Viavi Solutions announced CERTiFi, which it described as a cloud-based system enabling enterprise cabling contractors to manage test and certification projects across increasingly distributed workforces with complex specifications. “CERTiFi, powered by Viavi’s StrataSync cloud management platform for network service providers, delivers a solution proven in large carrier networks that has been adapted for enterprise cabling contractors,” the company said.
Describing the industry dynamics that gave rise to CERTiFi’s introduction, Viavi Solutions said, “Enterprises are installing, expanding and upgrading data centers and networks to address a continuing acceleration in bandwidth use. According to Viavi’s State of the Network study, 48 percent of respondents expect bandwidth to double between 2016 and 2017. This trend is driving growth in the breadth and complexity of networks, technician workloads, and outsourcing to contractors. Contractors need an efficient way to manage projects across their technician base to improve accuracy and speed of certification.
“CERTiFi enhances overall project workflows by syncing test and certification instruments—such as the popular and proven Certifier40G and SmartClass Fiber OLTS-85P—and managing them via a centralized cloud-based system,” Viavi stated. “From that vantage point, an administrator can create and distribute project designs, assign projects to team members, preload test instruments with tasks and required test criteria, and assimilate, analyze and share test results in real time. With CERTiFi, team members establish alignment at every stage of their projects—from creating design requirements and assigning tasks, to performing tests and analyzing project metrics, which can significantly reduce the time, cost and errors associated with offline communications.”
The company added that a major benefit and differentiator of CERTiFi “is the breadth of options for user interfaces: from web-based, to mobile app, to on-instrument UI. These interfaces are part of Viavi’s workflow design to maximize efficiency. Field managers are constantly on the go, managing multiple technicians in different locations with limited time. Management responsibilities like gathering results from instruments and sending them back to the main office or preparing tasks for the next day typically end up happening in the off-hours, when everyone else has clocked out.”
With the CERTiFi mobile app, field managers now have everything they need right on their mobile device, Viavi Solutions explained, so they can manage their crew and maintain communication with the office. As field technicians complete tests on their CERTiFi-enabled instruments, the site lead can auto-synchronize results to the CERTiFi mobile app via wireless connection. This allows them to view test results without disrupting their field team’s progress, the company also noted.
“Our contractor customers are supporting the aggressive growth and updates in today’s data center and enterprise networks, and need more than just best-in-class tools, but also innovations in workflow management,” said Kevin Oliver, vice president and general manager, converged instruments and virtual test for Viavi Solutions. “With CERTiFi, we built on the proven StrataSync framework and tailored it to the distinct requirement of enterprise environments. Now they can use Viavi’s portfolio of enterprise test and certification instruments in conjunction with our advanced, cloud-based workflow solution.”