sqas newsletter

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Vol. 19, 03 /2010ISSN: 1394-0198KDN: PP 10006/02/2011 (029883)Standards & Quality News

Hw ICT ity ly jiig h t itbility, hmiti city.

CONVERGENCE

SOftwaREExamiNatiONSProtecting consumers byvalidating the softwareused in measurement tools

DiGitalDawNBye-bye analogue TV;hello digital terrestrialbroadcasting

iNfORmatiON(iN)SECuRityLeveraging the ISO 27000information securitymanagement system


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Co

ntents

S&QVol.19

,03/2010Convergence

Speaking of LabelsThe new certiicationlabel or ICT equipmentgoes into eect.

18

updaTes

Information (In)securityThe ISO 27000inormation securitymanagement system.

02

Legal SoftwareExamination

Validating sotware toprotect consumers.

16

South East Asias firstWiMAX Testing Lab

SIRIM QAS Internationaltakes the lead in WiMAXtesting services.

17

CollaborativeConvergence

How the ISC G is helpingMalaysia stay ahead.

12

A Crowded Web

The Internet is runningout o addresses.

Here comes IPv6.

06

of InTeresTDo You Know...?

... all about the carat

18

Announcements

Find out more aboutcertiications andstandards at SIRIM

20

Digital DawnSay Hello to a newera o digital terrestrialbroadcasting.

08

Software Testing Boom

How the MSTB intendsto ride on the growingsotware testing market.

10

Information (In)security,see page 2.

Digital Dawn, seepage 8.

feaTures

Unless otherwise stated, all content is copyright SIRIM Berhad. Standards and Quality News is published every quarter and distributed to SIRIMs clients, certified

companies and Standards Development Committee members. Editorial material may be freely reproduced provided credit is given to this newsletter. Except for

advertisements by subsidiaries and affiliate companies of SIRIM Berhad, SIRIM Berhad does not in any way either directly or indirectly endorse any advertisements by

other companies printed herein and hereby denies any liability in relation to the accuracy of the same.

THE PERFECT FAKE

A diamond grownone atom at atime? Find out more on page 18.


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s&Q | Vol.19, no.3, 2010

highlight

Standards & Quality NewsVol. 19, No. 3, 2010

PUBLICATION COMMITTEE

Chairman:En. Azim Ng Abdullah

Members:Pn. Khalidah Mustafa

En. Parama Iswara Subramaniam

Pn. Nur Fadhilah Muhammad

En. Abdul Rashid Zainal Abidin

Dr. Mohd.Azman IdrisTn. Hj. Abdul Aziz Long

Tn.Hj. Azman Hassan

Pn. Zurina Mohd. Bistari

Pn. Haliza Ibrahim

EDITORIAL COMMITTEE

Pn. Khalidah Mustafa

En. Parama Iswara Subramaniam

En. Abdul Rashid Zainal Abidin

Pn. Zurina Mohd. Bistari

Dr. Mohd.Azman Idris

En. Safuan Idris

Pn. Saleha A.Jalil

En. Azlan AdnanPn. Maziah Mukhtar

Cik Lili Masni Ab.Jalil

PUBLICATION COORDINATOR

Cik Lili Masni Ab.Jalil

Tel: +603-5544 6346

Fax: +603-5544 6334

Email: [email protected]

Copies of this newsletter are

available on request from:

SIRIM Berhad,

1, Persiaran Dato MenteriSection 2, P.O. Box 7035

40911 Shah Alam, Selangor

Tel: +603-5544 6000

Fax: +603-5510 8095

Web: http://www.sirim.my

Editorial Consultants:Marcus Gomez & Partners Sdn Bhd

17, Lorong 4/48A

46050 Petaling Jaya, Selangor

www.marcusgomez.com

Printed by:SIRIM Berhad

1, Persiaran Dato Menteri

Section 2, P.O. Box 7035

40911 Shah Alam, Selangor.

In their excitement and enthusiasm to develop new technologies, scientistsand researchers sometimes overlook how their inventions will work with eachother. Usually, that job falls into the laps of harmonisation and standardisationorganisations and technical industry forums. These agencies and others likethem around the world are largely responsible for the popularity of many of thetechnologies and conveniences we take for granted today.

Think of the internet and all its dotcoms; think of the mobile contentdownloads; think of VOIP and IPTV all these technologies took years ofR&D to develop before they were finally taken into world forums, debated,discussed, refined and finally adopted globally.

The internet, for example, would not have been possible without the InternetEngineering Task Force (IETF) IPv4 standard. Our 3G networks are a result ofthe 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), a collaboration between groupsof telecommunications associations. And the new darling of the ICT industry,WiMAX, depends upon the WiMAX Forum for its future.

What is infinitely more interesting, however, is the way all these differenttechnologies and systems have begun to converge upon one another.Mobile networks, the internet and TV stations must now all find ways ofcommunicating with and transmitting content between each other. The separateindustry forums and groups that operate within these sectors must thereforecollaborate to ensure that their technologies work together.

In this issue of S&Q, we examine how this collaboration process works,especially within the context of Malaysia. The government has played acommendable part in ensuring that the countrys ICT environment remainsvibrant and self-regulatory while keeping in line with international standardsand conventions, and the Malaysian Communications and MultimediaCommission has done an admirable job of governing the industrys development

so far.

So, while the Malaysian Technical Standards Forum Berhad (MTSFB)fine-tunes the hybrid digital receiver that will catapult Malaysias terrestrialbroadcast environment into the digital age, the Industry Standards Committeeon Information Technology, Communications and Multimedia (ISC G) isoverseeing national and international standardisation activities in the field of IT,communications and multimedia. We also take a look at Malaysias preparationfor the IPv6 standard, as well as new developments in the fields of softwaretesting and verification.

Zurina Mohd. Bistari

BETTER

TOGETHER
http://www.marcusgomez.com/http://www.marcusgomez.com/


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information seCurity with iso/ieC 27000

Information is a valuable asset inany organisation, and the life-blood of any business. But that

same information is also constantlyunder threat from natural calamitiessuch as floods, fires and earthquakesas well as threats posed by humanswho are either malicious, criminal orjust careless.

Thats why todays smartestorganisations are obsessed withensuring information security asthey deal with the challenges ofthe information age. Maintainingthe confidentiality, integrity andavailability of information is criticalto and vital for the survival of manyorganisations, which is where an

information security managementsystem (ISMS) comes in.

