MARCH 16, 2010 -- Leading companies from across the communications and networking industries--including BreakingPoint Systems, BT, Cisco, Empirix, Ericsson, EXFO, Fanfare Software, Ixia, JDSU, Spirent Communications, and Verizon--have joined forces to form the Network Test Automation Forum (NTAF), a global effort designed to promote interoperability between test tools and to simplify lab automation efforts. With representation from service providers, network equipment manufacturers, and test and measurement vendors, NTAF advocates a customer-centric, device-agnostic framework that reduces time, complexity, and cost of product test cycles.
NTAF represents a fundamental shift from the stand-alone and proprietary approaches to an open lab automation approach. The forum asks test equipment vendors to collaborate with their customers to define an open and advanced automation framework. Through the agreement and adoption of multi-vendor technical architectures for test automation systems, test engineers and lab managers will benefit from accelerated deployment of next generation network products and services.
“Our goal is to provide complete transparency in the Forum’s activities and ensure a level playing field for all members.” said Keith Kidd, president of NTAF. “By encouraging industry wide participation, NTAF is working toward establishing interoperable testing solutions for service providers, network equipment manufacturers, and other enterprise organizations with large network deployments.”