Empirix acquisition continues move down mobile path

Service quality assurance and monitoring vendor Empirix this week acquired Mutina Technology, an Italy-based vendor of network monitoring tools for mobile broadband and IP core networks.

Empirix began moving down this path just last month, with the announcement of new mobile monitoring capabilities for its Hammer XMS platform, adding 4G mobile and end-to-end protocol support to its more traditional focus on voice-over-IP and IP multimedia subsystem monitoring. At the time, Empirix said it would add new mobile protocol support to Hammer XMS over time, initially focusing on mobile core signaling support, adding mobile data monitoring down the line.

The Mutina deal adds to that strategy, giving Empirix monitoring capabilities that will ultimately let the Hammer XMS provide monitoring and analysis of the control, user and data transmission planes in a single application, said John D’Anna, CEO of Empirix. “The ability to monitor and integrate analysis across the user control and data planes will put us in a very unique place in the market," D’Anna contended. In addition, Mutina gives Empirix customers and experience in Europe and Asia-Pacific, two key growth areas.

In addition to mobile broadband, Mutina’s IPXplorer system enables the monitoring of video and data networks. Along with network-embeddable probes, Mutina also provides hand-held monitors and service analyzers that technicians can bring out to the field to test real-time service quality. Initially, Empirix will maintain Mutina’s portfolio as stand-alone products but work over time to integrate them into its Hammer XMS platform.

Empirix and Mutina have a common architectural approach, the companies said, deploying software and custom hardware able to monitor new IP services alongside legacy SS7/C7 traffic.

That hardware is capable of monitoring up to 40 GB of traffic per probe, providing real-time analysis of IP services, user payload and network impairments – an important capability for operators looking to keep IP-centric mobile networks such as long-term evolution up and running at peak capacity. That requirement becomes even more significant as mobile operators move to tiered services and quality of service guarantees, D’Anna said.

The terms of the acquisition are not being disclosed by Empirix or Mutina.