PLATINE: DVB-S/RCS Testbed for Next Generation Satellite Networks

Evaluating performances over real data links or network is often costly, even impossible for systems in development phase. In such situation, emulation is the key to provide a low cost and demonstrative platform. The main problem is to overcome the emulation weakness which is the accuracy of the model reproducing the systems to be evaluated. Owing to its modular design and implementation, the PLATINE satellite emulation platform, presented in this paper, is able to emulate a complete DVB-RCS (Digital Video Broadcasting – Return Channel via Satellite) system in a realistic and flexible way. It is possible to configure the platform to simulate a transparent DVB-RCS system dimensioned around a single Hub, or to simulate a system using a regenerative satellite with an on-board switching matrix only by changing some configuration files. A DVB-RCS protocol stack is implemented, and the modulation/coding part is simulated in real time thanks to pre-calculated BER files. A DiffServ-like QoS Architecture that couples MAC and IPLayer QoS mechanisms has also been implemented. In this paper, we mainly focus on the emulation platform and the tools developed to help the performance analysis of the simulated system.