Open systems testing for IT products, services, and procurement

British Telecom´s Conformance Testing Laboratory at Ipswich, UK, is part of the Information Services Standards Division and is establishing test services for IT products and services in support of BT´s Open Network Architecture (ONA) initiative. The paper discusses the rationale behind the creation of the test laboratory, the range of activities and the practical experience that has been gained to date. Three types of testing service are considered: conformance testing services; interworking testing services; and diagnostic testing services. The evolving technical and political frameworks for conformance testing are discussed, so are accreditation and certification