Simulator for ENDC testing in communication network

1. An E-UTRAN New Radio-Dual Connectivity (ENDC) simulation server for testing a node in a wireless communication network, wherein the ENDC simulation server comprises:

a memory;

a processor coupled to the memory;

a communicator coupled to the memory and the processor;

wherein the processor comprises:

a simulated virtual distributed unit (VDU) connected to a virtual long-term evolution (LTE) centralized unit (VCU) to be tested;

a simulated new radio distributed unit (NRDU) connected to a next generation centralized unit (NGCU) to be tested;

a test controller connected to a plurality of simulated UEs configured to receive at least one testing profile associated with the ENDC simulation server;

a multi user equipment (UE) simulator (MUCE) configured to dynamically generate a plurality of simulated UEs based on the at least one testing profile:

a first traffic generator configured to generate a traffic profile based on the at least one testing profile;

wherein the simulated VDU comprises:

an LTE DU simulator configured to generate a plurality of simulated LTE DUs based on the at least one testing profile,

a second traffic generator configured to generate a traffic profile based on the at least one testing profile, and

wherein the simulated NRDU comprises:

a 5G DU simulator configured to generate a plurality of simulated 5G DUs based on the at least one testing profile,

an IP security Manager (IPSEC MGR) configured to simulate internet protocol (IPSEC) functionality between at least one 5G DU and the NGCU.

2. The ENDC simulation server as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first traffic generator is a downlink (DL) traffic generator which is a source of DL traffic and an end point of UL traffic and wherein the second traffic generator is an uplink (UL) traffic generator which is a source of UL traffic and an end point of DL traffic.

3. The ENDC simulation server as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the 5G DU simulator comprises a Control Plane Simulator (CPSIM) configured to simulate control plane functionality between at least one 5G DU and the NGCU based on the at least one testing profile and a User Plane Simulator (UPSIM) configured to simulate user plane functionality between at least one 5G DU and the NGCU based on the at least one testing profile.

4. The ENDC simulation server as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to:

test the VCU and the NGCU based on the received at least one testing profile, wherein the test is at least one of function testing, a capacity testing and a coverage testing for the VCU and the NGCU using the plurality of UEs.

5. The ENDC simulation server as claimed in claim 1 , wherein VDU SIM of the VDU comprises the second traffic generator and Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDPC) manager and wherein the IPSEC MGR simulates the IPSEC functionality by encrypting at least one of a UP payload and a CP payload.

6. The ENDC simulation server as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one testing profile comprises at least one of: a number of UEs to be simulated, a traffic profile for each simulated UE, a number of DUs to be simulated, number of cells, number of sectors within each of the cells, routes for connecting each of the cells and channel conditions to be simulated and wherein the traffic profile for each simulated UE comprises at least one of a speed at which the simulated UE travels through the network and a traffic pattern mixture of data and voice calls.

7. The ENDC simulation server as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the traffic generated by the second traffic generator is communicated to the VCU through an Internal Router Application (IROUTER) of the simulated VDU.

8. The ENDC simulation server as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the ENDC simulation server provides communication between the simulated VDU, the simulated NGDU, the VCU and the NGCU using one of a Secondary Cell Group (SCG) path of communication and a split bearer by splitting the traffic into two paths.

9. The ENDC simulation server as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine at least one of a UE load meets a UE load threshold and a 5G DU load meets a 5G DU load threshold or a LTE DU load meets a LTE DU load threshold, wherein the UE load is determined based on a number of UEs to be simulated, the 5G DU load is based on a number of 5G DUs to be simulated AND the LTE DU load is based on a number of LTE DUs to be simulated; and

deploy at least one of the plurality of simulated UEs, the plurality of simulated 5G DUs or the plurality of simulated LTE DUs in another ENDC simulation server.

10. The ENDC simulation server as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine an error in at least one of: 5G DU during the testing of the NGCU and at least one LTE DU during the testing of the VCU;

continue the test of the at least one of: the NGCU using the remaining 5G DUs of the plurality of 5G DUs after excluding erroneous 5G DU and, the VCU using the remaining LTE DUs of the plurality of LTE DUs after excluding erroneous LTE DU; and

display a message on the test controller indicating the erroneous LTE DU or the erroneous 5G DU.

