Automated testing provides a seamless and secure way to gather key network performance data over an extended period of time. That may be an hour, a day, or on a continuous basis, indefinitely.
The reason this is such a valuable tool is network activity is rarely static. Network demand is only going to increase and this comes with a unique set of challenges.
MCS Network Connection Satellites (NCS) - hard and soft - can be deployed to data centers, VMs, client machines, and anything running a modern OS. They are extremely secure and can be assigned work remotely via MCS.
Data is centralized and secure in the MCS proprietary database.
Below are just a few of the use cases for automated testing.
Deploying or pushing a NCS to remote employees will give an employer an in-depth look at how the employees network is performing across the entire work day. For example, the work could include a VoIP test, Bandwidth Quality test, and Traceroute every 15 minutes. If the employee ever reports connection issues the data will be immediately available to diagnose when the issues occurs.
If a client or user is running one of our browser-based assessments tests but is still reporting issues then automated testing can be used as a secondary deep dive. The user could quickly download a NCS app - preconfigured with an in-depth assessment test - and run it. The NCS would then run through the assigned tests and provide a complete picture of their network over the course of a day (or more).
Monitoring is a popular network buzzword, but simply monitoring a network is not really achieving the desired goal.
Monitoring watches packets at one point in the network, like looking at a freeway watching cars go past. What this does not tell you is if the packets are on time and therefore fulfilling their purpose. To use the road analogy again, the road may look like it's flowing nicely but it doesn't tell you if they are all making it to their destination on time.
Deliberate and continuous end-to-end testing of key network points will provide key metrics to help understand how a network is truly performing. Events can be set up to proactively alert the appropriate team when network issues arise, which leads to faster resolutions and less down time.
Click here for more information on the framework and deployment of MCS and NCSs.
Available in command line, installer, and app versions the soft NCSs can be quickly and seamlessly deployed to any Windows or Linux device. This can be a VM, a physical computer, a cloud server, or any device with a modern Windows or Linux OS.
They can be configured to automatically run work when installed or they can be centrally managed by MCS, which allows work to be assigned at will.
Hard NCSs are designed for both the data center - 1U rack-mountable, 2-16 1Gbps ports - and for portability. 2-port devices are provided for field support engineers. These devices can also be used in the data center but they are not rack-mountable.
Portable NCSs are designed to support all standard MCS testing. Two 1Gbps ports provide an independent integrated I-point and e-point client which allows a single device to run an accurate test, without an operating system and shared application overheads, as both client and server.
A solid-state NCSD eliminates all threats from deployment in a public or private domain. Additionally, tests can be run in a customer private network, accurately, safely, and securely, because a NCSD eliminates the requirement for an assessment test to be hosted directly on customer-owned equipment.