Spirent Interoperates with NTAF Framework

NTAF, which is tasked with establishing a standard for the way in which network test solutions communicate with each other, is expected to deliver the first set of finalized specifications by the end of Q1 2011. The plug fest served to validate the draft NTAF specification, identifying and resolving differences in how each participant implemented the NTAF protocol, and demonstrating acceptance from multiple NTAF members.

“This event tangibly demonstrates the progress NTAF has made since its formation less than one year ago,” said Keith Kidd, President, NTAF. “The demonstrations shown this week are the result of contributions from all NTAF members, both in defining the specification and in overcoming technical obstacles in real-world NTAF implementations. This plug fest is an exciting milestone on the path to a finalized specification.”

An integrated and collaborative test automation approach is critical for today’s engineers to effectively validate performance of the complex, multi-technology, multi-protocol and multi-vendor networks.

“Spirent has always supported a customer-centric and device-agnostic framework that meets the automation needs of our customers and the industry as a whole,” said Andrew Armstrong, senior product manager at Spirent, and vice-president of NTAF. “The NTAF plug fest demonstrates Spirent's leadership and commitment to solving the very real interoperability problems faced by our customers when trying to implement automation.”

Spirent demonstrated prototype software implementations of both an NTAF “requestor”, and an NTAF “provider”, which in turn controlled the industry-leading Spirent TestCenter platform. The Spirent implementation also successfully interoperated with test solutions from multiple other vendors and customers.