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November 23, 2017 / Spotlight / Gatehouse

How Can You Performance Test Encrypted Data Over a Global Xpress Link?

Global RadioData Communications (GRC) and GateHouse Telecom compares on-air and off-air test of encrypted data transfer performance over the Global Xpress Network.

When data is transferred over a data link, it can be intercepted. In fact, more than one billion data thefts are attempted each year and this figure can only rise as we move into the all-connected, data hungry Internet of Things (IoT) era. To secure confidentiality of the transferred data you can protect it through encryption. Encryption can be done in many ways, and applies to the data transferred as well as meta data, such as the time and place of the data transfer. It is important to test the data transferral, as the encryption potentially affects the performance of the solution or application. An example of a performance sensitive data transferral could for example be a FaceTime session.

To learn how encryption affects solution performance there are two options – on-air testing or off-air testing. The benefits to off-air testing are many, but the question is, how does it compare to on-air performance?

Developer and supplier of mission critical communication products and solutions, Global RadioData Communications Ltd (GRC), recently completed performance testing of encrypted data transferral with the Gatehouse Telecom Global Xpress Link Emulator:

One of the tests carried out was to assess the general user experience of a GRC Scytale across the GLE simulated network using various degrees of signal degradation and service loading. The GLE GUI graphs showed the effect on the available bandwidth of the different degradation and loading settings. These can be readily correlated to the video performance of a FaceTime session. Performance was greatly affected by the high loading whereas the audio remained good. The same audio results were evident with a Mitel VOIP phone on the Scytale in that the Mitel call was not significantly affected due to its low bandwidth requirements and its use of adaptive codecs. This result also reflects the fact that prioritization to VOIP under the QoS was set up and contributed to the overall outcome.

The GLE emulator performance was fully comparable to a live GX link and showed that it can be a useful tool in developing products such as encryption and data security products.” – Phil Harvey, Senior Satellite Systems Engineer, Global RadioData Communications Ltd.

Performance testing encrypted data transfers will unceasingly be of paramount importance.

The fact that there today is an alternative to on-air-testing makes the test process far more time and cost efficient – as well as secure. You will not have to disclose data on the live network until you have tested performance in any possible scenario.

About GRC Ltd.

Based in the UK (Hereford) and Dubai, GRC develop and supply mission critical communication products and solutions, including the provision of command and control, satellite services, radio frequency, situational awareness, secure networking and intelligence systems. Their comprehensive range of solutions enable military, government, emergency response, commercial and aid agency organisations to face changing global communication challenges. www.grcltd.net

Read about Global Xpress Link Emulator

Do you send encrypted data over a GX link?
Thomas Scott Jensen, GateHouse SatCom November 23, 2017 IN / Spotlight / Gatehouse