A properly implemented ISMScan be effective in any organisation,large or small. ISMS standardssuch as the ISO/IEC 27001provide a framework that can betailored to support the protection ofinformation in diverse organisationswhich may be involved in activities

such as data processing, softwaredevelopment, e-commerce, healthcare, finance, manufacturing, publicservices, education and design anddevelopment.

Recognising the importanceof information security to ensurebusiness continuity, the Malaysiangovernment has made it arequirement for all Critical NationalInformation Infrastructures (CNII)to implement measures to ensurethat their service delivery is notdisrupted by problems to informationassets. By decree of the MalaysianCabinet, all CNIIs must be certifiedin accordance with the ISO/IEC27001 ISMS standard by 24 February

2013. The Malaysian Cabinet alsodecided that ISMS certificationonly be undertaken by certificationbodies accredited by STANDARDSMALAYSIA.

SIRIM QAS International,which has offered ISMS certificationservices since 2003, is the only localcertification body currently qualifiedto offer ISMS certification services

to CNII. The ISMS certificationscheme operated by SIRIM QASInternational is accredited by theUnited Kingdom AccreditationService (UKAS) and is currently inthe process of being accredited bySTANDARDS MALAYSIA.

True ISMS

Most records within organisationstoday are stored, maintained andtransmitted electronically. Thesetransmissions and retrievals posethe greatest threat to informationsecurity, hence the emphasis oncomputers or networks in anyinformation security management

system. However, a proper ISMSalso manages information securityfor paper-based information stored infiling cabinets and even intellectualproperty.

The core of the ISO/IEC27001 approach to achievingeffective information security is riskmanagement. Through the continueduse of risk methods built into the

Standard Description

ISO/ IEC 27001:2005,Information technology Security techniques Information securitymanagement systems Requirements.

An updated version o the hugely successul British Standard BS 7799 (Part 2) that integrates theprocess-based approach o ISO 9001 and ISO 14001. It specifes the requirements and processes toenable a business to establish, implement, review and monitor, manage and maintain eectiveinormation security. Like ISO 9001, it is built on the Plan-Do- Check-Act (PDCA) process cycle model,and requirements or continual improvement.

ISO/IEC 27002, Informationsecurity Security techniques Code of practice forInformation SecurityManagement.

Establishes the guidelines and general principles or initiating, implementing, maintaining andimproving inormation security in an organisation. It contains best practices o control objectives andcontrols in many areas o inormation security management. ISO/IEC 27002:2005 specifes 11 controlareas and 133 control objectives.

ISO/IEC 27000:2009,Information technology Security techniques Information securitymanagement systems Overview and vocabulary.

Assists organisations to understand the undamentals, principles and concepts to improve protectiono their inormation assets. It provides an overview o inormation security management systems,which orm the subject o the inormation security management system (ISMS) amily o standards,and defnes related terms.

ISO/IEC 27003:2010,Information technology

Security techniques Information securitymanagement systemimplementation guidance.

Gives advice that will be useul or all types o security-conscious organisations, regardless o theirsize, complexity and risks. It covers the process o ISMS specifcation and design, rom inception tothe production o implementation plans. It also provides guidance on how to obtain managementapproval as well as how to design and plan the ISMS project to ensure its successul implementation.

ISO/IEC 27003:2010 is intended to be used in conjunction with ISO/IEC 27001:2005 and ISO/IEC27002:2005.

Table 1: An overview of growing ISO/IEC 27000 family of standards.


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4 information seCurity with iso/ieC 27000

Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) processmodel, an ISMS will establish,implement, monitor, maintain andimprove the effectiveness of anorganisations information securitymanagement system.

Commitment and planning

As with the implementationof any other management systemstandard, the implementation ofan ISMS within an organisationrequires the commitment and whole-hearted support of top management,particularly in terms of providingadequate and appropriate resources tosupport the processes needed.

At the outset, the organisationshould therefore define the scopeand boundaries of the ISMS in termsof characteristics of the business,the organisation, its location, assets,technology, and including details ofand justification for any exclusionsfrom the scope. It must also decide

whether the ISMS is for a limitedpart or the whole organisation.

Policy formulation

The next step is the formulationof an ISMS policy and themanagements approval thereof. Thepolicy shall take into account businessand legal or regulatory requirementsas well as contractual securityobligations. Having done this, theorganisation should next define therisk assessment approach.

Risk assessment and controls

The risk assessment methodologyshould be suited to the ISMS and

the identified business informationsecurity, legal and regulatoryrequirements. After analysing andevaluating the risks, options fortreating risks should be identifiedand evaluated. The applicablecontrol areas and controls from ISO/IEC 27002 should be selected and

implemented. The 11 control areasspecified in ISO/IEC 27002 are:

1) Security Policy2) Organisation of Information

Security3) Asset management4) Human Resources Security5) Physical and Environmental

Security6) Communications and

Operations Management7) Access Control8) Information Systems

Acquisition, Development andMaintenance

9) Information Security IncidentManagement

10) Business Continuity

Management11) Compliance

The organisation need notnecessarily apply all the controls inISO/IEC 27002. Where appropriate,it may identify and implementadditional controls which are not in

PLANPlan and establish

the ISMS

DOImplement and

operate the ISMS

CHECKMonitor and reviewthe ISMS over time

ACTMaintain andimprove the ISMS

CONTINUOUSIMPROVEMENT


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6 isC g in malaysia

How the Industry Standards Committee on Information Technology,

Communications and Multimedia (ISC G) is helping Malaysia stay ahead of

information and communications technology.

COllaBORaTIvE

COnvERGEnCE


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isC g in malaysia

In the global gameof collaboration, thestandardisation of the worlds

telecommunication and informationinfrastructure has largely beendriven by groups of multinationalcorporations under the banner of theInternational TelecommunicationUnion (ITU), an agency under theUnited Nations (UN) which hasoverseen the development of theinformation and communicationstechnology (ICT) industry fornearly 145 years. Some of thesegroups we know, like the GSMAssociation (which gave the world,including Malaysia, GSM mobilecommunications) and the 3rdGeneration Partnership Project

(which gave us 3G technology), butthere are also newer groups suchas the WiMax Forum and LongTerm Evolution (LTE), which arecollaborating to ensure the success ofupcoming 4G technologies.

However, actual collaborationbegins at national and regional level.These include groups or associationslike the TelecommunicationsStandards Institute (ETSI) of

Europe, the Association of RadioIndustries and Businesses (ARIB)and the TelecommunicationTechnology Committee (TTC)of Japan, China CommunicationsStandards Association (CCSA), theAlliance for TelecommunicationsIndustry Solutions (ATIS) of NorthAmerica and the TelecommunicationsTechnology Association (TTA) ofSouth Korea. All these organisationsare major technological contributorsto the ICT industry today via the

ITU.

