Avnu Alliance introduces advanced global TSN certification program; updates current testing procedures

Avnu Alliance has introduced globally-scaled testing capabilities. The industry consortium has also announced a comprehensive update of its certification testing procedures at its newly authorized, commercial test houses around the world. The advanced global certification program aims at streamlining certification testing of devices with Time Sensitive Networking (TSN) capabilities, including devices implementing the Milan network protocol for professional media. This can make testing easier and more convenient for Avnu members.

Avnu has expanded testing at new Registered Test Facilities (RTF) around the world: Allion in Taipei City, Taiwan; Excelfore in Tokyo, Japan; and Granite River Labs in both Santa Clara, CA, USA and Karlsruhe, Germany. These test labs will lower shipping times, offer competitive pricing models and streamline the process for members seeking to certify products. It will also facilitate seamless communications between testing sites and vendors. With the additional test sites, Avnu Alliance is now better equipped to scale testing capacity to meet demand. Device manufacturers can now enter products into testing with less lead time before their release.

“As a part of standard networking technology, TSN is built and deployed around the world,” says Greg Schlechter, president of the Avnu Alliance.  “Avnu recognized that, for device certification to keep pace with innovation, we needed to expand our testing capabilities and global footprint to increase accessibility, enable the growth of both test programs and manufacturers, and in general support the diversity of the growing TSN ecosystem.”

Avnu’s goal is to enable an ecosystem of interoperable, secure, low-latency and reliable networked devices using TSN as part of the open IEEE 802.1 Ethernet standards. Avnu has a variety of test plans and programs to help manufacturers implementing TSN ensure interoperability and demonstrate that to their markets through certification programs.

To streamline the new program, Avnu has launched a new testing portal and comprehensive Certification Management System (CMS). This platform is designed to facilitate intelligent certification workflows. It has been designed by and is maintained by experienced certification management professionals. Members have real-time visibility of the testing process on this platform. They are also able to track device progress and timelines.

Avnu members can submit products for testing, view results, respond to nonconformance issues and manage the public listing of newly Certified products on this web-based portal.

The data that is fed back to Avnu’s Certification Work Group allows them to track the number of products in certification at each lab. This allows Avnu to scale the capabilities as needed to support testing demand.

A new product registry is also set to be included on the certification website, featuring a database of all products currently certified by Avnu.

Advanced filtering capabilities make it easy for members’ customers and end-users to search for products to specify and design into systems.

“With this new certification platform, Avnu continues to innovate in making pre-certification and certification testing easier, faster, and more convenient for member companies, test equipment manufacturers, and test facilities around the world,” added Ed Agis, Certification Work Group co-chair. “Interoperability ultimately accelerates a broader ecosystem of devices, which is the long-term advantage of this advanced global certification platform.”