Ixia Announces Aptixia IxAutomate for Network Test Automation Development and Execution; IxAutomate Delivers a Complete Automation Framework Plus the Largest Library of Pre-built Tests in the Industry.

CALABASAS, Calif. -- Ixia (Nasdaq:XXIA), a leading, global provider of IP performance test systems, announced today the Aptixia(TM) IxAutomate test application for executing automated performance and functionality testing of network devices. The new IxAutomate 6.00 release enables the testing of Layer 2-7 devices and systems all from a single test framework, including switches, routers, broadband access devices, firewalls and content switches. With enhanced test customization facilities, scalability, and test control, Ixia has transitioned the former IxScriptMate application to an extensible test automation framework and changed its name to IxAutomate to better reflect this new functionality.

IxAutomate, part of Ixia's Aptixia family of test applications, provides a powerful test environment for executing automated tests that run without manual intervention, any time of day. More than 90 test methodologies including RFC-defined performance benchmarking, routing, QoS, broadband, content aware devices, etc., are pre-built and available from Ixia. In large-scale environments, such as proof-of-concept and system test labs, IxAutomate tests can be quickly set up and executed across many hundreds of network ports. These capabilities enable service providers to speed and simplify testing during the pre-deployment validation of devices and networks. Network Equipment Manufacturers can use IxAutomate to validate and benchmark new products and ongoing software releases in a repeatable, scaleable fashion.

The IxAutomate 6.00 release introduces a new Graphical User Interface (GUI) that provides ease of use for test set up and execution. A new GUI-based test generator tool enables users to create custom tests that plug into the IxAutomate environment to leverage IxAutomate's extensive results management capabilities for delivering a complete automation program.

"Automated testing is becoming increasingly important to service providers as they work to roll out and scale new services," said Mark Bieberich, senior analyst for The Yankee Group. "As new products and software release updates are deployed, there is the need to develop a set of well known validation tests that can be defined, executed, and then reliably repeated in the future. Manual testing incurs significant resource and time overhead and is difficult to scale as networks grow."

Several key new test suites have been added to the pre-built set of IxAutomate test libraries. The RFC 3511 Layer 4-7 test suite operates in conjunction with Ixia's Aptixia IxLoad test application to automate testing using stateful application traffic. This enables the automated testing of content aware network devices such as firewalls and content switches that perform deep packet inspection, as well as the ability to incorporate such realistic test traffic into traditional Layer 2-3 network device test plans. In addition, a new IEEE 802.3ad Link Aggregation Control Protocol (LACP) test suite is being added to IxAutomate for testing devices supporting this protocol. LACP enables the logical trunking of multiple network interfaces together and is popular in Layer 2-3 network devices to increase interconnection bandwidth and resiliency.

"Ixia's extensive library of automation tests is unparalleled in the industry," said Ixia CEO Errol Ginsberg. "With the new IxAutomate release, we now offer a single automation framework supporting more than 90 test methodologies. With the new customization facilities, our customers now have the power to extend that framework to their own test scripts or adapt the ones provided. That is a powerful proposition for those new to automation or needing to ramp a new test environment quickly."

Other new features of Ixia's IxAutomate 6.00 release include:

--Enhanced throughput test supporting IPv4/v6 DHCP configuration and multiple flows per port

--New performance test allowing a mixture of both IPv4 and IPv6 traffic to be defined

--Enhanced flexibility for configuring and monitoring the device under test (DUT) during IxAutomate tests

IxAutomate 6.00 is available now. LACP is scheduled in the IxAutomate 6.10 release available in early August. For more information, see: http://www.ixiacom.com/ixautomate

About Ixia

Ixia is a leading provider of performance test systems for IP-based infrastructure and services. It's highly scalable solutions generate, capture, characterize, and emulate network and application traffic, establishing definitive performance and conformance metrics of network devices or systems under test. Ixia's test systems are used by Network and Telephony Equipment Manufacturers, Semiconductor Manufacturers, Service Providers, Governments, and Enterprises to validate the functionality and reliability of complex IP networks, devices, and applications. Ixia's Triple Play test systems address the growing need to test voice, video, and data services and network capability under real-world conditions. Ixia's vision is to be the world's pre-eminent provider of solutions to enable testing of next generation IP Triple Play networks. Ixia's test systems utilize a wide range of industry-standard interfaces, including Ethernet, SONET, ATM, and wireless connectivity, and are distinguished by their performance, accuracy, reliability, and adaptability to the industry's constant evolution.

For more information, contact Ixia at 26601 W. Agoura Road, Calabasas, CA 91302; [phone], Fax: [phone]; Email: [e-mail] or visit our Web Site at http://www.ixiacom.com.

Ixia, the Ixia four petal logo, Optixia, Aptixia and IxVoice are registered trademarks or trademarks of Ixia. Other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.