Ixia Tests Converged IP-based Communications and Entertainment; Ixia's New IxLoad Release Tests Triple Play Networks Deploying IPTV, Voice over IP, and Internet Data Services to Ensure Subscriber Quality of Experience

Business Wire, Feb 21, 2006

CALABASAS, Calif. -- Ixia (Nasdaq:XXIA), a leading, global provider of IP performance test systems, announced today the release of its IxLoad(TM) 3.00 test application for assessing the performance of Triple Play networks. As entertainment and communications converge with Triple Play IP services, subscribers expect service quality to be comparable to or better than traditional TV and telephone services. Achieving this level of service quality is critical to the successful deployment of Triple Play services, and requires comprehensive testing on a large scale. Ixia's IxLoad addresses these complex test requirements with an integrated Triple Play test system that is capable of emulating a vast number of subscribers, as well as the associated content servers. IxLoad works in conjunction with Ixia's industry-leading, purpose-built, hardware platform to achieve the scale and flexibility needed for real-world test scenarios.

The new IxLoad release includes a number of important features that enable realistic Triple Play testing. For example, IxLoad can accurately emulate millions of IPTV Broadcast Video and Video on Demand (VOD) subscribers and the millions of video streams they are viewing. Such large scale emulations enable the performance characterization of key IPTV elements, including video servers, multicast routers, and the video delivery network. The required protocols associated with these services, such as IGMP, RTSP and MPEG, are fully supported in IxLoad 3.00.

Additionally, IxLoad makes it possible to efficiently test the performance of Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) devices, which are a crucial part of VoIP services, by emulating SIP callers and callees. IxLoad also supports a comprehensive set of Internet data protocols including HTTP, SSL, SMTP and POP, as well as Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks and vulnerability attacks, which are necessary in creating the kind of Real-World Traffic(TM) essential for effective Triple Play test scenarios.

A key aspect of testing Triple Play services is accurately assessing real-world quality from a user's perspective, including such discrete test metrics as IPTV channel changing delays and video quality. IxLoad also provides a wide range of quality metrics and reports on a per subscriber basis, thus allowing a true characterization of the Triple Play services.

Additional new capabilities in the IxLoad 3.00 release include:

--Built-in network impairment to emulate realistic network conditions

--Over 600 results metrics

--Capture & Replay of custom protocol traffic

--On-the fly adjustment of traffic

--Support for DHCP, LDAP, IMAP protocols

--IPv6 support for HTTP and FTP protocols

To learn more about IxLoad, visit our website at http://www.ixiacom.com/products/ixload

About Ixia

Ixia is a leading provider of performance test systems for IP-based infrastructure and services. Its highly scalable solutions generate, capture, characterize, and emulate network and application traffic, establishing definitive performance and conformance metrics of network devices or systems under test. Ixia's test systems are used by Network and Telephony Equipment Manufacturers, Semiconductor Manufacturers, Service Providers, Governments, and Enterprises to validate the functionality and reliability of complex IP networks, devices, and applications. Ixia's Triple Play test systems address the growing need to test voice, video, and data services and network capability under real-world conditions. Ixia's vision is to be the world's pre-eminent provider of solutions to enable testing of next generation IP Triple Play networks. Ixia's test systems utilize a wide range of industry-standard interfaces, including Ethernet, SONET, ATM, and wireless connectivity, and are distinguished by their performance, accuracy, reliability, and adaptability to the industry's constant evolution.

For more information, contact Ixia at 26601 W. Agoura Road, Calabasas, CA 91302; (818) 871-1800, Fax: (818) 871-1805; Email: info@ixiacom.com or visit our Web Site at http://www.ixiacom.com.

Ixia and the Ixia four petal logo are registered trademarks of Ixia. IxLoad and Real World Traffic are trademarks of Ixia. Other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.