Avnu Alliance expanded its time-sensitive networking (TSN) test tool program, opening the tool to new vendors. During the 8th annual TSN/A Conference, which took place in Stuttgart, Germany, in September, Avnu hosted demonstrations of wired and wireless TSN tests for the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.1AS and 802.1Qbv standards. With the expansion, third-party vendor test tools can be verified and validated through Avnu’s process.
“The goal is to create test plans to verify conformance and interoperability for all the TSN specifications in the future to build an interoperable ecosystem of devices across markets and leverage the common foundation for converged networks to bring economies of scale, scalability, flexibility and interoperability by design and enable technology advancements from one market to cross-pollinate to others,” said Ed Agis, Avnu Alliance certification work group co-chair.
In October 2021, Avnu Alliance launched the Advanced Global TSN Certification Program. “This advanced global certification program streamlines certification testing of devices with time-sensitive networking (TSN) capabilities, including devices implementing the Milan deterministic-network protocol for professional media using TSN, making testing easier and more convenient for Avnu members around the world,” Agis said.
Milan is a standards-based deterministic network profile for professional media, based on the IEEE Audio Video Bridging (AVB)/TSN foundation. It was created by leading pro AV manufacturers, under the umbrella of Avnu Alliance. Milan enables a streamlined specification and certification process; Milan-Certified devices have guaranteed interoperability, assuring devices work together at new levels of convenience, reliability and functionality.
As part of the program, Avnu opened expanded testing at recognized test facilities (RTFs) around the world: Allion in Taipei City, Taiwan; Excelfore in Tokyo; and Granite River Labs in both Santa Clara, California, and Karlsruhe, Germany.
The Avnu Express Test Tool is also part of the program, and it was the first TSN test tool to streamline the certification process, Agis said. “The Avnu Express Test Tool is a low-cost validation test tool that vendors can use to internally verify device conformance prior to submission for certification testing,” Agis said. The insights can be used to optimize product development and increase certification success, which saves time and resources, he added. Avnu members can purchase floating licenses for teams across locations to work using the same tool, and, as new test plans become available, the Avnu Express Test Tool will update automatically.
“Test tools make it much easier to prepare for device certification and enter the testing process confidently. The Avnu Express Test Tool allows members to internally verify if a device will pass certification tests before submitting,” Agis said. Test tools can also speed up certification, he added. When products are submitted through the Avnu Certification Management System (CMS) to an RTF, with the test tool verification and validation already completed, the product can be submitted to an RTF for a reduced validation test run.
“Vendors can also use the test tool, which bundles test control and test engine software along with a set of hardware equipment, to verify the performance of end devices using certified modules,” Agis said.
Once the new tool, Keysight’s TSN Test Tool, is validated and verified, the certification program will be significantly expanded with more choice and a wider variety of test types for members. “It was always Avnu’s intention to open this program up to incorporate more test tools that have been validated and verified through Avnu to enable different kinds of TSN testing and expand capabilities to members. Any Avnu test manufacturer members may submit a TSN test tool to Avnu ‘s Certification Work Group to become verified and validated,” Agis said. “The testing program will continue to evolve; additional certification test plans will be added to the test tools as the TSN ecosystem grows.”
By evolving testing schema to add more certification programs and new tests to address market needs, Avnu Alliance can make pre-certification and certification testing more convenient and valuable, Agis said. The Express Test Tool remains the low-cost, entry level test tool, and Keysight’s TSN Test Tool will test for 802.1AS, Qbv, Qbu, and WTSN tests once those test plans become available.
The Global TSN Certification Program ensures that test tools meet conformance standards through various trials run by certification management professionals and TSN subject matter experts. The Avnu Certification Work Group is made up of networking, certification and testing experts with expertise in TSN standards. “Any device undergoing certification testing must be run against all required tests in a test plan. Avnu develops these test plans, which make up the Avnu Express Test Suite, internally based on the specifications of TSN and Milan to ensure that a device that passes the tests does conform to the standards properly and will interoperate with other devices that have passed the tests,” Agis said.
Avnu tools are enabling a converged network foundation for industrial control in certain market segments, he added. The group is also working with other industry protocol groups and standards organizations to push interoperability between manufacturers’ devices and across diverse applications.
Avnu members can access the Avnu Express Test Tool during Avnu’s plugfests, where experts and representatives from a lab are available to help test, debug and retest devices to ensure the devices are working properly, making pre-certification and certification testing easier and faster for member companies.
TSN/A Conference highlights
Avnu President, Greg Schlechter, Board Member Henning Kaltheuner, and Silicon Validation Work Group Chair, Jordon Woods, alongside Günter Steindl from Siemens presented a keynote session on the common characteristics of secured converged networks and mixed criticality workloads.
“The core message of this presentation is about how to move the industry toward converged networks by creating a foundation for network transformation. Networks are converging to support many traffic workloads to enable business efficiency and innovation,” Agis said. “Deterministic converged networks allow different data traffic to coexist on the same physical network, across wired and wireless mediums. By enabling management of multiple traffic types on the same wire, infrastructure can be more efficiently utilized, and network management is streamlined.” Many industries are moving beyond single function networks to realize the benefits of a converged network foundation, he added, which requires the exchange of different classes of traffic and the coexistence of both traffic types.
“The industry is going in this direction, and work is being done to create a foundation for network convergence. Earlier this year, Avnu along with other protocol and standards organizations, including CC-Link Partner Association, ODVA, OPC Foundation and Profibus and Profinet International jointly announced that they are collaborating to develop a single conformance test plan for the IEEE/IEC 60802 Time Sensitive Networking (TSN) profile for Industrial Automation. These groups are working together on a jointly agreed and owned test plan for the industrial automation market,” Agis said.
“Avnu’s purpose and mission is to transform standard networks to enable support for many time-sensitive applications and protocols in an open, interoperable manner. This collaboration among organizations will be critically important to facilitating coexistence of multiple workloads and protocols according to IEEE 60802 on a network, while leveraging foundational network interoperability that is used across industries,” said Greg Schlechter, Avnu Alliance president. “We are committed to working with the industries to enable an interoperable ecosystem of devices that allow end users to confidently deploy on open, standard and converged networks.”
