UCI Forum Launches SIP over IPv6 Task Group
The UCI Forum continues making advances toward unified communications interoperability. Most recently, the forum launched its SIP over IPv6 Task Group. The new Task Group, which successfully completed the member review and comment period, is the first test program chartered to operate under the Test and Certification Work Group (CWG).
This Task Group will establish a SIP over IPv6 test network infrastructure for vendors to test their IPv6 SIP interoperability. Members will be able to stand up their gear anywhere in the world and be able to test interop with any other member regardless of proximity. Additionally the IPv6 infrastructure will be capable to host a virtual plugfest to test SIP voice sessions over IPv6.
The IPv6 test infrastructure will be based on the Department of Defense Unified Capabilities Requirement (UCR) 2008 Ch 3 specification. The UCR specifies the functional requirements, performance objectives, and technical specifications for DoD networks that support Unified Communications. One of the major benefits of this task group will be aiding members in achieving IPv6 SIP interoperability for the DoD UCR by pre-testing their solutions.
The SIP over IPv6 Task Group is chartered to:
- Provide a secure environment that allows members to perform online testing for SIP over a known good working IPv6 infrastructure.
- Provide a test suite for member companies to simulate DoD UCR 2008 Ch 3 IPv6 requirements. Some examples of tests that can be performed are: make an IP call, receive an IP call, transfer a call, call to PSTN, incoming call from PSTN and call to E911.
- Provide a cloud-based test platform that is available online and at any time.
- Provide a platform for virtualized interoperability testing at various formal events.
For more information on the SIP over IPv6 Task Group and the UCI Forum in general, please contact info@ucif.org.
UCI Forum Opens up Keynote Sessions to non-members
Please join us at the Austin Convention Center (Room M1) on Tuesday, Septemer 13, 2011 from 1:30pm – 4:45pm (followed by a networking reception at 5:00pm) and Wednesday, September 14, 2011 from 8:00am – 10:45am (breakfast 8:00 am – 9:00am) to hear sessions by Irwin Lazar (Nemertes), Henry Dewing (Forrester Research) and Chuck Kazilet (Arizona State University). For the full agenda and registration, please go to: www.regonline.com/ucifreception.
See you there!
UCI Forum Test Lab Vendor RFP Now Available!
The UCI Forum Test Lab Vendor RFP is now available!
Commercial, academic and/or research entities with expertise in a range of IP communications testing are welcome to submit a proposal. Areas of expertise include but are not limited to:
- Device testing – e.g. headsets, audio conference devices, webcams, etc.
- Software module testing – e.g. voice and video codecs, protocol stacks, etc.
- Software product testing – e.g. signaling servers, media servers, desktop clients, media conferencing units, etc.
The deadline for the submission of the RFP is October15, 2011. Again, if you’re interested in participating in the process, please send an email indicating intent to the CWG Program Manager, Russell Bennett (russell@ucinsights.com) with “CWG RFP
Notification of Intent from [insert your organization name here]” in the subject line, no later than September 1, 2011. Approved vendors will be announced once due diligence is complete – currently estimated to be by the end of the year.
Copies of the following documents can be downloaded from the UCI Forum website at:
http://www.ucif.org/Resources/Documents.aspx
- UCIF CWG Test Process
- UCIF CWG Test Vendor RFP
- UCIF Appendix B RFP Response Form
Test Lab Vendor RFP in Final Review
The Test and Certification Group (CWG) has indicated that a Request for
Proposal (RFP) for Test Lab Vendors who are interested in being placed on a
list of UCI Forum approved testing labs is now completing final review.
UC interoperability momentum is growing with the identification and
qualification of testing and certification labs. An RFP for these test labs is now completing
final review, and the Test and Certification Work Group expects to have
completed contracts with the initial lab vendors in early 2012, enabling full
UC certification processes to commence later in 2012.
Initial certifications are planned for USB Audio Devices as well as H.264 SVC interoperability.
If you’re interested in participating, please send an email indicating
intent to Russell Bennett (russell@ucinsights.com) with “CWG RFP
Notification of Intent from [insert your organization name here]” in the
subject line, no later than September 1, 2011.
For the latest news on the UCI Forum, please visit: www.uciforum.org
Happy Birthday UCIF!
Time flies when you’re having fun! One year ago today, a group of worldwide communications technology leaders came together to form the Unified Communications Interoperability Forum (UCIF), a non-profit alliance dedicated to realizing the potential of unified communications (UC) by increasing efficiency, decreasing implementation costs and improving the interoperability experience for UC customers.
And what a year it has been. The organization, now 39 members strong, represents all elements of the UC industry from networking to PBX systems, video to cloud services, everyone sharing a vision to enable interoperability of standards-based UC hardware and software across enterprises, service providers and consumer clouds.
Earlier this month, UCIF received great news when the UCIF USB Webcam recommendation was adopted by the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) Video Work Group and submission of the completed specification was delivered to the USB-IF board. And while we’re extremely happy that we were able to complete this important task, there is more work to be done this year.
One major priority for 2011 is select test labs for our certification program. The Test & Certification task group will soon be issuing an RFP to equipment testing vendors in order to select a set of UCIF approved test labs. The selected test labs will report back to UCIF on the vendors’ ability to complete a testing profile. If successful, a UCIF mark will be issued for the tested companies’ products. Technical work is underway to create profiles that will be submitted to labs and used as the foundation for interoperability testing.
Additionally, UCIF has already created task groups for H.264/SVC Profile, Endpoint Provisioning, and USB Audio and study groups for Voice and Instant Messaging and Presence and we look forward to sharing more information about their progress in coming months.
