GL Communications adds delay and frame-bucket tests to PacketCheck
GL Communications has released an updated version of PacketCheck, its PC-based Ethernet and IP network testing tool, adding one-way delay measurement, configurable frame size buckets, enhanced packet loss and out-of-order detection, and support for TCP and ICMP traffic generation and analysis. The Gaithersburg, Maryland-based test and measurement vendor said the update extends the tool's coverage from Layer 1 through Layer 4 across LAN and WAN environments.
PacketCheck uses a standard PC network interface card to generate controlled traffic streams and measure network performance. The updated release supports direct Ethernet, switched LAN, routed IP, VLAN and MPLS configurations, including stacked VLAN and up to three stacked MPLS labels.
What is new in the release
The frame size bucket feature allows engineers to configure frame-size ranges with associated probability distributions, enabling more realistic, statistically representative traffic patterns. Alongside fixed and random frame sizes, users can now model workloads that more closely reflect production traffic mixes.
One-way delay measurement is a meaningful addition for engineers validating latency-sensitive paths, where round-trip figures can obscure asymmetric impairments. The tool's Smart Loopback function supports round-trip delay by swapping source and destination MAC, IP and UDP information and retransmitting through the same interface, while the new one-way capability requires no loopback device at the far end.
Vikram Kulkarni, Sales Director at GL Communications, said: "The enhanced PacketCheck capabilities provide greater flexibility to generate realistic multi-stream traffic and evaluate Ethernet and IP network performance across multiple protocol layers."
Expanded reporting includes PDF output for completed tests and periodic CSV exports at configurable intervals, with flush and split settings for long-duration runs. Traffic capture is supported in PCAP, PCAPNG and GL's own HDL format, with replay functionality and compatibility with Wireshark for post-capture analysis.
Market context
Network performance testing tools occupy a crowded but specialised market. Vendors such as Spirent Communications, IXIA (now part of Keysight Technologies) and Viavi Solutions address the high-end, chassis-based segment with purpose-built hardware, while software-defined tools like PacketCheck target engineers who need portable, cost-effective test capability without dedicated appliances. The software-only approach is increasingly attractive as virtualised and cloud-native network functions reduce reliance on fixed hardware.
Demand for precise delay and packet-loss testing has grown alongside the proliferation of latency-sensitive workloads: financial trading infrastructure, real-time video conferencing, industrial IoT and, more recently, private 5G enterprise deployments. Engineers working on these environments require repeatable, layer-by-layer visibility of the kind PacketCheck is designed to provide.
GL Communications did not disclose pricing, licensing model, or customer adoption figures for the updated release. The company's broader portfolio spans voice quality testing and network monitoring tools, with PacketScan serving as a complementary real-time traffic analysis product.