Agilent Technologies auroraSonata, User Manual

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Issue 2 - 07/00 4-23
Testing in Simulation Mode - Section 2
Bit Error Rate Testing (BERT)
aurora
Sonata
can perform a Bit Error Rate Test (BERT) to check
the integrity and quality of the physical communications
channel (Layer 1 or the physical wire).
Note
The instructions below relate to a standard BERT, where the
transmitted data is separated into timeslots. You can also
perform an unframed BERT—see
Unframed Layer 1 tests
earlier in this section.
You can use BERT across the B channels to check an
established ISDN link on any interface. On a BRI fixed link
you can also perform D channel BERT.
Tip
You can perform BERT over voice or data type calls. However,
to test audio quality it may be simpler to make a speech call to
another engineer or a recorded service and listen to received
voice signals in the earpiece.
How BERT works
aurora
Sonata
generates a test pattern and transmits it repeatedly
to another device, which transmits it back. aurora Sonata then
compares the received pattern with the original one and
determines the rate of bit errors. The test passes or fails
depending on whether errors occur at the rate you have set to
be the ‘fail’ threshold for the line.
Tip
Although you can only perform one BERT at a time, you can
test on two channels at once by running a self call.