VISIonary

CoMMunICaTIonS

Malaysias move within the ICTindustry came comparatively late, butwas nonetheless a resounding success.The Malaysian Communicationsand Multimedia Commission(MCMC) was the first regulator

in the world to enact a law thatforesaw technological convergencewhen the Communications andMultimedia Act 1998 (CMA) came

into effect on 1 April 1999. TheCMA embraces a collaboration spiritbased on self-regulation in whichthe basic principles of transparency,competition, deregulation andflexibility are believed to bethe greatest motivators for thedevelopment of the industry and itsecosystem as a whole.

The government realises theimportance of collaboration amongindustry players to build Malaysiasown technological groups like theones mentioned earlier. Thats whythe Industry Standards Committeeon Information Technology,Communications and Multimedia(ISC G) was established to

oversee national and internationalstandardisation activities in thefield of IT, communications andmultimedia.

The ISC G comprises ofrepresentatives from both privateorganisations and nationalassociations. Twelve TechnicalCommittees (TC) have been formedso far and have been tasked withdeveloping standards for a wide

range of areas and technologiesunder the ICT sector (see next page).These committees also participate

in various international committeesbased on their scope in order tomirror international developments.This participation oversees the needfor Malaysian Standards to be inline with the ISO/IEC standardsand also ensures that the interests ofthe Malaysian ICT sector are wellrepresented and safeguarded withinthe global arena.

The MalaySIan TeChnICal

STandardS foruM Bhd

One of the technical committeeswithin the ISC G (TC/G/12 ITinterconnection, Communicationsand System Information) also

oversees the Malaysian TechnicalStandards Forum Bhd (MTSFB).The MTSFB was officiallydesignated by the MCMC toenshrine the national policy andobjective of self-regulation inaccordance with the Communicationsand Multimedia Act, particularlywith respect to the harmonisationof technology and standards forthe nation. It was appointed as aStandards Writing Organisation

(SWO) within the scope oftelecommunications, multimedia andbroadcasting technologies in 2005.

WHO is iN tHe isC G?

AssociationofConsulting

EngineersMalaysia

DepartmentofStandards

Malaysia

FederationofMalaysian

Manufacturers

MalaysianAdministrative,

ModernisationandManagement

PlanningUnit(MAMPU)

MalaysianCommunicationsand

MultimediaCommission(SKMM)

MalaysianInternationalChamber

ofCommerceandIndustry

MalaysianNationalComputer

Confederation

MalaysianTechnicalStandards

ForumBhd

MIMOSBerhad

MinistryofInformation,CommunicationandCulture

MinistryofInternationalTrade

andIndustry

MinistryofScience,Technology

andInnovation

MultimediaDevelopment

CorporationSdnBhd

MultimediaUniversity

NationalInstituteofPublic

Administration(INTAN)

PersatuanIndustriKomputerdan

MultimediaMalaysia(PIKOM)

ScienceandTechnology

ResearchInstituteforDefence

SIRIMBerhad(Secretariat)

TelekomMalaysiaBerhad

TheInstitutionofEngineers,

Malaysia

UniversitiTeknologiMalaysia

MinistryofDomesticTrade,Co-operativesandConsumerism


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8 isC g in malaysia

As the appointed technicalindustry forum, MTSFB isresponsible for establishing andmaintaining the technical codesand standards through collaborationamong its registered members. Atpresent, MTSFB has 51 registeredcorporate members collaboratingwith hundreds of individual memberswithin 19 working groups. To date,

MTSFB has already successfully

developed 17 assorted codes andstandards with more to come inthe future. Five of the MTSFBsdocuments have been registered bythe MCMC as Technical Codes(TSIR Part 1 for Fixed NetworkInfrastructure, Part 2 for BroadcastNetwork Infrastructure, Part 3 forExternal RadiocommunicationsNetwork Infrastructure, TS for FibreCabling for Fibre- to-the-Premise &TS for DTT Set Top Box) with two

others being accepted as MandatoryStandards (Determination No.1:2004on 3G & Determination No.2:2006on DTTB). Three other documentshave been gazetted as MalaysianStandards by SIRIM through theMinistry of Science, Technologyand Innovation (MS 1903:2006 onNGN, MS 1902:2006 on BPL & MS2235:2009 on IPv6).

The STandardISaTIon gap

The ITU, MTSFB andothers generally agree that thestandardization gap betweendeveloped and developing countriesis due to shortcomings withindeveloping nations: the lack ofhuman resources; the lack of capitalresources and assistance; and,the lack of technology experts.The ITU Strategic Plan for 2008-2011 seeks to address these gaps,

and, in line with this plan, theMTSFB recently organised a three-day seminar titled Bridging theStandardization Gap and Interactive

Training Session at the MCMCAuditorium in Cyberjaya. Theevent was a collaborative effortbetween MTSFB, MCMC, theITU-T standardization sector andthe Korean TelecommunicationTechnology Association (TTA). Itdrew technology and standardizationexperts from Korea, Switzerlandand the United States as well as over150 participants from countries inASEAN.

One of the conclusions ofthe three-day seminar was thatdeveloping countries tend to be risk-averse when it comes to investmentsinto ICT. They prefer not to spendthe countrys resources on acquiring

or developing advanced technologies,which hampers efforts to standardisethe global ICT industry and canbe a barrier towards the countrysdevelopment as a whole. It is notconsidered a priority and is sometimesperceived as a burden to fulfil anational service obligation.

The South Korean approach tothe standardisation gap was cited asa good example of how a developing

nation can emulate others and riseto become a respected leader inthe ICT industry. 30 years ago,the South Korean government

made a considerable investmentinto acquiring foreign advancedtechnologies which they then usedto set up their own enterprises toproduce their own products. Today,the country is one of the worldsleading innovators and boastsinternationally-accepted brands,products and technologies.

