octoBox MPE Testbed User’s Guide - octoScope · octoBox MPE Users Guide Rev 2.2 If you are updating an existing installation, the default TCL file in the installation directory

octoBox MPE Testbed User’s Guide

July, 2014

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIaL7SFZpx4&feature=youtu.be

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www.octoscope.com octoBox MPE User’s Guide Rev 2.2

Contents Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 4

Unpacking the Stack ...................................................................................................................................... 4

DUT and master chambers ........................................................................................................................... 6

Programmable attenuators .......................................................................................................................... 7

Throughput test configuration ...................................................................................................................... 7

DUT placement ............................................................................................................................................. 8

Controlling the internal PC ............................................................................................................................ 8

OB-TROUGHPUT software installation ......................................................................................................... 9

How does OB-TROUGHPUT script work? .................................................................................................... 13

OB-THROUGHPUT Software Quick Start Guide .......................................................................................... 14

Prerequisit Software ............................................................................................................................... 14

Troubleshooting ...................................................................................................................................... 16

Problems with connectivity of devices in the testbed ........................................................................ 16

Problems getting the software to run ................................................................................................ 16

Problems controlling turn table or quadAtten ................................................................................... 16

Configuring endpoints ................................................................................................................................. 16

Obtaining IP addresses of endpoints ...................................................................................................... 16

Modifying IxChariot test file for endpoints ............................................................................................. 17

Configuring the automation script .............................................................................................................. 18

User-configurable parameters ................................................................................................................ 19

octoScope TCL namespace API ............................................................................................................... 21

Customizing test flow .............................................................................................................................. 22

Launching the script .................................................................................................................................... 22

Troubleshooting ...................................................................................................................................... 23

The test fails to load IxChariot package .............................................................................................. 23

TCP timeout error ............................................................................................................................... 23

No RSSI values reported...................................................................................................................... 23

Could not set attenuation ................................................................................................................... 23

Could not move turn table .................................................................................................................. 24

Extracting test data ..................................................................................................................................... 24

Throughput vs. Range plot ...................................................................................................................... 24

http://www.octoscope.com/

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Throughput vs Orientation ..................................................................................................................... 26

Wrapper script to terminate execution ...................................................................................................... 27

SmallNetBuilder script ............................................................................................................................ 28

Support ....................................................................................................................................................... 28


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Introduction

octoBoxTM MPE (multi path emulator) testbed, consisting of 2 octoBoxes and an MPE module, is used for

MIMO throughput measurements of Wi-Fi, LTE, Bluetooth and other devices. The anechoic environment

inside octoBox Stackable chambers enables OTA (over the air) testing in the frequency range of 700 MHz

to 6 GHz. Product literature and test applications information is available on our website.

Unpacking the Stack The door of the crate has slanted features

and serves as a ramp for wheeling the

Stack out of the crate.

Remove cleats in the front, lower the door

and lay it down next to the crate as a

ramp.

MPE-26 Stack crate

35”W x 47”D x 55”H (89x119x139 cm)

520 LBS (236 kg)

MPE 38 Stack crate

38 x 56 x 68” (1 x 1.4 x 1.7 meter)

600 LBS (272 kg)

Remove cleats

Lower door/ramp

Remove cleats

Lower the door/ramp


http://www.octoscope.com/English/Products/octoBox_MPE/octoBox_MPE.html

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Open the crate door and lay

it on the ground as a ramp.

Remove blocks of foam,

unscrew and remove the

wheel chock and roll octoBox

MPE testbed out of the crate.

Ramp cleat

Removable

bar

Removable

block of foam

Wheel chock

screwed to floor


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DUT and master chambers Typically the DUT (device under test) is placed

into the top octoBox chamber and the master

device is placed into the bottom chamber.

This placement makes it physically easier to

access the DUT, but is not a requirement. The

master chamber need not be accessed very

often once configured and can be at the

bottom of the stack where access may be less

convenient.

If the DUT is a client device (e.g. phone, tablet

or PC), the master is typically an access point

(AP) or a base station. If the DUT is an AP or a

base station, the master is typically a client

device.

The MPE (multi path emulator) module is

stacked between the master and DUT

chambers. The master and the DUT

chambers are coupled through the MPE and

programmable attenuators located in the

octoBox quadAtten module. The attenuators

are programmed to measure throughput vs.

path loss.

