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Network emulation is a technique where the properties of an existing, planned and/or non-ideal network are simulated in order assess performance, predict the impact of change, or otherwise optimize technology decision-making. This can be accomplished by introducing a device on the LAN that alters packet flow in a way that imitates the behavior of application traffic in the environment being emulated. This device may be either a general-purpose computer running software to perform the network emulation or a dedicated emulation device. The device incorporate a variety of network attributes into its emulation model – including the round-trip time across the network (latency), the amount of available bandwidth, a given degree of packet loss, duplication of packets, reordering packets, and/or the severity of network jitter. Desktop PCs can be connected to the emulated environment, so that users can experience the performance and behavior of applications in that environment first-hand. Similarly, phones can be connected to the emulated environment so that users can directly assess VoIP call quality for themselves.
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