 |
|
|
|
|
Part of the HCL (Hardware Compatibility Certification) responsibility is to perform a series of stress tests on new (emerging) hardware in order to qualify it as part of our solutions offering. To that end, several stress tests have been developed to help us select the best possible hardware available that can meet or exceed the needs of the CTI market.
Once Engineering—through HCL—has approved a configuration, the results of those tests and supporting documentation are forwarded to manufacturing where additional documentation is created specifically for the fulfillment process. These are additional revision control drawings, assembly instructions with drawings, test / burn-in processes and procedures, as well as any additional support documentation to help materials management track the lifecycle of the product. All this guarantees that the product that was approved by HCL will be the same product that will be used in the fulfillment process for at least 2 years.
These are the first set of tests performed on the hardware to determine if the hardware has the core capabilities to support CTI applications. The internal structure is analyzed to verify that there will be no conflict in driving the maximum number of voice boards that will be installed in the deployment.
Each and every configuration is then tested using the most popular Operating Systems like, Windows XP, Windows 2003 SERVER and Linux. These tests are designed to exercise the motherboard's or SBC's internal hardware to ensure that there will be no conflict between the core internal logic, the O/S and the voice boards. Benchmarks are used to verify that the configuration will stand up to maximum load.
The Bulk Call Generator is the third and final stress test designed and built at DAX Systems, Inc. for the sole purpose of helping us develop high reliability solutions that would be compatible and compliant with software like AVST's CallXpress and Dialogic/Intel voice boards.
The front end of the Bulk Call Generator consists of 8 Dianatel T1 boards running a custom application that generates up to 192 simultaneous calls and is tightly coupled to the CTI application running on the test configuration (UUT). In the middle of the tester are T1 to analog converters that will convert 4 of the T1 signals to 96 analog lines that will then allow us to use analog voice boards in the test unit. The other 4 T1 signals from the Dianatel boards are sent straight through to the UUT and connected to T1 boards on the test unit. With this type of tester, we can exercise the test unit (UUT) with up to 192 lines in combination of 96 analog lines and 96 ( 4 x T1) lines.
The custom application on the front end has been designed to work with the CTI application installed in the test unit. The tests that are performed directly exercise the CTI application along with the systems hardware, including the voice boards, over an extended period of time, in some cases up to a month, to verify that no inherent problems will go undetected.
After all these stress tests have been completed successfully, the platform is placed under strict revision control and is made part of the total solutions offering. It is this attention to detail and painstaking analysis that allows us to say with confidence that our solutions are some of the best for ISV's and the Alternate Channel.
|
