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As U.S. Government (USG) departments turn to private networks to meet their unique communication and data needs, they face a series of significant challenges. These challenges include ensuring comprehensive security, meeting network performance service-level agreements (SLAs), and maintaining optimal operational efficiencies. The adoption of private networks promises enhanced control, improved security, lower latency, and reduced costs; however, these benefits can only be fully realized with a mature and comprehensive testing strategy in place from the earliest stages of development. This blog explores the key challenges in adopting private networks and the essential testing strategies that can ensure their success, with an additional focus on the benefits of working with a vendor-neutral testing partner like Spirent.
Challenges in Adopting Private Networks
Network design and reliability assurance. The need to assure nothing is ‘broken’ before launch – while managing the challenge of disaggregation in the private network – is essential. The service planned and designed must be the one delivered. Does it have the capacity for the required performance and quality of experience (QoE)? Can the network reliably deliver the quality of service (QoS) for all intended use cases, including voice, video, and data?
Infrastructure performance and scalability. USG networks must handle mission-critical applications, which demand high performance and scalability. The network infrastructure must be tested under real-world conditions to ensure it can handle the required throughput, latency, and other performance metrics. Scaling the network to accommodate increasing demands without compromising performance is a complex requirement that involves detailed validation.
Complex security requirements. Private networks, especially those integrating 5G technology, introduce new security challenges. These networks must protect sensitive government data and maintain secure communication channels across various locations. As the threat landscape rapidly evolves, private networks must be resilient against increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks. Ensuring security across all network layers – from physical infrastructure to software and application levels – requires comprehensive and ongoing security testing.
Assurance of ongoing reliable network performance. Mission-critical outcomes through reduced downtime, increased operational efficiency, increased survivability, and optimized security must be assured on a continuous basis. Proactive and automated activation of change management to accelerate deployment must be supported for active performance management during network operations.
Sample Private Network
Key Testing Strategies for Successful Adoption
Network design validation and network acceptance testing. Measure what matters to ensure the network design delivers on the requirements before deployment. Assess service quality and end user experience for video, voice, data, and other projected use cases before launch. Identify performance issues and optimization opportunities with live field testing. Supported by testing platforms like Spirent Umetrix for successful network performance, and quality assessment and optimization of the network, testing of video, voice, and data services is conducted from an end user perspective.
Infrastructure validation and performance testing. Conduct testing from core network infrastructure to remote sites to validate their performance across throughput, latency, packet drops, and many other metrics. This enables quick pinpointing of potential problems before they have operational impact. As new network elements are incorporated into existing networks, testing ensures the evolving network performance continues to meet the USG’s interconnectivity and interoperability requirements. Tools like Spirent TestCenter can simulate real-world traffic conditions, allowing government agencies to pinpoint performance bottlenecks and optimize network performance before deployment.
Comprehensive security testing. A multi-layered security testing strategy is crucial. This includes assessing network security, performing penetration testing, and validating the security of all connected devices and applications. Continuous monitoring and proactive vulnerability management are also necessary to mitigate risks in real-time. Spirent’s CyberFlood platform, for example, provides realistic emulation of threat vectors to test the network’s ability to withstand attacks and maintain secure operations.
Lifecycle management and continuous assurance. Private networks require ongoing management and assurance to maintain high performance and reliability. Implementing a lifecycle management approach that includes continuous integration, deployment, and testing (CI/CD/CT) processes is vital. Spirent’s VisionWorks platform powered by Spirent Velocity Core offers active assurance by injecting synthetic traffic into the network to proactively identify issues before they impact users, ensuring that the network operates optimally throughout its lifecycle.
The Advantage of a Vendor-Neutral Testing Partner
Working with a vendor-neutral testing partner like Spirent offers significant advantages for USG departments. Unlike vendor-provided testing, which may focus only on individual components, and in idealized settings, a vendor-neutral approach ensures that the entire network ecosystem, with all its customized settings and configurations, is tested comprehensively. This includes testing how various components interact within the private network environment, identifying potential integration issues, and ensuring that all elements work seamlessly together.
Spirent’s extensive experience in network testing and assurance, coupled with its vendor-neutral stance, makes it an ideal partner for government agencies. Spirent has a proven track record of supporting government network initiatives, offering a suite of testing platforms that cover everything from security and performance validation to ongoing network assurance. By leveraging Spirent’s expertise, government departments can confidently adopt private networks, knowing that their networks are optimally performant, secure, and capable of meeting the demands of mission-critical applications.
Ensuring Private Network Success for the USG
The adoption of private networks by U.S. Government departments presents a range of challenges that must be addressed through comprehensive testing and validation strategies. Comprehensive network security and holistic performance critical factors that require careful ongoing attention. By implementing robust testing strategies and partnering with a vendor-neutral expert like Spirent, government agencies can ensure the successful deployment and operation of their private networks, ultimately supporting their mission-critical objectives with confidence.
Learn more: read our white paper Recommendations for Success: Testing Strategies for U.S. Government Private Network Modernization.
