SIP Forum Releases SIP Test Framework
STOCKHOLM, Sweden (July 30, 2004) – In response to demand for SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) device interoperability, the SIP Forum (www.sipforum.org) announces completion and release of its first SIP test suite, called the SIP Forum Test Framework.This SIP Forum Test Framework (SFTF) v1.0, is being released as open source. In order to obtain future open-source community support for this project for the future, the SIP Forum has elected to host the project at SIPfoundry.org’s Web site. (www.sipfoundry.org).
Needs identified by SIP Forum members drove the creation of an open test framework allowing SIP device vendors to test for common protocol errors. This improves the interoperability of between SIP the devices available in the marketplace – an immediate benefit to customers. The SFTF currently provides a core suite of tests for SIP devices, and the framework is built to allow new tests to be added quickly. With industry participation, this open-source project will grow to include all SIP elements, such as gateways, media servers and session border controllers.
“The SIP Forum is excited about leveraging the SIPfoundry community to help this test framework provide significant benefits to the SIPit and SIMPLEt events,” said Jay Batson, chairman of the SIP Forum board of directors. “Our experience at past events has shown that participating teams often waste valuable event time handling typical, yet unexpected, implementation errors.
The SIP Forum funded the development of this test framework to help developers catch these types of errors before the test events. Now, by moving this test framework to the SIPfoundry, we will get the benefit of reaching a wider audience of developers that can download, as well as extend, its capabilities.”
SIPit and SIMPLEt are interop test events run twice a year, sponsored by the SIP Forum and open to members and non-members alike. For more information see www.sipit.net.
The SIPfoundry is a nonprofit organization focused on promoting and advancing the creation and extension of SIP-related open-source projects. For more information, see www.sipfoundry.org.
The SIP Forum Test Framework is freely available under the GNU General Public Licence (GPL) to test implementations against a test suite and framework that is SIP RFC 3261 compliant. This license, commonly used in the software engineering community, enables anyone to copy, distribute and modify the open-source program, thus insuring wide distribution and use. RFC3261 is the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) document that describes the SIP communications protocol.
Key members of the SIP Forum Certification Working Group include Cullen Jennings, Daniel G. Petrie, Jiri Kuthan, Jorgen Borkner, Nils Ohlmeier, Robert Sparks, Trefor Davies and Steve Lass. They dedicated their time and developed the SFTF based on experiences gained in the past 14 SIPit events, SIMPLEt events, development laboratories and commercial product deployments. The SFTF project encourages participants to use the code, and share results and updates.
About the SIP Forum
The SIP Forum’s mission is to advance the adoption of products and services based on the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP). The forum provides information on the benefits and capabilities of SIP, highlights successful applications and deployments, and directs activities aimed at achieving high levels of product interoperability. The forum promotes SIP as the technology choice for multimedia, real-time communication session control throughout the Internet, corporate networks and within next-generation wireless networks.
About SIP
SIP was developed by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), the international organization responsible for all the basic Web protocols, such as HTTP and the mail protocol SMTP. It is part of the newest generation of communication protocols, those that tie together the telecom and Internet worlds. SIP offers many advantages to telecom vendors and service providers, including rapid development of products and services, lower costs up front and ongoing, and a wide choice of compatible vendors and products.
Contact
Larry Schessel
SIP Forum MWG Chair
lschesse@cisco.com