Moving forward, the challengefor the MTSFB and other playerswithin the ISC G are to addressthe three identified reasons forthe standardisation gap. We mustacquire ICT technologies for thecountry and promote the importanceof standardization to the nationaleconomy. Malaysias participation

in global standardisation andharmonisation is vital to the successof the countrys ICT industry. Itaddresses many of the challengesfacing the industry today, such asstandardisation gaps within ICTtechnologies and interoperabilitywith competing technologies. Besidesaligning Malaysias technologicalexpertise and objectives to thoseof international bodies, Malaysiasexperience may soon allow us to

submit home-grown technologyproposals to the ITU as candidatesfor future world communicationstechnologies.

sOutH kOreas rise tO iNNOvatiON

Thegraphaboveshowsthenumberof

patentsledbySouthKoreafromthe

years1995until2007.Italsoillustrates

thewaythecountrysinvestmentsintoR&Dhavepaidoffeconomicallyfor

thestateanditspeople.In1995,the

nationspercapitaincometouchedthe

USD10,000mark.By2007thegross

nationalincomepercapitareached

USD20,045.Today,SouthKoreaisamongtheworldstopvemostactive

patentlersworldwide.

0

20,000

40,000

60,000

80,000

100,000

120,000

1995 2000 2005

Noofpatentsfile

dworldwide

Year


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isC g in malaysia

National Mirror

Committee

Working Group and/or technical industry

forum

Joint Technical Committee (JTC) of ISO and IEC

on Information Technology

TC on Multilingual

InformationTechnology (TC/G/1)

O-Member o ISO/IEC JTC1/SC2 Coded Character Sets

GeographicInformation/Geomatics (TC/G/2)

P-Member o ISO/TC211 Geographic inormation/Geomatics

IntelligentTransportationSystems (TC/G/3)

P-Member o ISO/TC204 Intelligent transport systems

E-Commerce(TC/G/4)

P-Member o ISO/IEC JTC1/SC34 Documentdescription and processing languages

Information Security

(TC/G/5)

WG/G/5-1 Inormation Security

Management Systems WG/G/5-2 Cryptography and SecurityMechanisms

WG/G/5-3 Security Evaluation Criteria WG/G/5-4 Security Controls and Services WG/G/5-5 Identity Management and Privacy

Technologies WG/G/5-6 Supervisory Control and Data

Acquisition (SCADA) SecurityStandards

P-Member o ISO/IEC JTC1/SC27 IT Security

techniques

Computer Graphicsand Multimedia(TC/G/6)

O-Member o:

ISO/IEC JTC1/SC 24 Computer graphic andimage processing

ISO/IEC JTC1/SC29 Coding o audio, picture,multimedia, and hypermedia inormation

ISO/IEC JTC1/SC 28 Ofce equipment

Identification Cardsand Related Devices(TC/G/9)

P-Member o ISO/IEC JTC1/SC17 - Cards and personalidentifcation

Biometrics (TC/G/10) WG/G/10-1 Biometric Technical Sub-Group WG/G/10-2 Biometric Applications, Testing

and Societal Aspects

P-Member o ISO/IEC JTC1/SC37 Biometrics

Software EngineeringSoftware Engineering(TC/G/11)

O-Member o:

ISO/IEC JTC1/SC7 Sotware and systemengineering

ISO/IEC JTC1/SC22 Programming languages,their environments and system sotwareinteraces

IT Interconnection,Communicationsand SystemInformation (TC/G/12)

Standards Writing Organisation: Malaysian TechnicalStandardsForum Bhd

O-Member o:

ISO/IEC JTC1/SC25 Interconnection oinormation technology equipment

ISO/IEC JTC1/SC6 Telecommunication andinormation exchange between systems

Health InformaticsStandards (TC/G/13)

P-Member o ISO TC 215 Health inormatics

AutomaticIdentification andData CaptureTechniques (TC/G/14)

P-Member o ISO/IEC JTC1/SC 31 Automaticidentifcation and data capture techniques

Table 1: Overview the ISC Gs Technical Committees, Working Groups and par ticipation at International Committees.

P-Member:ParticipatingMember;O-Member:ObservingMember


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10 iPv6 in malaysia

The Internet has evolved alot since the 1960s. No onewould have imagined that

a network once used by just a fewresearch institutions would one dayplay such a crucial part of every day

life.

However, the surge of theInternets popularity has led to aproblem: were running out of IPaddresses for everyone. The currentInternet addressing structure (IPv4) isexpected to be completely exhaustedby 2012. The question is, whathappens after that?

IpV6 To The reSCue

Every web presence onthe Internet has to have an IPaddress, typically something like62.128.193.35. But complicatedsequences of numbers like that arenot easily remembered, and so websiteIP addresses are generally assigneda proper name like http://www.sirim.com.my. When you type sirim.com.my into your web browser, theInternet will match that name with

the IP address it is registered underand then direct you to the home page.The Internet Assigned NumbersAuthority (IANA) delegates IPv6

block addresses to Regional InternetRegistries (RIR) around the world,but if we run out of IP addresses,there will be no more room for anymore websites on the Internet.

There is also an increasingnumber of devices that connect tothe Internet, all of which need anIP address to do so. These devicesinclude web servers, routers, mobiledevices and other communicationdevices. Digital TVs that connect tothe web also require IP addresses

Fortunately, Internet scientistshave known about this threat foryears, which is why they have beenhard at work creating a new Internet

addressing structure. Called InternetProtocol version 6 (IPv6), the newstructure with solve the addressshortage on the Internet with roomto grow. It will provide a total of 2128(about 3.4 x 1038) addresses comparedto just 232 (4 billion) addresses byIPv4, allowing everyone on planetearth to have as many as 5 x 1028(about 1095) addresses each.

MalaySIaS journey To IpV6

IPv6 was first defined in 1996by the Internet Engineering Task

Force (IETF) with the release ofRFC1883 specification. This wasreplaced by RFC2460 in 1998, whichis the one used currently. Since then,many other standards have emergedon routing, mobility, neighbour

discovery, multicasting, and IPv6 onlow power devices.

By the late 1990s, there were quitea few organisations experimentingwith IPv6 in Malaysia. Recognisingthe need to prepare the country for acomplete IPv6 rollout, however, theGovernment formed the NationalIPv6 Council in 2004 under thethen Ministry of Energy, Waterand Communications (MEWC).This was followed by the creation

of the National IPv6 Centre andthe inclusion of IPv6 as one ofthe key areas of infrastructuredevelopment under the MalaysianCommunications and MultimediaCommission (MCMC)sMyICMS886 blueprint.

To further accelerate the adoptionof IPv6 in Malaysia, the IPv6Working Group was formed in 2005under the Malaysian Technical

Standards Forum Bhd (MTSFB).This working group is comprisedof ISPs, research institutions, webhosting companies and several other

by Gopinath Rao SinniahChairman, MTSFB IPv6 Working Group.

Beiee it or ot, the Iteret is ruig out o spce. luciy or us,howeer, there is soutio: IP6.

