Whether it was new whitepapers, program launches or event attendance, 2024 turned out to be another significant year for our organisation. We remain committed to enabling converged networks based on the Time Sensitive Networking (TSN) tools and standards, which were developed by the IEEE to help automate upper layer protocols needs for mixed criticality traffic. We envision a future where real-time applications in the ProAV, Industrial, Automotive and other key sectors can take advantage of converged networks, and our efforts in 2024 have made significant headway in this goal.
Join us as we look over just some of the successes in the last twelve months, as we gear up for another busy year in 2025:
Insightful data on TSN over wireless
In February, we evidenced how TSN tools can enhance the accuracy and reliability of time-critical industrial and extended reality (XR) applications in the ‘Wireless TSN: Tests and Use Cases Demonstration with Wi-Fi’ whitepaper. The document highlighted the tests Avnu Alliance members carried out in terms of time synchronisation (802.1AS) and traffic shaping (802.1Qbv) over Wi-Fi in industrial automation applications, such as using a robotic arm for fine manipulation tasks or carrying emergency stop signals. The results indicated TSN’s ability to ensure reliable data delivery even in the presence of background traffic. For the full results, visit the whitepaper here.
Widening and celebrating our membership base
This year, research and academic institutions were also able to actively contribute to the development of the TSN and deterministic networking ecosystem within the Avnu Alliance, as a result of our new ‘Academic Organisation/Research Institute’ membership level. These members can now contribute to the development of use cases, new test strategies, specifications and testbeds as part of our organisation. We were delighted to welcome NIST, the Korea Automotive Technology Institute and the Zurich University of Applied Sciences as three such members of this level in 2024.
We also saw a number of exciting new members join the Avnu Alliance across our other membership levels. These have joined us in our mission to enable next-generation network connectivity, with a full list of members can be found on our website.
We were also delighted to launch our new ‘Avnu Heroes’ series on LinkedIn, celebrating the achievements of Avnu Alliance members and giving them the chance to share their visions and opinions on the industry. Look out for further posts this year!
Networking with confidence through Milan Manager
First teased in February 2024, Avnu Alliance members L-Acoustics and d&b audiotechnik launched a brand new software management tool – Milan Manager – at Infocomm 2024. Designed to simplify and streamline the configuration, management and monitoring of Milan networks, the free and brand neutral software tool provides the means to quickly access important functions, see the network’s status in real-time, and efficiently monitor network health to fix any issues before they become detrimental.
Since it’s release, there is now a dedicated, neutral Milan Manager webpage and its own legal entity has now been created. A number of releases designed to enhance the software has been rolled out since July, and those attending ISE Barcelona this year will be the first to learn about the addition of a significant new feature. Be on standby to learn more!
Providing confidence through certification
Some of our major successes of 2024 came from our brand new certification programs.
The first of its kind to certify capabilities within the TSN toolbox, the Component Certification Program was launched this year to ensure manufacturers across key markets could guarantee their components meet all relevant compatibility standards, fostering interoperability while reducing integration concerns for deployments. A pivotal step to deploying TSN features in a number of sectors, the program saw Moxa Inc’s TSN-G5000 series become the first certified product in July, with Intel Corporation’s Ethernet Controller I226 also receiving certification in October.
July also saw the development of a new certification program pilot for network switches, according to the IEEE SA’s 802.1.BA profile for AVB. This certification ensures network product manufacturers across various industries can deliver AVB/TSN compliant devices offering improved synchronisation, low latency and reliability for switched Ethernet networks. We were delighted to see Luminex’s GigaCore 30i become the first device to pass the new and improved program for switches, and look forward to seeing further certifications this year.
To see our full list of certified products in 2024 and beyond, please visit our revamped certified product registry.
Spreading the word
With all of the exciting news and certifications emerging from the Avnu Alliance, we were delighted to contribute a number of articles and interviews across the media landscape to share the fantastic work of our members.
Following an interview with Industrial Ethernet Book in April, President Dave Cavalcanti touched on the benefits of TSN for industrial applications and our certification programs across a variety of publications, including CIE Magazine, The Fast Mode, Connected World, and IoT Insider in 2024. The work being done in the ProAV sector, including Milan Manager, will also feature in an upcoming issue of AV Magazine.
We were also delighted to publish a new range of blogs on the Avnu Alliance website for the first time too. In April, we were delighted to share some insight on member JOYNED’s interesting rack demonstration, which has been brought to show floors like ISE throughout 2024. These blogs have helped us provide further information on the new certification programs launched throughout last year, and have given us further opportunities to share the work of our members as we’ve seen it.
Avnu Alliance across the globe
2024 saw Avnu Alliance showcase our latest developments at several major shows across the globe. Our members visited some familiar venues such as ISE 2024, TSN/A, Infocomm and Hannover Messe to demonstrate our commitment in supporting the ProAV, Industrial, and Automotive sectors and driving further innovation. These events are a vital part of our annual calendar, and a full list of events we’ll be attending this year is available on our website.
Our own Plugfest and Plenary events took us to Krakow and South Korea, providing a fantastic opportunity to reconvene with all of our members under one roof. At these events, members discussed latest developments coming out of the Alliance as well as celebrate contributors for their remarkable success from the past months.
From developing new certifications and programs, to successful event meetings and gatherings, we hope our momentum gained last year will lead to further innovation this year, and we would like to thank all our members for their continued efforts and contributions.