For more information, please check out the resources below. Thanks!!
Website http://www.UCIF.org
Whitepaper “UC, Driving the Next Step to Interoperability“
Please follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube
UCIF Panel at Interop 2011 Las Vegas
At this year’s Interop 2011 in Las Vegas, the UCIForum will be hosting a panel session on May 10th from 5:15 – 6:00pm, followed by a two hour reception. Please join Eric Krapf as moderator and our panelists for this informative discussion. Location: Mandalay Bay J
The Role of UCIF in the Federation of UC
Interoperability – and in particular, federation of UC systems – continues to be one of the biggest pain points for UC customers. The “plugfest” approach, also known as bilateral testing, becomes increasingly expensive and lengthy as the market expands, and is giving way to unilateral testing. The Unified Communication Interoperability Forum (UCIF) is creating and certifying UC interop scenarios that will give customers needed confidence while easing the burden on vendors. This panel explores the challenges faced when federating UC systems, and will delve into the challenges the UCIF can encounter on the path to a robust and comprehensive UC validation program.
Eric Krapf is co-chair of the Enterprise Connnect events, helping to set program content and direction for the leading conference events in the enterprise IP-telephony/convergence/Unified Communications marketplace. In addition, Krapf serves as editor & lead blogger for the website No Jitter, TechWeb’s online community for news and analysis of the enterprise convergence/Unified Communications industry. He is also responsible for electronic content including webcasts and e-newsletters. From 1996 to 2004, Krapf was managing editor of Business Communications Review magazine, and from 2004 to 2007, he was the magazine’s editor. BCR was a highly respected journal of the business technology and communications industry. Before coming to BCR, he was managing editor and senior editor of America’s Network magazine, covering the public telecommunications industry. Prior to working in high-tech journalism, he was a reporter and editor at newspapers in Connecticut and Texas.
UCIF Focuses on UC Industry Issues during Service Provider Pre-Conference Workshop and SIP Trunk-UC Summit at ITEXPO
UCIF will be presenting at the SIP Trunk-Unified Communications Summit at ITEXPO East 2011. Sponsored by Ingate Systems with TMC, these educational seminars bring together leading IP-PBX vendors, SIP trunking service providers and industry thought leaders to provide a comprehensive overview of SIP trunking and Unified Communications with key issues faced by enterprises, carriers and VARs today.
Free to all ITEXPO attendees, the Summit will be held February 2-4, 2011 at the Miami Beach Convention Center in Miami Beach, in room A208.
Get the facts about SIP trunking and Unified Communications. Come see Stefan Karapetkov of UCIF in the following sessions:
February 1: Service Provider Pre-Conference Workshop
Time: 5:30pm
Session: Generating Revenue from HD Video
Description: Service providers are looking for opportunities to expand their services and successfully compete with consumer-grade services trying to move up and capture business customers. Voice and video quality is an important differentiator for business communication. This session will provide definition of HD Video and Telepresence and focus on the increased demand for managed VNOC and hosted services. It will further discuss the path from hosted voice to cloud-based UC services that allow service providers to offer HD video without much capex. The session will conclude with an interoperability status update and a summary of the industry efforts to enable B2B video communication.
February 3: SIP Trunk-UC Summit/Unified Communications Day
Time: 9:00am
Session: Town Hall Meeting: Unified Communications
Description: Interactive Q&A panel providing a lively discussion on Unified Communications, its definition and the latest market issues from industry thought leaders.
If you’d like to learn more about the UCIF, please complete the UCIF Interest Form. Press and analyst inquiries should be directed to Robin Raulf-Sager.
UCIF Publishes Bylaws
The Board of Directors approved an amended version of the UCIF bylaws, effective Friday, Deecember. 17. The process has been a lengthy one, but well worth the wait. In addition to input we received from member companies, we also conferred with key players in the UC industry representing both enterprise and consumer products.
The main thrusts of the amendments included:
- Increasing the maximum size of the Board to 12 (making room for up to four Contributing Participant members to be elected once the eight Board Participant seats are filled)
- Clarifying access rights to draft deliverables for Adopter members
- Removing the distinction between Founding Board and Board Participant members
- Holding an annual election for the role of Chairman of the Board.
We’re delighted with the end result – a set of well thought-out, meaningful, forward-looking bylaws that will benefit both existing and new UCIF members. The amended bylaws are available online.
If you’d like to learn more about the UCIF, please complete the UCIF Interest Form. Press and analyst inquiries should be directed to Robin Raulf-Sager.
UCIF Chairman Q&A Session on NoJitter.com
Check out the Q & A session with UCIF’s Chairman, Bernard Aboba of Microsoft, and Dave Michels on NoJitter.com. Bernard addresses questions on the challenges ahead for UCIF’s task groups, the remaining open seats on UCIF’s board and his thoughts on home interoperability – should consumer brand vendors participate.
UCIF Workgroup Votes are in! And the winners are…
UCIF recently conducted its first member election for Chairs and Vice-Chairs of three Work Groups: Marketing, Technical, and Test & Certification. The nominees included seasoned professionals demonstrating a real passion for the UC community. Ballots were distributed to primary contacts for all Board and Contributor level members and results were collated late last week.
Drumroll… the winners are:
Technical Work Group
Chair: Casey King, LifeSize
Vice-Chair: Mary Barnes, Polycom
Testing & Certification Work Group
Chair: Open
Vice-Chair: Joe Reventas, Polycom
Marketing Work Group
Chair: Robin Raulf-Sager, Polycom
Vice-Chair: Katya White, Polycom
Congratulations to each candidate! We look forward to their contributions to the UCIF mission.
