut Creek, CA
|
OmniPeek Voice Distributed v6.0 http://www.wildpackets. com/products/ portable_analysis/ omnipeek_software
|
No Info shown here is based solely on data provided by the vendor |
Oriented to use in enterprise environments |
Windows software (main OmniPeek Enterprise app), with optional probe(s) (sold as software or appliances), and optional "network recorder" storage server; for passive monitoring of VoIP & data protocols |
Software runs on Windows XP Pro, Vista or Server 2003; appliances from vendor can be Linux-based; 1U and 3U rack-mount servers from vendor; typical Windows user interface |
Probe appliances and servers connect in-line via taps (user- or vendor-supplied) or on mirrored 10/100, gig or 10-gig Ethernet ports |
Monitors all active VoIP calls, rates quality in each RTP direction Provides a broad spectrum of VoIP quality assessments per call R factor and PESQ (conversational and listener for both) VoIP call capture and replay of supported codecs Can capture, save and replay VoIP streams of supported codecs Supports 10-gigabit backbone Ethernet connection Captures call details into extensive per-call CDR records User-settable thresholds, alerts sent via email, SNMP, syslog Tracks VoIP bandwidth, alongside all network bandwidth utilized Same product also monitors video traffic Long-term voice call-quality; VoIP dashboard & summary stats |
Tracks up to 1,000 concurrent VoIP calls Can track, rate, save and/or replay G.711, G.726, G.723.1, G.729, G.722 (wideband), GSM & other codecs Can decipher and use RTCP data |
Can decipher/track: SIP, H.323, Cisco SCCP and MGCP Shows real-time signaling state diagrams Tracks/reports call set-up time and success-rate stats Special features for monitoring Cisco & Avaya environments |
R-factor metrics: Jitter Packet loss One-way latency User-settable thresholds and alerts based on impairments and call quality |
None. Passive (non-intrusive) testing only is supported |
$4,995 for OmniPeek Enterprise app; $4,995 for optional probe software; $12,495 to $69,995 for optional data-storage server (h/w & s/w) |
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