Testing Network Applications Using Network Emulators
A networked application is any application that intrinsically utilizes a network included in its operation, e.g. internet based applications, networked database access, file transfer programs, mail transfer programs, messaging protocols, streaming voice, video, radio etc. It doesn’t include applications like MS Word, unless of course obviously personal files must be opened up on the remote file share.
These networked applications are actually core to most of the things every computer user does every single day – simple such things as being able to access accounts online, being able to access emails & calendars, booking travel tickets, social media, (Facebook), and smartphone applications. Additionally they are available in processes for example controlling traffic lights and operating modern IP based public Closed-circuit television.
There’s a an entire world of distinction between how a credit card applicatoin runs within the LAN and just how it runs within the WAN, Satellite, Mobile 3G/GPRS etc., which can’t be simply resolved by growing the accessible bandwidth.
For instance, personal files copy that can take 8 seconds to download inside a LAN might take 75 seconds inside a typical WAN/Internet link covering a distance of 165 miles even if both LAN and WAN possess a bandwidth of 100Mbps. Even where available bandwidth isn’t a problem, ‘latency’ issues can definitely effect on performance especially if a credit card applicatoin is ‘chatty’ and requires plenty of “acknowledgments” during transmission.
Getting a method to experience how applications under development will work when put into the actual network just before actual unveil will end up much more crucial going forwards. Developers will have to know that they’re creating software that may cope well using the challenges to be delivered over “unfriendly” systems to save lots of amount of time in retrospective rewrites and fixes.
Understanding Network Conditions
Networked applications will, sooner or later, experience an array of conditions because they travel over systems for example WAN, Home Cable, (A)DSL systems, and satellite systems, Wireless systems including GPRS, 3G, and WiMAX or LTE. Problems that a credit card applicatoin are experiencing is determined by the kind of network but intrinsic to any or all are characteristics which are “unfriendly” for example latency, error, loss, jitter, inadequate bandwidth etc.
A great way to beat these complaints is to buy the event right by experiencing how a credit card applicatoin will work during these non-LAN systems throughout the development and test processes, but without needing the live network.
Network emulators allows the developer to re-create these difficult and sophisticated systems in prototyping & development environments, as well as in test environments. They eliminate the requirement for using miles of cable, aerial masks, satellite dishes, cell phone handsets etc. or making use of your corporate network to be able to conduct realistic testing.