Press Release 
Radio over IP (RoIP) & IP Over Radio Testing included in new release of INE-Enterprise
Simulates Distance, Adverse Weather & Terrain Conditions to Test Radio Networks
Reno, Nevada, USA, and Cambridge, UK - 17th April 2008, — iTrinegy, the Networked Application Performance Lifecycle™ experts, announced today a major upgrade (Version 4.6) to their INE-Enterprise Network Emulator. This new module enables testing of IP over Radio and Radio over IP [ROIP] applications and devices allowing the proper simulation of conditions caused by distance, adverse weather and terrain conditions. The new module has already been successful with an early take up by the military.
While IP solutions over Radio are not limited to military applications they have a significant current interest in this, as for many years, armed forces around the world have relied on analogue based radio systems to communicate between infantry, vehicles, aircraft etc and great strides have been made to make these more reliable and efficient. However, analogue based systems are increasingly being replaced with IP communications over radio networks as this allows not only voice to be sent but also data, including commands, positions etc.
The increasing importance of Radio over IP (ROIP) to military operations was recently demonstrated by the announcement in January 2008 by US Central Command that it is now using its new RIPRNET (Radio-over-IP Router Network) for convoy operations in Iraq.
Unfortunately, troops, tanks etc, which are deployed in mountainous regions or built-in urban environments frequently, suffer radio interference. This interference can be due to the local terrain or adverse weather conditions, and IP transmissions are particularly sensitive to this which the latest ROIP systems aim to overcome.
In the past, the testing of radio field conditions has been done within a laboratory setting using radio reflectors and other radio sources as interference. ”Unfortunately, this approach is flawed’ says Frank Puranik, iTrinegy’s Product Director ‘Using these methods to set-up a particular networked radio environment it has proved extremely difficult to consistently replicate the same conditions, so up until now a test has rarely been repeatable.”
Recognizing this, producers of Radio over IP [ROIP] equipment are looking for more controllable and repeatable ways to test that any new products they are developing are capable of operating effectively in adverse field conditions.
Frank explains, ‘With our network emulation for ROIP it’s a case of “what you see is genuinely what you get” and we developed it initially to allow testers of prototypes the ability to see exactly how radio communication devices are working in a ‘real’ networked scenario, and therefore fully comprehend how the ROIP application will behave, in the field.’
Using wired connectors, INE- Enterprise permits testing of devices by emulating the behavior of radio networks, allowing for full and repeatable controls of issues such as data loss and interference. Unique features are that it has built in a concept of a shared radio net – including the ability to control the maximum amount of time any station may transmit before it must stop and another station begins transmitting, voluntary early release of the radio net and pause times before transmission etc. Together these correctly mimic real world transmissions, as there can be only one transmitter operating at any given time on a given frequency and so ensure the realistic nature of the test.
Today, applications that traverse the WAN are affected by adverse network issues such as latency, jitter, packet drops etc; The added benefit the new INE-Enterprise module offers is IP over Radio which enables the testing of the conditions that impact IP over ‘true’ remote locations such as mobile shipping, oil rigs/fields and telcos working with WiMAX.
Prior to today’s general release, INE – Enterprise’s RoIP module has allowed iTrinegy to win new business with several leading defence contractors and a government communication organization. iTrinegy’s Network Emulator was the only product offering the features needed to test both RoIP and IP over Radio in a combined box.
‘In conclusion’ said Frank ‘Users of RoIP and IP over Radio are moving in the same direction as most corporates, merging both data and voice for true convergence. This brand new module of our INE - Enterprise network emulator offers a full emulation of the conditions and issues that can and will affect users of ROIP and IP over Radio.’