CROWDEDInTERnET

a


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iPV6 in malaysia

organisations interested in the success

of IPv6. The goals of this workinggroup are:

To recommend technicalstandards for adoption inMalaysia

To promote the adoption ofIPv6

To recommend the migrationand deployment plan

To identify suitable contents

and applications which willaccelerate the deployment ofIPv6 networks

To create awareness amongprofessionals and the public byarranging seminars, workshops,exhibitions and releaseinformation on IPv6

The working group has beenactively involved in helping thegovernment to achieve the target ofbecoming an IPv6 nation by 2012.

It has also formulated guidelineson IPv6 Implementation andCompliance Tests for ISPs and thepublic. The guidelines are available

on MTSFBs website at http://www.

mtsfb.org.my.

The working group has alsodeveloped connectivity tests plansfor ISPs, which are to be executed inthree separate audits. In the first audit(Phase One, 2007), isolated networkswithin ISPs were successfully testedand audited with basic IPv6 support.In the second audit (Phase Two,2009), ISPs had to pass the IPv6Forum ISP logo programme anddemonstrate at least one peer for

global connectivity. All ten ISPs whoparticipated in this audit completed itsuccessfully.

The third and final audit (PhaseThree) wil l test the ISPs reach tocustomers and is currently underway(Q3 of 2010). In this phase, ISPs willbe required to provide basic IPv6services to customers.

The MCMC has been monitoring

the execution of these audits closelyand conducts regular checks on ISPsto ensure that they maintain theirIPv6-ready status. The Government

has also set a target of 10% of .my

domain names to be registered withIPv6 addresses by the end of 2010.

are we There yeT?

Even though the first RFC onIPv6 was published over ten yearsago, short term IPv4 fixes such asnetwork address translations (NAT)and proxies delayed the widespreadadoption of IPv6. These temporarysolutions only delay the use of IPv6

and complicate communicationwithin the Internet. We should notdepend on these solutions, and sincethe dawn of IPv6 is imminent, properplans must be made to make themigration smooth.

We have taken the necessary stepsof formulating various roadmapstowards IPv6, and these will helpus to get ready for a new era of theInternet. With the Governments

support and the preparation ofthe countrys ISPs, we will makeMalaysia an IPv6-ready nation by theyear 2012.

Why IPv6? Besides the large address space, IPv6 also provides better end-to-end communications, support for global mobility and multicasting, address

auto configurations at end devices, the mandatory use of IPSec and simplified packet forwarding. Realising the benefits of IPv6, some organisations

already enable their networks and applications to support IPv6. Almost all the operating systems, open source and licensed, support IPv6, while Google

and Facebook have already adopted IPv6 in their networks.

Video streaming/

multicasting

transPortationsensor netWorK/

traceaBilitY

Home aPPliance/

netWorK

iP telePHonY

e-goVernment

ipv6

Remote education,tele-health Disaster

monitoring forfloods, volcano

activity...

Remoteapplication of

passports

Efficientmanagement of taxis,

buses...

Search for availableparking

Intra and intercompany IP telephony

Track and monitorproduce from farms tostores

Energymanagement by

building automation

Monitoring homesremotely

Video, music, onlinegames...


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12 digital broadCasting

Recently, ASEAN nationsagreed to the InternationalTelecommunication Union

(ITU)s recommendation to migratetheir terrestrial broadcasting networksfrom Analogue to Digital from

2015 onwards. Malaysia is workingaggressively to meet this challengeand turn off analogue completely by2015. Broadcasters, regulatory bodiesand the industry in general have cometogether at the Malaysian TechnicalStandards Forum Bhd (MTSFB)industry forum to develop a receiverspecification which will not merelymove Malaysia from Analogue toDigital but at the same time open awhole array of new opportunities.

The obvious benefit of movingto digital is that Malaysia will saveits precious RF (radio frequency)spectrum. However there are manyother benefits to be had as well.Going digital will make it possiblefor Malaysians to receive HighDefinition (HD) broadcasts directlyto their TV set without the need forsetup boxes or subscriptions. Oncethe digital broadcast environment isclarified, all televisions compliant to

the Malaysian standard will featurea digital tuner and a MPEG4 videodecoder, eliminating the need forexternal devices. Hopefully the next

World Cup in Brazil wil l be viewedby Malaysians in HD on free-to-airterrestrial broadcast.

On the sound front, instead of juststereo audio, the new specification

provides for broadcasts in multi-channel audio coded in AC3 and HE-AAC, providing for highly-eff icientdelivery of high quality 5.1 audio tothe home.

TIMe-ShIfTIng

The big advantage of digitalbroadcast is the fact that the contentis already in a form which can becan be stored directly to a digital

storage medium like a hard drivefor later playback. Time-shifting isseen as a big game changing featuremade affordable by moving to digitalbroadcast. In Japan today, mosttelevisions are already sold with thecapability to add an external USBhard drive which turns the TV intoa Personal Video Recorder (PVR).This, in combination with theElectronic Program Guide (EPG),makes it a snap to record a program.

In terrestrial broadcast being ableto time-shift is going to be a key fieldleveller when it comes to competing

with satellite or cable pay TV. Dueto the limited spectrum, the numberof services available to terrestrialbroadcasts is limited compared todirect to home broadcast. However,with time shifting, the end user is

not restricted to just what is availablecurrently but also what has alreadybeen broadcasted in the past. Evenwith 15 or 20 services, having a backcatalogue of the content that oneis really interested in will provideviewers with a sufficiently wide rangeof entertainment.

opporTunITIeS

One of the big challenges will

be to roll out the infrastructure fordigital broadcasting. The originalplan called for a common integratedinfrastructure provider (CIIP). TheCIIP would receive centrally thefeed from the various broadcasters,multiplex and then retransmit thisthroughout the country. This willenable broadcasters to shift thelarge capital expenditure requiredto setup the digital transmissionnetwork to the CIIP and focus their

resources on their main businessof content creation and delivery.Interestingly, this also opens up thepossibility for newer niche players

my prts o the word redy ejoy ree-to-ir terrestri digit

brodcsts by oc Tv etwors. Whe wi it be mysis tur?

DIGITalDaWnby Muzafar Fakhruddin

Member, MTSFB Multimedia Terminal Working Group.


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s&Q | Vol.19, no.3, 2010

digital broadCasting

to enter the market to fill a void notyet covered by existing broadcasterswith little capital expenditure.Instead of having to build a networkof transmission towers, thesenew operators can merely rent acertain amount of bandwidth on thenational transmission grid. Anyonefor a channel dedicated to Korean orJapanese programming? Lets justhope that we do not end up with abunch of shopping channels.

