What +is Network Performance Testing?

The tests can be run on mobile devices or hardware reference boards. A +series of tests can be combined into a single script. The script is executed +and the results analysed. Device creators and application developers use the +test results to analyse and optimise network performance on their hardware. +These tests are repeated on the same hardware to show the effects of optimisation +and configuration changes. The tests can be run on different hardware to provide +a benchmark.

NetPerf provides a common basis for collaborative work on network +performance between Symbian and the device creators or application developers. NetPerf is +designed to run on H2 and H4 hardware reference +boards. NetPerf does not run on the emulator. The tests represent the +relative network performance that can be achieved by Symbian OS-based devices. +This gives device creators a benchmark for their own hardware and adaptations. +Device creators can apply the same test program and scripts to different devices +to categorise them.

NetPerf is driven by a configuration +file. The configuration file specifies tests in terms of rate, direction +and packet size. This allows the test suite to emulate voice streams. This +fulfils a common device creator request for information on the behaviour of +the network stack when streaming voice packets. It does not emulate the end-to-end +use case completely as there is no voice call control signalling.

NetPerf test suite components

The following are +the NetPerf test suite components:

UCC
TestExecute also known as TEF
TestExecute UCC plug-in
TestDriver
NetPerf.pl
Delay Meter library
TestExecute NetPerf plug-in
Sampling profiler

UCC

UCC is a daemon on the Test Controller PC that +performs actions driven by a script on the Device Under Test (DUT). UCC is +part of the PDT.

TestExecute also known as TEF

TEF is the Symbian +test script engine. TEF is part of the PDT.

TestExecute UCC plug-in

This is a plug-in which allows the DUT to +launch services and make remote procedure calls on remote PCs, in particular +the Test Controller PC. The TestExecute UCC plugin is part of +the PDT.

TestDriver

This is a Test Controller PC tool which +uses STAT to invoke TEF-based tests, and collect the results. +This allows tests to be driven from the Test Controller PC. The TestDriver is +part of the PDT.

NetPerf.pl

This is a Test Controller PC script which:

generates the appropriate TEF scripts +from the supplied configuration file
invokes TestDriver
post-processes the TEF logs +to create a summary CSV file.

Delay Meter library

This is a plug-in layer for the communications +framework that measures delays to the Bearer. It requires Symbian OS v9.5 +or later with Freeway architecture. Delay measurements can be provided +on earlier Symbian OS releases, if required, by using the NetSTEB tool.

TestExecute NetPerf plug-in

This plug-in performs the following:

Sends data packets
receives data packets
collects metrics, these +metrics are known as throughput or jitter
CPU usage meter

If the Delay Meter library is configured, it collects and +reports delay measurements.

Sampling profiler

An optional component on the DUT, +the Sampling profiler produces a log of the execution time spent in +each function in the system. This allows the users to find any processing +bottlenecks and identify possible optimisations.