Acceptance testing of the new media over IP networks is a critical part of any newly built broadcast center that should not be overlooked. However, many broadcasters and system integrators often skip this step and rely on the manufacturer's performance claims. SMPTE ST 2110-21 imposes strict timing and jitter requirements that depend on predictable network behavior that must be tested and verified before commissioning the facility. Inadequate network traffic behavior due to load may impair the performance of the traffic shape, network timing, and endpoints synchronization, as well as introduce unexpected behavior in media flows traversing the network forwarding. Often this step is skipped due to cost and/or the unavailability of equipment that can generate adequate network traffic load and proper traffic profiles. The presentation proposes a solution for media over IP network load testing with the possibility of using specific media traffic profiles using off-the-shelf hardware and open-source software.
