Integrated test package for industrial devices aligned with Avnu Alliance Qvb test plan

A new set of industrial time-sensitive networking (TSN) conformance test cases in IxNetwork from Ixia enable device manufacturers to ensure their devices are in compliance with the Avnu Alliance industrial test plan for 802.1Qbv-2015.

In the industrial market, the evolution of the industrial internet of things (IIoT) will increase the amount of data harvested through Ethernet-connected networks, requiring new standards for managing and transferring information. TSN ensures this control data traffic is delivered in a timely manner by securing bandwidth in the network infrastructure, while simultaneously allowing non-time-critical forms of data traffic to coexist on the same network.

“Avnu Alliance is pleased to support Avnu promoter member Keysight in announcing their conformance package incorporating the Avnu Qbv test plan,” stated Gary Stuebing, vice president and chairman of Avnu Alliance. “The Avnu Qbv test plan has recently been finalized following a thorough collaborative effort among Avnu Industrial Working Group members. The test plan details a common set of test standards evaluating product conformance to the IEEE Std. 802.1Qbv-2015, Enhancements for Scheduled Traffic, as integrated into IEEE Std. 802.1Q-2018, in sections 8.6.8.4, 8.6.9, and 12.29.”

Every device manufacturer needs to ensure a proper implementation of TSN conforming to the 802.1Qvb standard from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). Avnu Alliance tests are designed to determine if a product conforms to specifications defined by the standards known collectively as the TSN Working Group.

Ixia ‘s IxNetwork helps industry device manufacturers ensure their devices adhere to the TSN standards, delivering high-performing gear that interoperates well with other standards-conforming devices on an Ethernet network. The TSN conformance capabilities in IxNetwork are used to test and benchmark scenarios in the TSN ecosystem that span across the relevant IEEE standards. Each IxNetwork test port emulates hundreds of Ethernet end-points with realistic behavior. Various test scenarios can be executed with the IxNetwork graphical user interface (GUI) or application programming interface (API) scripting to characterize performance bottlenecks and resiliency.

“As IIoT matures, critical and non-critical traffic needs to get to the right place quickly and efficiently,” said Sunil Kalidindi, vice president of product management at Keysight ‘s Ixia Solutions Group. “Ixia is first to market with a test package that encompases the Avnu Alliance industrial test plan and ensures that the device under test (DUT) meets industry conformance specification to interoperate with other conforming TSN environments.”