Tektronix Gets Passive Aggressive

Test equipment vendor Tektronix has introduced a passive monitoring system that helps mobile operators using wireline-based inverse multiplexing for ATM (IMA) for 3G wireless backhaul applications. GSM network operators moving to 3G may own many DS-1/E-1 network links already for voice backhaul between base station transceivers and base station controllers. But individually, those links lack the more abundant bandwidth required to backhaul 3G traffic. IMA combines narrow links into a virtual high-bandwidth passage. But monitoring IMA routes can be a thorny problem because some solutions cut off traffic on the IMA links when they connect to them for testing. Tektronix's K1297-G20 Protocol Analyzer can monitor IMA bandwidth without affecting live traffic on the lines. The system can ensure that all the IMA links are correctly connected. www.tektronix.com