Audio conferencing systems require careful integration into communications networks. When properly engineered and installed, modern audio conferencing systems can provide years of high quality service and cost savings.

Testing Services
TKO provides three types of testing services for audio conferencing, voice mail, telephone and IP voice systems:

• Operational Testing
• Benchmark Testing
• Load Testing

Operational Testing
This is a battery of tests that ensure systems are functioning to the manufacturer's specifications in a given user environment. Many products work perfectly in a laboratory environment, yet fail when put into everyday use. Operational tests are "live tests" in the actual network where daily operation is expected. The tests run are performed on the end-user or customer network and are therefore of high value to system users because they validate how communications systems will operate daily.

Typical operational tests include validating connections are made, audio quality and levels, user touchtone keypad input and both ad hoc and recurring conference scheduling. System load testing, in accordance with the manufacturer's specifications and up to the installation's network capacities, are required operational tests.

Benchmark Testing
These tests evaluate the performance of communications systems according to narrowly predefined specifications or objectives, usually provided by the manufacturer. Most manufacturers produce communications systems to satisfy a large number of user/customer environments. In order to create systems that function well in these environments tests are created to evaluate the extreme low and high demands communications systems are expected to undergo. The systems are tested and the repeatable performance of systems at the extremes of the tests are noted and set as operational benchmarks. Subsequent system tests and results are then evaluated against these benchmarks.

Benchmark test results define the extremes of network performance. Once defined, variable midrange tests can be performed at changing load points to determine the performance a typical user can expect from the communications network.

Engineers for communications systems that operate in high performance environments with minimal downtime use benchmark testing as a way of evaluating expansion and upgrades to their network systems. By "benchmarking" their communications systems prior to an upgrade, engineers can credibly evaluate the performance of their networks after changes are made. This is perhaps the key value of benchmark testing at the system level.

Load Testing
Communications systems in normal operation experience dynamic loads based on many factors including time of day, user population, topology and routing schema. Load testing includes testing systems at both expected and unexpected call volume (or traffic) over time.

While expected load levels are sometimes easy to define (such as peak expected load), unexpected load traffic can be much harder to predict. Unexpected load traffic include, but are not limited to, high simultaneous use of communications channels, low use, sporadic use, bursting use and both complete system utilization and zero utilization. By designing load tests that take each of these (and more) conditions into account, engineers can create predictive models. Predictive modeling offers an opportunity to understand communication system behaviors under a wide variety of operational conditions.

TKO Video Communications
TKO also provides video conferencing equipment, software, outsourcing and event management including satellite broadcasting, audio teleconferencing, streaming video and audio. In addition, we offer video conferencing and telecommunications training.

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