A Unified Network Test Automation Framework

As telecom networks move from 4G to cloud-native 5G, OEM vendors are transforming their products and solutions from legacy to Virtualized Network Functions (VNF). Network products are becoming cloud-native, and agile delivery processes are rising. In this context, telco operators are being challenged to achieve quicker time-to-market for their products.

One key aspect of accelerating time-to-market will be speeding up the lab certification of products/solutions before the general launch. Telcos must integrate, deploy, and test the network VNF/CNF seamlessly with minimal manual intervention. To do this, they must also integrate CI/CD/CT tool systems in test labs and achieve zero-touch automation.

If telcos can automate the entire test cycle, they will gain significant advantages over their slower competitors.

The Need for Automated Testing 

The telco operator network is an integration of multiple OEM vendor products, some providing Physical Network Functions (PNF) and others VNF. Telco customers have multiple product certification test tools and automation frameworks from OEM vendors or tool partners. In the current telco test lab environment, various automation frameworks support specific vendor products and network functions. This dynamic necessitates multiple regression test cycles, which consume significant time and effort.

For telco operators, the immediate need is to implement a unified network test automation methodology/framework. This will not only enable zero-touch automation but also significantly reduce the lab certification cycle times, thereby enhancing operational efficiency and accelerating time-to-market.

A Proposed Solution Framework

Given the tremendous pressure on ROI, telco customers are adopting open-source tools/automation frameworks. Because they integrate easily with existing frameworks and readily available plug-ins, open-source robot frameworks are the default tools for test automation in many telco customer labs. The ideal solution for any telco operator would be a seamless automation framework that can integrate with PNF and VNF infrastructure and the test environment (test tools and simulators).

Typically, lab certification has four test phases from lab entry to lab exit: onboarding, functional testing, performance testing, and services testing. In every phase of lab testing, multiple test automation tools exist independently. Telco customers need an integrated solution that can perform all the lab test automation seamlessly, providing a final test report for the lab exit. An integrated solution should provide:

• Onboard software build: The first step of lab entry is onboarding the network function software build onto PNF or VNF. The unified network test automation framework will trigger the continuous integration tools to pick up the agile delivery builds from the version control server and execute onboarding scripts. Once the PNF or VNF is installed, the framework executes sanity test scripts, verifying the basic security and functionality of the network function before performing detailed functional testing.
• Functional testing: Following the onboarding sanity testing, the framework prepares the functional test environment with tools and simulators. The framework will trigger the scripts based on the test tool type (PNF/VNF), activating or spinning the test simulator required for functional testing. At the end of the functional test phase, the centralized framework raises a defect with proper interface logs and submits the functional execution report.
• Performance testing: As telco customers are measured on their network/services performance, the key ask from lab certification is performance testing of all services and network functions. An integrated framework will be capable of spinning the required VNFs, triggering and controlling the existing traffic test tools (commercial test tools and any open-source traffic tools) in the telco lab environment, and collecting test logs. The framework will collect, measure, and provide test reports on various KPIs of the services on the central dashboard.
• End-to-end services testing: In this phase, all end-user services (service provisioning, activation, call processing, backup/restore, etc.) are tested. Network and IT integration tests also take place during this phase. The integrated framework should prepare the end-to-end network topology/test environment and integrate VNF/PNF-based network functions with the rest of the network ecosystem. The framework should trigger and control end-to-end service tests, collect the interface logs, analyze the messages, and pass on the test verdict based on call requirements. The framework must support all the required plug-ins of the end-user devices, network devices, and applications.
• Test report dashboard: As multiple test phases are integrated for various agile releases, presenting a consolidated test report view is crucial. The framework should provide a detailed one-view test report for the overall release of Lab Exit and integrate with various enterprise communication channels for test report notifications (email, SMS, customized internal applications, etc.).

Wipro’s Unified Test Automation Framework: Test Director

Wipro’s Test Director is a powerful tool designed to seamlessly automate network tests. It integrates with the telco client’s test environment, test tools, and test management systems, and plays a crucial orchestrator role in the network test labs. Upon receiving a trigger from the Jenkins CICD toolchain, it performs a series of tasks, from pulling the required configuration templates to scheduling the selected test suite for execution, ensuring a smooth and efficient testing process.

Today’s telco operators must achieve shorter lab certification cycles to stay ahead in a competitive market. By adopting agile network test automation methodologies, they can accelerate time to market while maintaining robust and resilient network performance.

About the Authors

Anurag Shrivastava
Senior Leader and Domain Expert-Network Services

Anurag is a senior leader and domain expert in network services with over three decades of global experience. He specializes in building network solutions, engineering services, ops transformation, network automation, sales support, talent management, and more. He is experienced in managing network transformations, developing partner ecosystems, and driving GTM strategies. Anurag's technological expertise includes mobility, fixed line, broadband, ORAN, open networks, SDN/NFV, and network analytics. With his extensive knowledge, Anurag is dedicated to enhancing network service offerings in the next generation of network services. 

Ramesh Uppara
Domain Consultant—Communications

Ramesh has more than 20 years of telecom network testing experience. He has work experience with multiple OEM vendors and telco customers spanning lab integration to field acceptance. He has worked in wireless (2G, 3G, LTE, 5G, VoLTE, NFV) and wireline technology products/solutions. His core strength is in setting up test labs and performing functional acceptance testing.