MULTISERVICE FORUM PUBLISHES IMPLEMENTATION GUIDELINES,COMPLIANCE PROCESSCHICAGO June 7, 2005, The MultiService Forum (MSF) announced today that Cisco Systems, Fujitsu, Leapstone Systems, Marconi, MetaSwitch, Nortel, Operax and Siemens, are the first companies to claim compliance with the Forum's Release 2 (R2) Architecture under newly published implementation guidelines. The MSF Release 2 Implementation Guidelines are intended to assist service providers and their vendors evolve their networks with MSF compliant solutions. MSF members who are able to demonstrate equipment that is compliant with the Release 2 Architecture and the supporting Implementation Agreements (IAs) can claim MSF R2 "compliance" and use the MSF R2 Logo on that equipment.
"The publication of the R2 Implementation Guidelines is a major step in unifying the industry around an open, distributed architecture," said Roger Ward, MSF President. "The companies that have declared themselves compliant are already ahead in the race to sell to major carriers that use MSF technical work as a benchmark for system suppliers."
The MSF R2 Architecture provides the essential framework and common semantic for the definition of a multi-service network. Definition of a set of physical architecture implementations within the framework enables MSF members to focus on a common set of commercially viable scenarios.
MSF IAs focus on key protocols from industry standards bodies to ensure interoperability between components from different vendors, by specifying options and required functionality for key interfaces.
The MSF Release 2 Implementation Guidelines are consistent with the architecture documented in the MSF Architecture Release 2 Implementation Agreement. The work of the MSF in support of these documents was driven by an initial focus on:
IP core network QoS
Advanced services
Interworking with legacy PSTN
Multiple carrier QoS enabled solutions
Global advanced services interoperability
IPv4/IPv6 inter-working where applicable
About the MSF Release 2 Implementation Guidelines
Compliance with the MSF Release 2 Architecture Guidelines is self-determined by each participating company. The MSF Release 2 Implementation Guidelines and a usage checklist can be found on the public side of the MSF website at http://www.msforum.org/techinfo/implementation.shtml. The logo can be found on the MSF Website at www.msforum.org. To view products in support of the MSF Release 2 Implementation Guidelines go to http://www.msforum.org/techinfo/product_list.shtml.
Stop by the MSF booth (#55090) at SUPERCOMM 2005 in Chicago for additional details.
About The MultiService Forum
The MultiService Forum is a global association of service providers and system suppliers committed to developing and promoting open-architecture, multiservice switching systems. Founded in 1998, the MSF is an open-membership organization comprised of the world's leading telecommunications companies. The MSF's activities include developing Implementation Agreements, promoting worldwide compatibility and interoperability, and encouraging input to appropriate national and international standards bodies. For more information about the MSF and its members, visit the MSF web site at http://www.msforum.org/