MPE

octoScope OB-THROUGHPUT software controls programmable attenuators, turn table and IxChariot

traffic generator to produce throughput vs. path loss plots, such as this one:

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Thro

ugh

pu

t (M

bp

s)

Attenuation Setting (dB)

TCP Throughput


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Programmable attenuators

quadAtten module containing

programmable attenuators is mounted on

the side of the octoBox.

quadAtten can be powered and controlled

from a console PC using either its

Ethernet/PoE or USB port. Attenuation

range is 63 dB in 0.5 dB steps. quadAtten is

the first attenuator module that is well

enough isolated to maintain testbed

isolation and has filtered Ethernet and USB

ports.

Throughput test configuration A typical throughput test configuration

has the DUT and master connected

through programmable attenuators in

series with the MPE, as shown in this block

diagram.

Traffic generator software, such as iPerf or

IxChariot can be used to send traffic

between the DUT and the master.

Programmable attenuators add path loss

and the MPE module adds multipath

between the master and the DUT,

simulating typical home or office

conditions.


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DUT placement Typically the RF signals to the DUT are

coupled over the air (OTA). This example

shows a 4x4 MIMO link with 4 MIMO

antennas on the right. The DUT is placed

on a turn table when a turn table is

available. An RF-transparent support

(e.g. a block of Styrofoam) can be used to

lift up the DUT if necessary. The cables

connected to the DUT can be fastened on

the top rail (not shown).

Controlling the internal PC Connection to the internal PC from an external console PC is typically done using the Remote Desktop

utility available under Windows. Remote Desktop works via the octoBox Ethernet filter.

Remote Desktop provides remote control of the internal PC. It gives you full access to the PC, allowing

you to operate the traffic generator, for example IxChariot, running on the internal PC. It also allows

you to view IxChariot results, check RSSI levels on the wireless client and perform other functions

normally available under Windows.

If you need additional real-time monitoring of video stream quality (for example if testing a set-top box),

you can add an HDMI filter to view the display of the DUT vs. attenuation or interference.


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OB-TROUGHPUT software installation Please follow the steps below to install octoScope OB-THROUGHPUT test automation software.

Download the installer at

www.octoScope.com/software.

In the .zip download you will

find an .exe and a

readme.pdf file.

Depending on your browser

type and security settings,

you may get a warning,

similar to that shown on the

right. Disregard the warning

and proceed to open the .zip

file. Unzip and run the

executable. Follow the

instructions on the screen.

Cut and paste the license key

provided by your octoScope

representative into the ‘serial

code’ field. If the code is

valid, the ‘Next’ button will

become operable. Click

‘Next’ to continue.

You will need to agree to the

License agreement. Then

follow instructions as the

installer executes.


http://www.octoscope.com/software

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Depending on your license

key, some or all of the

software components will be

enabled for installation.

Software components

include drivers for the

attenuators, drivers for the

turn table, OB-THROGHPUT

script and the TCL interpreter

to run the script.

If your license includes OB-

THROUGHPUT script, the

octoScope installer will

attempt to find a path to the

IxChariot installation because

the script uses IxChariot for

throughput measurements.

If the installer does not find a

path to IxChariot, it will ask

you whether IxChariot is

installed. If you answer ‘Yes’,

you will need to enter the

path to IxChariot. If you

enter ‘No’, then the installer

will ask you to install

IxChariot before proceeding.


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If you are updating an

existing installation, the

default TCL file in the

installation directory will be

over-written. Before writing

over the default TCL file, the

installer will copy it to the

‘Backup’ folder.

As the installation proceeds,

installers from several

different vendors will run.

For example, you may see

the Arcus Technology

installer if your license

supports the turn table. The

turn table uses the Arcus

stepper motor controller and

needs this driver installed.

Likewise you will see

attenuator driver installer

and also the TCL installer.

Each installer may have its

own ‘Finish’ button, legal

disclaimers or warnings.

Please follow each

manufacturer instructions to

complete the installation.

Once all the software

components are installed,

the octoScope installer will

ask you to reboot the PC.


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After the installation, the

OB_Throughput.tcl script file

will be located in the

‘ThroughptScript’ subfolder.

You may need to reconfigure

user configurable parameters

in the header of the TCL

script to customize the script

to your DUT or test

environment.