The hyBrId reCeIVer

One of the big successes of theMTSFBs Multimedia TerminalWorking Group set up to deliberate

the receiver specification forMalaysias digital broadcast was itsability to bring together a diverserange of experiences into the forum.Through participation from industrymembers, the forum was able todevelop a cutting edge specificationthat is forward looking in natureas well as providing a platform forcreative minds to push the limits oftheir abilities.

In Europe, America and EastAsia, content consumption deviceslike televisions have now beenintegrated with a large range offeatures traditionally found on PCs.The movement from the study tothe living room is seen as a naturalprogression, as the PC is now beingused more and more for personalentertainment which is more suitedto a sofa position rather than an officechair. Ideally, the end user will wantto enjoy such content on a large screen

controlled by a remote on a nicecomfy couch.

The advantage that the TV hasover the PC does not end there.Since the TV is connected to thebroadcast via its internal tuner, itis able to link the content on thetuner to the broader internet space.The MTSFB working group hasthus recommended the inclusion ofthe latest interactive engine which

includes an IP connection (returnchannel) over which users candownload extended applicationsand content as well as stream audio

and video ala IPTV. We may soonbe watching YouTube reruns in ourliving rooms. Hence, the Malaysianreceiver will not just be a traditionaldigital receiver but a hybrid receiver.

The broadcasters could, forexample, provide a little pop-upwhile showing a trailer of upcomingmovies which allows the user to

start streaming immediately atwo-minute extended trailer viathe internet connection. Thepossibilities are endless, includingsome more profitable options likeproviding users with a one-key linkto a manufacturers site during thebroadcast of their advertisement.

CaTCh up TV

The hybrid receiver provides the

ideal platform to provide catch upTV services. Even in the relativelyslow broadband environment that wehave in Malaysia, the use of contentdelivery networks (CDN) will make itpossible for a much larger portion ofthe general Malaysian population tobe able to stream video via over-the-top delivery methods directly to theirTV.

In Europe and America, catch

up TV is so widely used that someestimates are indicating that by 2014the UKs internet traffic will consistof 90% video content.

ChallengeS

MTSFBs timely receiverspecification is just one step on a longjourney to convert Malaysia into adigital country, not least of which isthe high capital investment requiredto roll out the digital transmitters.The good news is that there areforeign companies interested in

making this investment, as I am surethey will be local ones as well.

If the experience of othercountries is anything to go by, thebiggest challenge will be to getMalaysians to switch to digitalreceivers. Due to the high cost ofsimultaneously broadcasting in bothanalogue and digital, Malaysia has setan aggressive target of just three yearsto go from Digital Switch On (DSO)to Analogue Switch Off (ASO). The

key to getting users to move acrossis content, but new features andconveniences like recording and willsupport the switch, too.

It is estimated that in 2011 66% ofHouseholds in Malaysia will still notown an LCD TV. The prices of theLCD TV in Malaysia have reacheda point that even a Bravia flat TVis now affordable to the majority ofthe population. Once the MTSFB

receiver specifications are fixed, mostTVs will come with an integratedDigital Tuner, providing a ready baseof receivers in the market.

Goodbye, analogue. Adrian Black, an amateur photographer on Flikr, took this sentimental photo of

his twenty-year old 5-inch portable TV while it picked up its last analogue signal on 12 June 2009. The

next day, the country switched to digital broadcasting and made all such televisions obsolete. Photo

credit: Adrian Black, on Flikr.


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14 software testing industry boom

THE

SOfTWaRETESTInG

BOOmP

erhaps somewhat predictably,software testing is emergingfrom the shadows in the IT

space to claim its rightful place inthe software development life cycle.

After all, so much of the world nowdepends on the correct operation ofsoftware systems, so it is unsurprisingthat todays global software testingmarket is growing so rapidly.

That said, it should be noted thatMalaysias software testing industryis still in its infancy. Nonetheless,the Malaysian Software TestingBoard (MSTB) is convinced thatit has the potential to grow. In factthis was the reason that the MSTB

was established: to lead the effort todevelop Malaysias software testingmarket.

According to Ovum Consulting,the worldwide market for computersoftware and systems testingservices is projected to be worthUSD56 billion by 2013 reflectinga CAGR of 9.5% from 2008 to2013. Unbelievably, this kind ofgrowth is faster than most other IT

services. Apart from its potentialeconomic contribution, however,software testing is also of strategicimportance to the country. This

does not mean just software systemsand applications, but also embeddedsoftware that goes into various hightech products.

Testing and certifications arehighly desirable to ensure productquality and can make softwareproducts more acceptable andcompetitive in the global market.Malaysias approach is therefore tocreate a sustainable ecosystem thatwill propel the software testingindustry to become a new thrustof the countrys economy withsignificant contribution to thenational GDP. The MSTB aims toturn Malaysia into a regional hub

and global destination of outsourcedsoftware testing services.

The MSTBs outsourcing modelis somewhat different from existingapproaches to software testing. Itdoes not sell human capital or skills.Instead, it sells values services,professionalism, processes andknowledge as well as facilities andtechnologies that customers cannotget anywhere else.

Compared to efforts elsewhere inthe world, this makes the MSTBsapproach rather unique as the board

itself is a private-public initiativethat enjoys the solid support ofand guidance from the EconomicPlanning Unit (EPU) with MOSTIand SIRIM acting as monitoring

agencies. However, the private sectortakes the lead in developing andrunning the programmes.

Indeed this is a prime exampleof a synergistic private-public sectorinitiative as prescribed by the 10thMalaysia Plan. The end resultis a win-win situation where theGovernment gets a new source ofrevenue growth while the industryends up with a lucrative market to dobusiness in. The rakyat meanwhile

wil l have a platform to achievehigher income in line with the NewEconomic Model.

Q laB

The Q Lab is one of the four keyelements identified as enablers for thecreation of a sustainable ecosystem ofMalaysias software testing industry.The MSTB set it up at a cost of

RM11 million, most of which wasspent on equipping the facilitywith state-of-the-art systems andequipment.

Sotwre testig is sti regrded s eergig ret i mysi,

but the mysi Sotwre Testig Bord is hopig to chge tht.


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software testing industry boom

Located in Puchong, Selangor theQ Lab offers a wide range of qualitytesting and related professionalservices including LaboratorySoftware Testing, Field Site SoftwareTesting, Product Certification,Laboratory Facilities Rental andConsultancy Services. All the testingand certification programmes arebased on the International SoftwareTesting Qualifications Board(ISTQB) syllabus, which are builtupon the best practices and collectivetesting knowledge contributed by thetesting practitioners worldwide.

