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The necessity of a lab could also prove to be the greatest asset As networks migrate rapidly to line rates of 400 Gbps and beyond, and more connected devices and equipment are required, organizations are under intense pressure to test and deliver enhanced network services, validate new equipment and quickly resolve customer issues. In today’s ever-changing business climate, automating test infrastructure and resources is vital to increase test capacity, while reducing costs – making fast, repeatable and agile lab operations crucial to reduce time to market. Lab automation is not a new idea, but many fall short due to lack of investment in personnel, shortage of resources, or little awareness in the company that a well-run and automated lab can be hugely advantageous. Labs are trusted to certify new equipment for the network, data center, enterprise or IoT components so that new services can be provided to customers without a glitch, to achieve the ultimate goals of either increased revenue or competition in the market.


The goal of a perfectly running network has driven Service Providers to test every single component going into the network, down to connectors and Small Form-factor Pluggables (SFPs). These tests are not only done when introducing a new service or component but a number of Providers test every component destined for the network once received from a vendor to confirm its individual performance compared to the specification – resulting in a lot of testing and numerous cross connects.


In many organizations, the cross connect function is outsourced to a subcontractor or results in a chargeback from another group within the company. These charges – ranging from $250 to $400 a piece – involve placing work orders, waiting as long as a week and the resultant circuit is completed incorrectly as much as a third of the time. Errors such as the old TX to RX transposition and improper fiber hygiene are commonplace and result in further delays to the work. With automation, labs can share expensive equipment and reconfigure tests remotely and immediately. Using readily available tools, resources can be securely shared between silos without conflict, allowing 24-hour global access to shared test equipment. Often, within a lab, this fight for resources results in the interruption


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of testing and a gridlock in the schedule. A well-orchestrated lab can create a secure sharable environment. Fast resolution of issues is also made possible through automation. An automated lab has an efficient and immediate method to cross connect any network component within minutes rather than hours or days. This level of dynamic connectivity cuts down on network troubleshooting and resolves issues in a fraction of the time compared to the traditional method.


By adopting remote switching and related tools, like those provided by HUBER+SUHNER Polatis, lab engineers are able to save around 40 percent of test time on the first run of a test and close to 75 percent on repetitive tests with zero manual intervention. Coupled with an ROI model of roughly 18 months, a switch which may seem expensive is easily justified when the reduction in staff or payments of subcontractor fees are taken into consideration – making a very compelling case for organizations to adopt a more automated approach in the future. Another often overlooked advantage is the potential revenue gain involved in bringing services to the market in a faster more timely manner.


To add insult to injury, the push for Network Function Virtualization (NFV) and Software Defined Networking (SDN) will add increased pressure to traditional network test lab environments. All SDN- enabled components will need to be re-certified to confirm interoperability in the new dynamic environment and lab operators will need to adapt in order to meet the ever-increasing demands. The concept of SDN/NFV only really works when there is a certain critical mass of components and function that can be virtualized; again, this requires a lot of testing to make sure the network works as designed with this new control concept.


The evolution of test labs is critical to their survival The move from a traditional lab to an automated lab environment is not as difficult as lab managers may first think. Perhaps, the biggest hurdle to be faced is in terms of the investment into the technology. First and foremost, the lab team needs a partner in the CFO Office.


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The costs associated with lab automation are usually not in the budget, but the cost savings that they can bring far outweigh the investment. The group also needs mindshare from the organization as a whole in order to be successful; after all, when a company looks to implement an automated lab, it is likely to result in a reduction of staff or subcontractor fees. Once those hurdles are crossed, there are a number of specialised software companies focused on providing lab automation management programs or Lab-as-a-Service. These programs create the environment that allow for reservations of lab resources, the actual test procedures to be run, and for documenting the results of the tests. The process of integrating all the hardware components within an enterprise is not an easy task, which makes choosing the right software company key.


Finally, an automated lab requires a reliable all-optical fiber switch to provide the dynamic foundation for the lab network. A fiber switch allows the equipment cabling to be put in place just once, allowing the tests to then be remotely configured on demand. The switch should be transparent to deliver the most accurate test results, sized properly to interconnect all network elements within the modern lab and be fully compatible with the automation software package. Through the one-time installation of cabling, the lab results are not subjected to potential fiber hygiene issues, creating more repeatable and reliable results. Working with the integration software, the switch provides partitioned testing environments, allowing multiple groups within a company to run tests simultaneously, saving time and money. With the ability to be transparent to any optical speed, circuit type and number of wavelengths, all-optical switching allows automated labs to be future-proofed so


that, as line rates and transmission formats continue to advance, the initial investment is preserved.


Preparing for the unexpected With ongoing uncertainty about the continuing impact on today’s work environment, the adoption of innovative solutions to allow for the remote orchestration of testing has never been so critical. What was once considered a luxury, is now a requirement as the current situation drives forward the inherent need for remote lab management. By adopting solutions, like the HUBER+SUHNER Polatis all-optical switches, organizations can not only continue to operate as normal to ensure the completion of projects on time, but it also opens up the capability to leverage a geographically diverse work force and a follow the sun approach to testing and development of network services – allowing them to work across multiple test topologies simultaneously without concern for conflict. For example, taking a software house in India that provides a new software load to test, the European devops team then reviews those results and makes some changes and the California implementation team formalises and documents the results, all within one rotation of the Earth.


Lab automation may be evolutionary to some companies and revolutionary to others, but the positive results are being seen throughout the market, in every sector of the Service Provider Industry. The savings in time, money and personnel added to the current work environment has created the ideal incubator for Lab Automation and most Service Providers have either started or are in the midst of Lab Automation projects across the globe. hubersuhner.com


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