Real Device Testing: What Is It, What Is It Used For, & Why Is It Important?

Real device testing, also known as live device testing or mobile device testing, has become a critical function of many enterprises. As organizations roll out mobile apps to meet customer needs and demands, developers must test new versions across multiple devices and operating systems. Manufacturers need the ability to test all manner of hardware, including Internet of Things (IoT) devices, networking equipment, and more.

There are emulators that mimic device behavior, and simulators that enable an application to run on a device’s operating system. These tools can reduce the cost of testing, but they leave a lot to be desired. Testing using simulators and emulators tends to be slow, and the software sometimes has bugs. The behavior of devices often varies in real-life circumstances. Learn more in our blog about emulator vs. simulator vs. real device testing.

That’s why many developers prefer to test on multiple models of real devices in a lab setting. This provides a more accurate view of operating system, firmware, and application performance. However, this approach creates several technical and practical problems.

How to Efficiently Manage Real Device Testing

Traditionally, developers have had to improvise real device testing environments. They would sometimes place devices on benches in the lab or retrofit IT racks or cabinets to accommodate real device testing. Various pieces of real device testing solutions were available, but they were often incompatible and required in-house modifications.

A rack or cabinet designed specifically for the purpose makes real device testing far more efficient. The right solution will provide easy access to the devices while keeping them secure and well managed.

Given that a large number of live devices are typically required, lab managers need a solution that maximizes limited space and ensures proper cooling. There also needs to be an effective means of managing cables and supporting IT gear.

Do Device Testing Solutions Need to Be Shielded?

Testers often need to isolate devices so that their wireless signals don’t interfere with one another in a high-density environment. This requires shielding that attenuates signals generated by Wi-Fi, cellular, Bluetooth, Zigbee, and other technologies.

Testing without shielding is inefficient — wireless performance slows due to bandwidth constraints and tests can fail because of timing issues. However, placing each mobile device in a separate Faraday cage is impractical. A shielded rack is a far more effective solution.

For hard-wired testing, there’s no need for shielding. Unshielded racks designed for real device testing are more cost-effective in this case.

Real Device Testing Solutions from Enconnex

Enconnex racks and cabinets for real device testing optimize lab space by supporting up to 400 mobile devices along with compute, storage, networking, and power resources. They are durable yet lightweight and deliver consistent performance in high-density enterprise testing environments. Up to 27 fans maximize airflow to ensure proper cooling.

Our future-proof real device testing solutions hold mobile phones, laptops, tablets, or IoT devices and provide the following features:

• Cable management options to meet a wide range of needs
• Easy device access with a variety of sliding shelves
• Standard footprint that is compatible with lab and data center environments
• Sufficient amount of cooling under the shelf or on the doors
• Customizable I/O panels
• Safety (fan power automatically cuts off when doors open)

Enconnex offers both shielded and unshielded options for enterprise live device testing. DevRack is a non-shielded enclosure in sizes from 18U to 52U, while the DevRack two-post rack is available in 42U, 45U, and 48U heights.

DevShield is a 42U shielded cabinet made from aerospace-grade aluminum with all the seams and penetrations of the cabinet shielded using copper-nickel gaskets to ensure maximum protection. It provides 85dB of attenuation at frequencies ranging from 1MHz to 10GHz (DevShield 5G provides 75dB at 1MHz-40GHz). The 42U DevShield Light offers the same shielding features but with a cooling capacity of 2kW. The 6U DevShield Mini is a rack mountable enclosure designed for simultaneously testing small amounts of devices and can be customized to various sizes.

Accessories include a variety of shelves, trays, and holders, enabling any real device testing rack to be adapted to specific requirements. Customization options are also available.

Value-Added Services from the Real Device Testing Specialists

We can use our experience to help customers develop their real device testing strategies. Our team understands what developers need to perform tests, enabling us to design a test equipment setup that is effective and efficient. We can also provide rack elevation maps and advise on Wi-Fi setup to avoid channel overlap.

There has never before been a one-stop shop for real device testing in the IT infrastructure marketplace. With our line of racks, cabinets, and accessories, that issue is a thing of the past. Enconnex is your single source.