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How does OB-TROUGHPUT script work? OB-THROUGHPUT controls IxChariot, programmable attenuators and the octoBox turn table to compile

a table of throughput measurements for each attenuation and rotation setting. The results are stored in

a CSV (comma separated variables) file and can be cut and pasted into an Excel template set up for

plotting the results. Individual IxChariot test results files are saved for each measurement recorded in

the CSV file. Example results can be seen in the ThroughputScript>Example_Results subfolder.

The attenuation steps, throughput measurement time, IxChariot settings and turn table positioning can

be controlled by editing the headers in the TCL script. Using your preferred TCL editor, modify the user

parameters section in the "OB_Throughput.tcl" file for your desired test configuration and results. You

can edit the sweep parameters for the attenuators, turn-table and IxChariot.

Using the Chariot Console application, modify the endpoint IP addresses in the

"octoScope_MPE_TCP_High_throughput.tst" file per your test configuration and then save file.

Note: Make sure measurement data is never saved to this Chariot test file or there will be an API conflict

with the TCL script.

CSV file

Excel plotting template file


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OB-THROUGHPUT Software Quick Start Guide The following steps are designed to be an outline of the steps needed to get the octoScope throughput

scripts running.

Prerequisit Software Ixia ixChariot Console and Endpoint application - Download console from website: http://www.ixiacom.com/products/ixchariot/ - Tested with release 7.30 EA SP1 - If running without a license, it is possible the request an evaluation license from: http://www.ixchariot.com/demo/request.html - Download and install software on endpoint device: http://www.ixiacom.com/support/endpoint_library/ Arcus stepper-motor controller Performax USB driver software - Automatically installed by the octoScope software installer - Download from Arcus website: http://www.arcus-technology.com/support/downloads/category/14-arcus-software-installation-universal.html ActiveState ActiveTcl - Automatically installed by octoScope software installer - Download 32-bit version from website: http://www.activestate.com/activetcl - Tested with release 8.5

Steps:

1) Cabling the system

a. Please refer to diagrams in this document to ensure the equipment is properly

cabled.

b. Typically an IxChariot console installed on a device in one chamber and an IxChariot

endpoint installed on a device in the other chamber, but variations in this

configuration are possible. For example, IxChariot endpoint or console can also run

on an external PC connected through a bridge device in one of the chambers.

c. Ensure that a link has been created and the device can ping the IxChariot console.

Note: When powered on, the quadAtten module attenuation setting will be 0dB.

2) Ensure prerequisite software is installed

a. The octoScope software installer will install all necessary software except for

IxChariot. Please ensure that IxChariot has been installed prior to testing.


http://www.ixiacom.com/products/ixchariot/

http://www.ixchariot.com/demo/request.html

http://www.ixiacom.com/support/endpoint_library/

http://www.arcus-technology.com/support/downloads/category/14-arcus-software-installation-universal.html

http://www.arcus-technology.com/support/downloads/category/14-arcus-software-installation-universal.html

http://www.activestate.com/activetcl

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3) Configure endpoints

a. Open and modify the ‘octoScope_MPE_TCP_High_throughput.tst’ file with the

proper endpoints.

4) Configure Script

a. If turn table is not being used, modify line 25 of the OB_Throughput_TPTvsRange.tcl

and OB_Throughput_TPTvsOrientation.tcl scripts from: set posEnable true -> set

posEnable false

b. Please refer to the “Configuring test” portion of this guide for a more detailed

description of how to modify the test parameters.

5) Launch script

a. Once the endpoints have been configured, the script configured, and a link

established between the IxChariot console and the DUT, you can run the test.

b. Navigate a command line prompt to the \octoScope\ThroughputScript\ directory

and enter either:

>tclsh OB_Throughput_TPTvsRange.tcl

>tclsh OB_Throughput_TPT vsOrientation.tcl

c. The OB_Throughput_TPTvsRange.tcl script iterates through a range of attenuation

values while running the IxChariot test.

d. The OB_Throughput_TPT vsOrientation.tcl script iterates through a range of

positions. At each position it runs a throughput test at varying attenuation steps.

Once finished iterating through the attenuation at that position, it moves to the

next position.

6) Plot results

a. Open the output .csv found in the \octoScope\ThroughputScript\Results\ folder and

copy the data into the corresponding template folder found in

\octoScope\ThoughputScript.


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Troubleshooting

Problems with connectivity of devices in the testbed

Ensure that a simple Ping works between devices in the test link.

