The Axiros Promise
Providing customers, the ability to use and integrate any device which supports one or more of the many standardised device management and monitoring protocols is in Axiros’ DNA. The most utilised standard by our customers is still TR-069, but with the introduction of its successor USP, we’re seeing a major shift in aspects of the lower layers of communication in comparison to TR-069: On one hand, there are now multiple specified Message Transfer Protocols (MTP — the low-level communication protocol between USP endpoints), allowing for some additional degree of freedom in the deployment. On the other hand, the data itself is now encoded in ProtoBuf according to a fixed schema, which means: if the schema is followed, the participants will understand one another, otherwise not. With these fundamental changes, the interoperability focus shifts from the protocol level to the actual software implementation and the supported datamodel.

The analysis of the actual device capabilities and the representation in the data they provide, is a process we call Interoperability Benchmarking.

Interoperability Benchmarking
At Axiros, we’re regularly confronted with customer requests to assess the feasibility of certain device models to be used in device management or monitoring use cases. Such a request usually encompasses either providing a judgement of whether the implementations of deployed device models are capable of supporting the use cases or suggesting alternative device models which can be brought into service instead.

This means that our engineers frequently get tasked to set up suitable devices in our own CPE labs, connect them to our test platforms and run a plethora of test cases to determine the available capabilities but, even more importantly, the overall quality of the implementation.

For and with the USP protocol, some of tested aspects are:

• Supported MTPs

• Options and ease of initial configuration

• Onboarding process

• Working implementation of all USP Messages

• Implemented features and their usability (Notifications, BulkData collection, Diagnostics, etc.)

• Supported datamodel and suitability for certain use cases

• Quality and stability of the implementation, also under stress and continuous use

• Performance and artificial limitations

The results of this Interoperability Benchmarking procedure provide us — as well as our clients and partners — a critical understanding of the capabilities and the performance of a device, allowing us to judge whether the device model is suitable for job it needs to do. It also lets us compare different device models and make suggestions to the device vendor where they are falling short of customer expectations or their competition. While this process is rigorous, time and effort consumed prior to inadequate products exposure to a project, or the marketplace in general, is time well spent.

In conclusion
We at Axiros are proud to provide the finest device management and monitoring solutions in the world, which has resulted in flattering accolades, such as “market leader” and “gold standard”. To deliver such solutions, we require devices which not only fulfil their specification but also make their features available remotely. This is which is why we go through elaborate efforts to evaluate many of the most sought-after device models to the same stringent criteria we apply to our own products.

If you’re interested in taking part in our Interoperability Benchmarking, please contact us. This is available for operators, manufacturers, integrators, and innovators.  And of course, we offer our own AXACT USP stack to vendors to fast-track a fully compliant and performant USP Agent implementation. For more information about our AXACT solution, click here.

Related Info:
Knowledge Base: What is TR-369?
Products: AXACT | Embedded Connectivity and AX USP | Controller

Written by Daniel Egger
Daniel is a principal Software Engineer and Product Owner of all USP related products at Axiros. He is also one of the authors of the USP specification and a Program Stream Lead for Data Modelling (TR-181, etc.) in the Broadband Forum.