Internet Engineering Lab
The Internet Engineering Laboratory (IEL) located on the campus of the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) is a leading edge network test and measurement facility open to both corporate and academic researchers worldwide. One of only five research centers of its kind in North America, the lab focuses on the design and management of advanced networks involving a wide range of layer 4/3 (TCP/IP) issues such as network performance evaluation, network security and conformance to standards. It also focuses on application level traffic.
The lab contains $2.2 million dollars of network hardware and test equipment including network routers and switches, traffic generators, impairment emulators and network analysis tools capable of emulating and testing both small and large-scale network configurations. The architecture of the lab allows for a range of traffic levels and interconnection types so users can test their equipment in a realistic yet totally controlled environment. The research team at the IEL has extensive experience in test design for commercial systems.
The lab is jointly funded by Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) and BC Knowledge Development Fund (BCKDF), and it has also received in-kind donation from various companies. Spirent Communications, a major UK test equipment manufacturer and Empowered Networks, a leading Canadian provider of network management and performance solutions are the main sponsors of the lab.
The lab is a part of BCIT’s Group for Advanced Information Technology (GAIT), which actively assists organizations in developing advanced software products in the Information Technology sector. Corporate clients and Universities use the lab to conduct various types of tests that involve use of high-speed wired and wireless networks. Examples of such tests include: web-site volume testing, performance testing, conformance testing, and application testing.
For more information on the IEL or to arrange a lab tour, please contact Clay Howey chowey@bcit.ca.