Avnu Alliance’s latest plugfest at University of Stuttgart highlights advances in Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) interoperability and testing.
BEAVERTON, OR –– December 19, 2023 – Avnu Alliance, the industry forum driving deterministic capabilities into open, standards-based networking, announces the successful completion of its latest plugfest at the University of Stuttgart in Germany. During the plugfest, fourteen Avnu member companies including silicon vendors, Milan manufacturers and test tool vendors, came together to test their products together using new tests from Avnu, marking several firsts in the advancement of Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) interoperability testing.
Avnu plugfests provide an environment for members to test interoperability of products using wired and wireless TSN and Milan protocols. Plugfests also allow Avnu and test tool vendors to validate and verify TSN test tools. This plugfest incorporated new test plan additions to the TSN “toolbox” such as initial 802.1Qav testing, a critical component for TSN, enhancing network traffic shaping and timing. Avnu members also performed testing using newly introduced TSN over 5G test plans, making a significant leap towards ultra-reliable low-latency communications for Wireless TSN. Demonstrating TSN over Wi-Fi capabilities, testing was performed on both physical and simulated Station and Access Points. The plugfest also introduced 802.1BA Bridge Testing. Focusing on enhanced bridging capabilities, this test expands the potential for multi-vendor interoperability in TSN networks. Lastly, Avnu integrated test tool support with YANG models for 802.1Qbv, which introduced automated testing capabilities for 802.1Qbv in model configuration, a significant step towards streamlining TSN network implementations.
Additionally, Avnu’s plugfest debuted ‘Fantasy Island’, a test bed for new interoperability scenarios amongst devices using the Milan protocol, facilitating the next level of AV networking. Avnu members ran various tests on 48 Milan devices.
Learnings and results are used to verify Avnu’s conformance test plans and enable further development.
“The recent plugfest in Stuttgart, Germany marks not just a milestone, but a leap forward in our collective journey towards fully interoperable, robust TSN standards,” says Ed Agis, Certification Work Group co-chair. “This event demonstrates Avnu’s commitment to the progression of TSN interoperability, paving the way for more efficient and reliable network foundation across industries.”
“Hosting the Avnu plugfest co-located with our recurring Industrial IoT Consortium (IIC) TSN Testbed plugfest at the Institute for Control Engineering of Machine Tools and Manufacturing Units (ISW) in Stuttgart resulted in a week full of synergies and a big step forward for TSN. The complementary activities of both groups, with Avnu focusing on the standards combined with the goal of creating an interoperable TSN-based ecosystem for the future of industrial automation, lead to a lot of learnings, new perspectives, and better alignment,” said Florian Frick, responsible for real-time communication at the ISW Stuttgart and chair of the IIC TSN Testbed.
Avnu’s next plugfest is planned for April 2024 in Krakow, Poland. Avnu plugfests are open to all members and offer a unique hands-on opportunity for manufacturers to test connectivity and interoperability. Plugfests are useful for cross-pollinating best practices between developers from different companies and bootstrapping test plans when common implementation mistakes are seen. Plugfests can also help members spot product issues early in the process, analyze device behavior and make changes to improve interoperability before entering certification testing.
To learn more about Avnu Alliance, visit www.avnu.org.
About Avnu Alliance
Avnu Alliance is a community creating an interoperable ecosystem of low-latency, time-synchronized, highly reliable networked devices using open standards. Avnu creates comprehensive certification programs to ensure interoperability of networked devices. The foundational technology enables deterministic synchronized networking based on IEEE Audio Video Bridging (AVB) / Time Sensitive Networking (TSN) base standards. The Alliance, in conjunction with other complimentary standards bodies and alliances, provides a united network foundation for use in professional AV, automotive, industrial control and consumer segments.