The certifications offered byMSTB include Certified TesterFoundation Level (CTFL) and

Certified Tester Advanced Level(CTAL). These are recognised in allmember countries of ISTQB. Unlikesome other professional certificationsthere is no requirement to renew onescertification as it is for a lifetime(software does not degrade over time,after all).

Apart from the Q Lab, otherkey components of the MSTBsservices are the Q Capability (Q

Cap) programme, which is designedto produce internationally recognisedprofessionals and experts, and the Q Industrial Development programme,which creates awareness on theoverall initiative. The Q Portal is anonline gateway to information on

software testing development andadvances in the industry.

More profeSSIonalS,pleaSe

What the industry needs now,however, is more certified testers.

Under the Q Cap programme,the MSTB adopts a two-prongedapproach to rapidly increasingthe number of certified testers inthe country: first, it encouragesworking professionals to go for

certification; and second, it workswith local universities on professionalcertification programmes forqualified f inal year students.

The MSTB has kick-started itsrecruitment drive with the long term

goal of ensuring that local businessesand institutions meet global standardsand sustainable prospects. Theorganisations forward-thinkingculture will distinguish it in thefast-paced industry by adopting newbenchmarks, particularly on ourhuman resource front.

Its certifications programmesfor working professionals have beenrunning for quite a while, and it hasmanaged to increase the number ofcertified testers from 90 in 2008 to600 in 2010. The MSTB aims tohave 10,000 certified testers in thecountry by 2015.

However, the pool of working

professionals is not large enough toachieve this lofty goal. As such, theMSTB is approaching universitiesand engaging potential final yearstudents to consider software testingas a career option. Universiti TenagaNational in particular has been veryfarsighted in this regard, and becamethe first to sign up for the MSTBsprogramme. It is hoped that otheruniversities may soon follow itsexample, and help the nation take

advantage of this terrific economicand strategic opportunity.

1998 2001 2002 2003 2004 2007 2010

ISEB(InformationSystems

ExaminationBoard,partof

theBritishComputerSociety)

developstheCertifed Tester

Syllabus.TherstSoftware

Testersarecertiedin1998.

TheGerman Testing Board

isfounded.Itdevelopsthe

GermanlanguageCertied

Testersyllabusaccording

totheISEBidealandalso

takesGermanstandards

(e.g.DIN)intoaccount.

Therstcerticationemergesin ASQF-Certifed

Tester (AD v1.0)(ArbeitskreisSoftware-Qualitat

andFortbildunge.V.=WorkingGroupforSoftware

QualityandTraining)inGerman-speakingcountries.

TheISTQB (InternationalSoftwareTesting

QualicationsBoard),theSwissTestingBoardand

theAustrianTestingBoardarealsofoundedthisyear.

Thesyllabusforthe

Advanced Level

iscompleted.The

MalaysianSoftware

TestingBoardwas

incorporatedinthe

sameyear.

Firstexamsforthe

ISTQB Certifed-

Tester Advanced

Levelareheld.The

numberofnational

TestingBoards

climbsto14.

Thenumberof

nationalTesting

Boardsclimbsto36.

Discussionsbegin

fortheExpert

Levelsyllabus.

Morethan130,000

CertiedTesters

acrosstheworld.

Timeline of the International Software Testing Qualifications Board.

MSTB is

supported bythe EPU withMOSTI andSIRIM acting

as a monitoringagency.

Adapted from Tapping into theSoftware Testing Market, byMior Azhar (Malaysian Business,July 2010). Used with permission.


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s&Q | Vol.19, no.3, 2010

16 software Validation

lEGal SOfTWaRE

ExamInaTIOnHow etroogists protect cosuersby idtig the sotwre iesurig deices.

by Abdul Rashid B. Hj. Zainal AbidinSenior General Manager, National Metrology Laboratory.

All over the world, consumer-related measuring

instruments such as fueldispensers, taximeters, weighinginstruments and utility meters aresubject to legal regulations. InMalaysia, for example, all thesetypes of instruments are subject toregular verification as prescribed bythe Weights and Measures Act 1972.This kind of legal control falls undera branch of metrology known as legalmetrology.

One of the main objectivesof legal metrology is to protectconsumers from unfair trading orfraud due to incorrect or manipulatedmeasurement instruments.Unfortunately, this is gettingincreasingly challenging, becausethe days of mechanically-powered,spring-load devices seem to be behindus. The world is moving into an era ofcompact measuring instruments withembedded computer chips, and it isoften hard to tell whether a deviation

in measurement data is caused by themeasuring mechanism itself, or somefault of the software running on thedevice.

Software examinations in legalmetrology differ from those carriedout in other areas in several respects.In the OIML D 31 InternationalDocument, the International LegalMetrology Organisation specifiesthe general requirements applicable

to software-related functionalityin measuring instruments andgives guidance for verifying thecompliance of an instrument with

these requirements. Meanwhile,the European cooperation in legal

metrology, WELMEC, has alsopublished a Software Guide tocomply with Measuring InstrumentsDirective 2004/22/EC.

WELMEC considers two typesof software environments:

1) Basic Requirements forEmbedded Software in aBuilt-for-purpose MeasuringInstrument (Type P), and

2) Basic Requirements for Softwareof Measuring Instruments usinga Universal Computer (Type U)

In addition, WELMEC alsosets software requirements for the

following elements:

3) Long-term Storage ofMeasurement Data

4) Transmission of MeasurementData via CommunicationNetworks

5) Software Separation6) Download of Legally Relevant

Software

The main objectives of thesoftware examinations are to preventunauthorised changes of the programcode, type and device specificparameters and measurement data.Besides meeting certain hardwarerequirements, pattern approvedinstruments must conform with thesoftware as specified in the patternapproval document.

These are very good requirements,and there is increasing international

harmonisation of legal regulationsand test procedures. All this has aneffect on the software examinationsperformed by various pattern approvalbodies. As a result, uniform andobjective software examinationis required to satisfy tradingpartners. Malaysia is no exceptionin this regard, and the NationalMeasurement Standards Laboratory(NMSL) is developing ways to findappropriate solutions to support local

regulatory agencies. With all thesemeasures in place, it is hoped that wewil l be able to stay ahead of softwaretamperers.

False print? Fingerprint recognition softwareis among the likeliest software to be at risk of

tampering, along with face recognition software,

security system software and software used in

second-hand luxury automobiles.