Problems getting the software to run

Please refer to the remaining sections in this guide for a detailed explanation of how to setup each part.

Problems controlling turn table or quadAtten

Please refer to the programming guides in the \octoScope\TurnTable and \octoScope\Attenuator

directories. These guides contain detailed information on manual control as well as hardware

troubleshooting.

Configuring endpoints In order to run IxChariot throughput test, the IP addresses of the endpoints must be configured (the client and IxChariot console). Typically TCP traffic flows between the IxChariot console and the endpoint software running on the device under test. The IxChariot software supports a variety of endpoint test configurations, but examples in this document use a simple single pair test for demonstration.

Obtaining IP addresses of endpoints 1) If using a Windows PC, open a command prompt and type: >ipconfig


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If using Linux/Mac OS open a terminal and type: >ifconfig

Modifying IxChariot test file for endpoints Once the ip addresses of the endpoints have been mapped, open the IxChariot test file “octoScope_MPE_TCP_High_throughput.tst”.


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Double click on pair 1 to bring up the modify test window.

Change the IP addresses for endpoint 1 (typically the client endpoint IP address) and endpoint 2 (typically the IxChariot console machine IP address). Close the window and save the file. Once the test file has been saved, you can run it to ensure that the link has been configured properly. However, please make sure measurement data is never saved to this IxChariot test file or there will be an API conflict with the TCL script.

Configuring the automation script The test automation software contains a core library (octoScope_OBTPT.tcl) which contains the

octoScope TCL namespace and testbed control functions. Other scripts use this library with different

configurations and test flows for various test conditions. The two provided scripts,

‘OB_Throughput_TPTvsOrientation.tcl’ and ‘OB_Throughput_TPTvsRange.tcl’ are examples of different

test configurations.


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User-configurable parameters To explore the user parameters, open either the ‘OB_Throughput_TPTvsRange.tcl’ or

OB_Throughput_TPTvsOrientation.tcl’ file using a text editor. The user defined parameters are

separated into several sections in the header of this file. A description of what each does can be found in

the comments as well as in the table below.

Parameter Name Default value Description

Turntable

Section

posEnable True True – enables the turn table

False – disables the turn table

homeTTEnable True True – At the beginning of the test

sequence, home the turn table

False – Set the current turn table

position as home.

rotateDuringTestEnable False True – While IxChariot test is running,

rotate the turn table from the ‘posStart’

to ‘postop’ (degrees) at rotation speed

‘rotationSpeed’ (RPM)

False – Do not rotate the turn table

while a throughput test is running.

posStart -180 The start position of the turn table in

degrees. Note: Can be > 360 degrees for

multiple rotations (ie, 720 deg)

posStop 180 The end position of the turn table in

degrees. Note: Can be >360 degrees for

multiple rotations (ie, 720 deg)

posStep 30 The turntable rotation increment in

degrees. Used in the test flow section.

Attenuator

Section

attenEnable True True – Enable attenuator control

False – Disable attenuator control

vaunixEnable False True – Enable legacy Vaunix support

False – Enable quadAttenuator support

attenCount 4 Define number of Vaunix attenuators

plugged in via usb (Legacy support)

quadAttenAddress “default” Set’s the address of the quadAttenuator

if controlling device via Ethernet.

Example: “192.168.1.15”


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attenStart 0 The start attenuation value (dB)

attenStop 60 The final attenuation value (dB)

attenStep 5 The attenuation step size (dB)

IxChariot

Section

chariotEnable True True - Enable IxChariot test data

collection

False – Do not run IxChariot tests.

stopOnError False True – Script will quit on any error

False – Script will ignore and continue to

run if an error is thrown.

Timeout 60 The total duration that IxChariot will run

in seconds.

testMaskEnable False True – Script will average the TPT data

after ‘testMaskDelay’ seconds has

elapsed.

False – Script will average all TPT data

testMaskDelay 0 The number of seconds of TPT data to

ignore.

testOutputDir “Results” The output file for the .tst and .csv data.

testInputFile "octoScope_MPE_TCP_

High_throughput.tst"

The input IxChariot test file.

Note: This file be configured for each

endpoint before running script. See

section “Configuring endpoints”

testOutputFile "octoScope_MPE_TCP_

High_throughput_resul

t.tst"

The output file name. The .csv and .tst

data will follow this scheme.


