ROCKVILLE, Md. -- Spirent Communications(TM) (NYSE:SPM - News; LSE:SPT - News) today announced the Power Sync Analyzer, a platform dedicated to testing Power over Ethernet (PoE) IEEE 802.3af compliant devices. PoE devices enable a mission-critical capability that provides standby power over Ethernet networks for IP phones, IP PBXs and other voice over IP (VoIP) devices whenever main power outages occur. Developed by Sifos Technologies Inc. in partnership with Spirent Communications, the Power Sync Analyzer is used to verify product conformance to the IEEE 802.3af PoE standard.

"With the Power Sync Analyzer, we have combined depth, simplicity and mobility in a single tester," said David Lucia, President, Sifos Technologies. "With Spirent, we are delivering a high quality, out of the box test system to any engineer who needs to validate their PoE products and networks."

As telephone calling migrates from circuit-switched to IP-based networks, businesses and carriers must assure that telephone services continue uninterrupted during power outages. Requirements for Emergency 911 calling makes this capability a safety and regulatory as well as a business mandate. Circuit-switched networks historically have solved this challenge by powering phones over the network. With the advent of VoIP, enabling Ethernet switches to deliver local battery backup power over the network to end-user devices has emerged as a common approach to solving this issue. PoE, therefore, is becoming a standard feature of Ethernet switches.

"Ethernet switch makers are giving enterprises the confidence that their networks will stay up even under a power outage, and Spirent is helping the switch makers deliver that capability," said Mark Fishburn, vice president strategy for Spirent Communications.

Spirent Communications