On the testing edge was a column I wrote for TMC’s IMS Magazine during 2008. It featured education, thought leadership and news relevant to the Test & Measurement industry. Interesting to note that now in 2012, IMS is actually coming back to life! Hence the re-posting of these earlier articles…
February 2008 | Volume 3 / Number 1
IMS Magazine Feb 2008
IMS — From Network Deployment to Service Delivery
“IMS has transitioned from a concept to a “here and now” architecture. The impact IMS stands to have on revenue streams is forcing service providers and equipment manufacturers to look closely at combining existing service offerings and to pay close attention to the quality of experience (QoE) these combined services deliver. As a delivery system, IMS provides subscribers with widespread access to new and existing services independent of location or device. The architecture comprises evolving protocols and interface specifications to make possible voice, video and data services over fixed and mobile environments. IMS also offers high scalability for network expansion along with system redundancy for improved reliability.”
April 2008 | Volume 3 / Number 2
IMS Magazine Apr 2008
“In the first edition of On the Testing Edge, I covered the landscape of why services are so important for Next Generation Networks and many of the issues testing can overcome to facilitate a trouble-free roll-out. This month we’re going to dig further, taking a look at the vocabulary of testing, the different categories of testing and follow up with how they relate to the product development life cycle.”
June 2008 | Volume 3 / Number 3
IMS Magazine Jun 2008
The Product Development Life Cycle
“In last month’s edition of this column, I covered the vocabulary of testing and the main test methodologies. This month we’re going to cover the testing involved during the Product Development Life Cycle which will enable us to look at the test strategies for specific NGN Network Elements (NE’s) in future editions of this column.”
Oct/Nov 2008 | Volume 3/Number 5
IMS Magazine Feb 2008
Software Quality is an Effective Marketing Tool
“The Chrome browser from Google has been on everyone’s lips recently. But what does it tell us from a testing perspective? In short, it tells us that software quality is now a key marketing tool. In a highly contended marketplace, where everyone knows what bad quality means, a product that simply works as promised can change the landscape over-night — whether or not Google Chrome will actually succeed.”
Our new columnist, Andy Huckridge, is Director, NGN Solutions at Spirent Communications, where he leads Spirent’s strategy for the Multimedia Application Solutions division. His responsibilities include product management, strategic business planning & market development. Andy has worked in the Silicon Valley Telecommunications industry for 12 years and has a broad background in defining and marketing products in the Semiconductor, VoIP and IMS/NGN space. He holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Telecommunication Engineering from the University of Surrey, England. Andy is active in various Forums including the Multi-Service Forum, where he is Chairperson of the Interoperability Working Group & NGN Certification Committee. Andy is a VoIP patent holder, an IETF RFC co-author and inaugural member of the “Top 100 Voices of IP Communications” list.
Andy Huckridge 
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