11. A method for testing a node in a wireless communication network using an E-UTRAN New Radio-Dual Connectivity (ENDC) simulation server, wherein the method comprises:

receiving, by the ENDC simulation server, at least one testing profile associated with at least one of VCU and NGCU, wherein the ENDC simulation server comprises a simulated VDU and a simulated NRDU;

generating, by the ENDC simulation server, a plurality of simulated UEs and at least one of plurality of simulated LTE DUs and a plurality of simulated 5G DUs based on the at least one testing profile;

generating, by the ENDC simulation server, a signalling path through the simulated VDU and a data path through the simulated NRDU;

generating, by the ENDC simulation server, a traffic profile for the plurality of simulated UEs based on the at least one testing profile; and

testing, by the ENDC simulation server, at least one of the VCU and the NGCU based on the generated traffic profile, wherein the test is at least one of function testing, a capacity testing and a coverage testing for the at least one of the VCU and the NGCU using the plurality of UEs.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the first traffic generator is a downlink (DL) traffic generator which is a source of DL traffic and an end point of UL traffic and wherein the second traffic generator is an uplink (UL) traffic generator which is a source of UL traffic and an end point of DL traffic.

13. The method as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the 5G DU simulator comprises a Control Plane Simulator (CPSIM) configured to simulate control plane functionality between at least one 5G DU and the NGCU based on the at least one testing profile and a User Plane Simulator (UPSIM) configured to simulate user plane functionality between at least one 5G DU and the NGCU based on the at least one testing profile.

14. The method as claimed in claim 11 , further comprises:

testing, by the ENDC simulation server, the VCU and the NGCU based on the received at least one testing profile, wherein the test is at least one of function testing, a capacity testing and a coverage testing for the VCU and the NGCU using the plurality of UEs.

15. The method as claimed in claim 11 , wherein VDU SIM of the VDU comprises the second traffic generator and Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDPC) manager and wherein the IPSEC MGR simulates the IPSEC functionality by encrypting at least one of a UP payload and a CP payload.

16. The method as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the at least one testing profile comprises at least one of: a number of UEs to be simulated, a traffic profile for each simulated UE, a number of DUs to be simulated, number of cells, number of sectors within each of the cells, routes for connecting each of the cells and channel conditions to be simulated and wherein the traffic profile for each simulated UE comprises at least one of a speed at which the simulated UE travels through the network and a traffic pattern mixture of data and voice calls.

17. The method as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the traffic generated by the second traffic generator is communicated to the VCU through an Internal Router Application (IROUTER) of the simulated VDU.

18. The method as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the ENDC simulation server provides communication between the simulated VDU, the simulated NGDU, the VCU and the NGCU using one of a Secondary Cell Group (SCG) path of communication and a split bearer by splitting the traffic into two paths.

19. The method as claimed in claim 11 , further comprises:

determining, by the ENDC simulation server, at least one of a UE load meets a UE load threshold and a 5G DU load meets a 5G DU load threshold or a LTE DU load meets a LTE DU load threshold, wherein the UE load is determined based on a number of UEs to be simulated, the 5G DU load is based on a number of 5G DUs to be simulated AND the LTE DU load is based on a number of LTE DUs to be simulated; and

deploying, by the ENDC simulation server, at least one of the plurality of simulated UEs, the plurality of simulated 5G DUs or the plurality of simulated LTE DUs in another ENDC simulation server.

20. The method as claimed in claim 11 , further comprises:

determining, by the ENDC simulation server, an error in at least one of: 5G DU during the testing of the NGCU and at least one LTE DU during the testing of the VCU;

continuing, by the ENDC simulation server, the test of the at least one of: the NGCU using the remaining 5G DUs of the plurality of 5G DUs after excluding erroneous 5G DU and, the VCU using the remaining LTE DUs of the plurality of LTE DUs after excluding erroneous LTE DU; and

displaying, by the ENDC simulation server, a message on the test controller indicating the erroneous LTE DU or the erroneous 5G DU.