Gladiator

The next generation data analysis and optimization platform

Introduction
Gladiator is a next generation multi-threaded “open-architecture” post processing platform
developed for analysis and optimization of wireless cellular networks. Its open architecture is a
feature breakthrough giving the user the autonomy and flexibility to readily adapt and conform the
tool’s applications and utilities to a steadily changing environment.

The goal of Gladiator is to provide the user with an efficient set of troubleshooting and optimization
tools that can evolve with the changing needs of the cellular network.

The platform features include:

1. Post processing and optimization

dashboards for all major access technologies
(UMTS/HSDPA, GSM/GPRS/EDGE, CDMA/1x-
EvDO, TDMA, iDEN, AMPS)

2. An Embedded Application Development

Suite with user-access to the core platform
functions and primitives for adding new
features, process customization and analysis
automation.

3. A SQL based engine with enhanced

processing speed. Figure 1. Screenshot of Gladiator main window

4. Multi-threaded built-in applications for processing large volumes of data.

Overview of the Gladiator

A block diagram outline of the Gladiator software package is presented in Fig. 2. There are six
main elements of the software architecture: file converter, views (project, workspace, map, graph
and table), General Toolbox (event logger and worksheet), project database (SQL), Optimization
Dashboards for all major access technologies and the Application Development Suite.

File converter
The File converter consists of the routines designed to interface various formats of data produced
by different types of measurement equipment. In practice, a cellular system engineer works with
data collection equipment that either comes from various vendors or performs measurements of
different network interfaces. As a result, the formats of produced log data files may be
substantially different. The role of
File converter GENERAL TOOLBOX
the File converter is to provide an
interface of the Gladiator software GSM IS 136
package to various measured data E
GPRS iDEN Optimization
formats and perform their N
EDGE CDMA dashboards
SQL Server G
conversion into the format used database WCDMA 1xEVDO
I
internally. File converter consists N
of two utilities: a Conversion plan Application Development
E
definition and File conversion Development VB.net & Automation
schemas. Multiple files can be Data presentation Suite dashboards
Functions Library
Table view Map view Graph view SQL Utilities
converted at the same time and
easily merged for further processing. Figure 2. Outline of Gladiator architecture

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 Project database
All data necessary for the analyses of the measurements are grouped and organized into a
Gladiator project database. The project data belong to several different categories listed as:
measured data files, description of the cellular system architecture, overlays used for mapping
display – vector based geo-data, workspaces (collections of maps, graphs, charts and tables used
in data processing).

Within the project, the data are grouped in an organized manner. An example of such
organization is presented in Fig. 3. Not all of the data are used in every analysis. Some
basic operations can be
performed with a reduced
project data set. For example,
to view measured data on a
map one does not need to have
information on the cell site
antenna types. However,
having additional data allows
use of some more sophisticated
data analysis features.

Figure 3. Data organization and Worksheet utility

Toolbox utilities
The toolbox utilities provide a set of tools for easy data manipulation and troubleshooting. There are
two main utilities within the Gladiator General Toolbox, Event logger and Worksheet.
The Event logger provides an engineer with an effective troubleshooting tool. By setting the
conditions, an engineer can easily mine the data and identify the events of interest.

The Worksheet is a spreadsheet like utility. It allows easy manipulation of the measured data. It
supports a suite of Excel-like tools and a large number of mathematical functions.

Complementary to these utilities Gladiator also has the post-processing general purpose
toolboxes which carry a comprehensive set of functions that allow manipulation, analysis
and presentation of the measured data. These are the Table toolbox, the Mapping
toolbox and the Graphing toolbox. These toolboxes contain functions that are platform
oriented and general in purpose. For example, a function that copies data from a given
table and presents it to the user in a spreadsheet-view is a member of the general
purpose Table-toolbox function.

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 Data visualization (views)

There are six different Gladiator views: a project view (shows organization of project data), a
workspace view (shows the data that are results of processing), a map view (map based display
of the data), a graph view (graph display of measured data), a table view (tabular data display)
and an Event logger. All views are linked together, mutually and collectively synchronized and
equipped with various display, query and export/import functionalities.

Map view with Star Mode

Synchronized Table view

Figure 4. Data Visualization

Optimization dashboards

Gladiator’s optimization dashboards are the technology specific analyses and

troubleshooting toolboxes. They were developed utilizing Gladiator’s core SQL utilities to
maximize performance and speed. These toolboxes have built-in utilities to detect
irregularities from data collected by measurement tools. This provides the user with an
optimized approach to each relative segment of the analysis.

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 Application Development Suite

Gladiator’s main differentiator is its embedded Application Development Suite with user-access to the
core platform functions and primitives for adding new features, process customization, and analysis
automation. The suite provides a VB.net programming layer with the Gladiator-core functions and
library of primitives. Additionally, a direct access to Gladiator’s database (SQL) lowest level utilities is
enabled as well.

Gladiator’s ADS uses

Visual Basic that is
enhanced by a Gladiator
internal functional library
and SQL utilities

Gladiator functions can be

executed from the ADS. The
ADS functions can be grouped
into scripts to facilitate
automated batch processing

Figure 5. Application Development Suite

Gladiator’s Application Development Suite (ADS) provides automation and

customization versatility:
- Plug-ins can be developed for any application and mechanized to a single button
click to produce the desired results
- ADS Plug-ins are the answer to on-the-fly application development that can
readily conform and adapt the tool and its utilities to the operators continuously
changing needs.
On-the-fly customized network rollout

Drive test Benchmarking Qualinet

plug-ins plug-ins plug-ins

Course of actions Course of actions

recommendations
END recommendations

Reports TO Quality KPI reports

END
Optimization
Optimization KPI reports

Analyses
Correlation procedures

Troubleshooting
Integration procedures
? ?
Diagnostic views
Data collection nodes
of collected data

Figure 6. Application Development Suite Plug-ins

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 Configuration Options

Option 1: File converter; General purpose toolbox; Utility views (e.g.

Table, Graph, Map, System)

Option 2: Technology-specific analysis toolboxes (GSM/GPRS/EDGE

cdma2000, 1xEVDO, iDEN, TDMA and UMTS)

Option 3: Analysis and development platform with access to technology

specific libraries, customized libraries, and a VB.Net based full syntax
scripting language.

Recommended computing platform

Operating system: Windows XP, Windows 2000

CPU: Pentium IV, 2GHz and above

Hard disk: 100MB for installation + space for data storage

Memory: 512MB or more

Contact us
QUALITEST in SOUTH AMERICA QUALITEST in USA QUALITEST in EUROPE

Contact: Carlos Schaeffer Contact: Sasan KASHAEI Contact: Georges-Edouard THORIN

Phone: +55 11 4688-2170 Phone: +1 866 617-8384 Phone: +33 4 7894-6359

Fax: +55 11 4688-0195 Fax: +33 8 7266-6358
E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected]

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