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octoScope TCL namespace API The ‘octoScope_OBTPT.tcl’ file contains the octoScope::OBTPT:: TCL namespace. This namespace contains a variety of functions useful for building custom test script. The two provided scripts, TPTvsOrientation and TPT vs Range are examples of different ways to step through and configure the system for testing. The table below illustrates the octoScope OBTPT library API.

Command Name (In namespace octoScope::OBTPT)

Parameters Description

Run Test Section

addTest $testInputFile $testOutputFile $testOutputDir

Input .tst file, output .tst file name, output directory name

This function adds a tests parameters into a queue to run. It is used to ‘load’ tests into a sequence that can be run by calling the “runTest” function.

initializeTestBed This calls the initialization sequence for the test bed. If homeTTEnable=true then the turn table will auto home itself, otherwise it will treat the current position as zero degrees.

setPosition $currentPosition

Position in degrees Moves the turn table to set position.

setAttenuator $currentAtten

Attenuation in dB Sets the attenuation on attenuator.

runAllTests Run’s all of the tests that have been added via the ‘addTest’ function. It will sequence through each test. If rotateDuringTestEnable=true then the turn table will rotate from posStart to posStop at rotationSpeed while the ixChariot test is running. If testMaskEnable=true then the test will take the average of the TPT data ignoring the first testMaskDelay seconds of data. It will delay the rotation of the turn table if the rotateDuringTest option is enabled.

cleanupTests Clean up used resources. Call this before exiting script.


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Customizing test flow Using these function calls, it is possible to customize the test flow. The following script is an example of the test flow from the TPT vs Orientation test.

Launching the script To launch the automation scripts, open a command prompt and navigate to the \octoScope\ThroughputScript directory. By default the full path should be: C:\Program Files\octoScope\ThroughputScript From this window you can now launch scripts using the TCL shell command “tclsh”.


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For example, to launch the throughput vs range script directly: >tclsh OB_Throughput_TPTvsRange.tcl

Troubleshooting

The test fails to load IxChariot package

Please ensure that the IxChariot software has been installed.

TCP timeout error

Please ensure that the ‘octoScope_MPE_TCP_High_throughput.tst’ IxChariot test file has had its endpoints configured properly. To ensure the link is good, also check to see that the IxChariot console can ping the endpoint using the command: >ping <IP address> Note: While checking the IxChariot test file, make sure that no test data has been saved otherwise there will be an API conflict.

No RSSI values reported

Some endpoints are unable to report their RSSI values.

Could not set attenuation

Please refer to the quadAtten programming guide located in \octoScope\Attenuator\ for

troubleshooting.


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Could not move turn table

Please refer to the turn table programming guide located in \octoScope\TurnTable\ for troubleshooting.

Extracting test data Once the test has finished, the data are located in the output directory defined in the script. By default

this will be the “Results” folder.

To plot the data, open the .csv file and copy the results into either the TPTvsRange or TPTvsOrientation

template. These templates can be found in the \octoScope\Throughput\ExampleResults\ folder.

Throughput vs. Range plot To create a Throughput vs Range plot, first configure and run the OB_Throughput_TPTvsRange.tcl script.

Then copy and paste the data into the octoScope_MPE_TPTvsRange_result_template.xlsx file where the

example data is located. The plots will then refresh.


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Throughput vs Orientation To create a throughput vs Range plot, first configure and run the OB_Throughput_TPTvsOrientation.tcl

script. Then open the octoScope_MPE_TPTvsOrientation_result_template.xlsx file and ‘Enable Content’

to enable the VBA macro. Then copy and paste the data into the ‘Raw Data’ page. The macro will

automatically be triggered and will create the radar plot.


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Wrapper script to terminate execution The wrapper script allows you to cleanly kill a script mid test by pressing the ‘Enter’ key. This is

necessary because of limitations of TCL to recognize force quit events.

To use the wrapper script, open a command prompt and navigate to \osctoScope\ThroughputScript\

In the command prompt type:

>tclsh wrapper.tcl <name of script>

For example:

>tclsh wrapper.tcl OB_Throughput_TPTvsRange.tcl


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SmallNetBuilder script Coming soon…

Support For support, please call +1.978.222.3114 or email [email protected]

Visit us online at www.octoscope.com


mailto:[email protected]


Documents

octoBox MPE Testbed User’s Guide - octoScope · octoBox MPE Users Guide Rev 2.2 If you are updating an existing installation, the default TCL file in the installation directory