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s&Q | Vol.19, no.3, 2010

south east asias first wmax testing laboratory

TakInG Wimax TO

SOUTH EaST aSIa

Recently, SIRIM QASInternational became partof an elite group of testing

bodies that offer independent

WiMAX testing services as part ofits efforts to cater to the expandingneeds of the communications sector.The testing laboratory is located atTechnology Park Malaysia and is theonly independent WiMAX testinglaboratory in South East Asia.

WiMAX (WorldwideInteroperability for MicrowaveAccess) testing validates thecompliance and interoperabilityof broadband wireless products

based upon harmonised IEEE802.16 standard. The laboratory isable to perform measurement for

all WiMAX profiles (2.3GHz,2.5GHz and 3.5GHz). SIRIM QASInternational can test WiMAXsubscriber devices and base stations

during the product development stageor prior to the product undergoingWiMAX Forum Certif ication.

WiMAX product developersand manufacturers can significantlyreduce product development cost

and time by validating productconformance to standards throughthe services provided by SIRIMQAS International. SIRIM QAS

International is also a PrincipalMember of the WiMAX Forumfrom which it is currently seekingaccreditation. This is a pre-requisiteto becoming a WiMAX ForumDesignated Certification Laboratory(WFDCL).

SIRIm QaS Itertio tes edig roe i the deeopet o

Wimax serices by estbishigSouth Est asis irst idepedet

Wimax testig bortory.

Test Description

Protocol Conformace Testing(PCT)

Assesses compliance to the MAC layer, including theSecurity Sublayer, the Media Access Control CommonPart Sublayer, and the Service-Specifc ConvergenceSublayer.

Radio Conformance Testing(RCT)

Covers the Radio Frequency and Physical Layeraspects o interoperability and conormance testing omobile station and base station.

Radiated Performance Testing(RPT)

Provides PHY-layer metrics to determine over-the-airradio perormance o subscriber stations (but not basestations), during normal operations, in the presence onear-feld impairments due to objects (head, hands,

desktop) typically ound near the device.Network Conformance Testing(NCT)

Tests conormance above the MAC layer to testInternet Protocol (IP) layer signalling and messaging toand rom the subscriber device.

Table 1: The WiMAX testing services offered by SIRIM QAS Internationals WiMAX Testing Laboratory.

Testing in progress A WiMAX PC card being

tested in the RF testing chamber at SIRIM QAS

International.


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s&Q | Vol.19, no.3, 2010

18 new CertifiCation label

The MalaysianCommunications andMultimedia Commission

(MCMC) has released the newcertification label designed forcommunication and multimediaequipment. Launched by YBhg. TanSri Khalid bin Ramli, Chairman,

the new certification label went intoeffect on 16 August 2010.

The new certification label comeswith enhanced security features and anew numbering system. It will replacethe existing label design which hasbeen used since 2001 and will alsofeature the name of the regulator,MCMC. The application, processingand approval of the new certificationlabel will be made through the

EMAS online application system(Electronic and Mobile AccessSystem). Despite the additionalsecurity features incorporated in thelabel and SIRIM QAS Internationalssubstantial investment in developingEMAS, the label fees will remain thesame.

With the introduction of thenew certification label, SIRIMQAS International will also beimplementing the CommunicationLabel Rebate Program (CLRP).CLRP is part of SIRIM QASsefforts to encourage the usage ofcertification labels on certified

equipment and is our way ofshowing our appreciation to ourregular customers. Under theCLRP, customers will enjoy aRM1,000 rebate once the purchaseof certification labels reaches 500,000pieces. The rebate is redeemable onthe next purchase of a certificationlabel via EMAS and is valid for 6months from the date of entitlement.

The main objective of the new

certification label is to counter theproliferation of imitation labels.Consumers will also be able todifferentiate whether the equipmentis a new one or an old stock. Inaddition, EMAS can also provideinformation on the legal status of theequipment and validity status of the

certification label via SMS. With theSMS service, consumers will also beable to check whether the equipmentis certified or not and this will helpto reduce the sale of illegal or non-standard equipment in the market.This measure will also preventMalaysia from becoming a dumpingground for illegal equipment.

The certification label shallbe affixed on communication andmultimedia equipment whichhas undergone the certificationprogram (Type (Compliance)Approval or Special Approval) andhas complied with the TechnicalSpecification/ Standard set out byMCMC. The certification andaffixing of certification labels oncommunications equipment are

mandatory requirements as stipulatedin the Communications andMultimedia (Technical Standards)Regulation 2000.

SPEakInG Of laBElSThe ew certiictio be or couictio d utiedi

equipet goes ito eect.

The new certification label must be affixed on

communications equipment.

YBhg. Tan Sri Khalid bin Ramli, Chairman, Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission

(MCMC) officiating the launch of the new certification label for communications equipment.


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s&Q | Vol.19, no.3, 2010

of interest

Carob tree, by starrynight1, Carobpods by Osvaldo Gago;

both on Flikr;.

all aBOUT THE CaRaT

Do you know...?

Carob beans have aspecial place in historybecause they were used

by ancient jewelers as practicalstandard weights. One carobseed was the smallest weight fora diamond and later the carobgave its name to the carat.

In modern times, themetric carat is a unit of mass

used for weighing preciousstones such as diamonds andfine pearls. In the past, thecarat had various equivalentweights in various countriesaround the world, but, in 1907,the General Conference ofWeights and Measures decidedthat the metric carat wouldfrom thenceforth be equalto 200 mg. This has helpedto harmonise the trading of

precious stones worldwide.It also means that a 22-caratdiamond weighs 4.4 g.

Contributed by the National Metrology Laboratory (NML). NML was appointed as the National Measurement Standards Laboratoryunder the National Measurement System Act 2007 (Act 675) with the responsibility or the establishment o national measurement standardsand provision o measurement traceability. NML is a signatory to the CIPM-MRA since 4 October 2001. It is also the Custodian oWeights and Measures under the Weights and Measures Act 1972 (Act 71).

So, WhatS MYWEDDING RINGREALLYWoRth?

Ifyouveeverwonderedwhetheryourweddingringreallycostsasmuchas

yourspousesaiditdid,hereshowyou

canndout:thecaratisalsousedas

ameasureofthepurityofgoldalloys.

IntheUnitedStatesandCanada,the

spellingkaratisused.Inthiscase,the

karatisaunitofproportionindicating

whatpartofanalloyispreciousmetal.

Pure,unalloyedgoldis24-karat;

12-karatgoldis50%gold.The

measureofpurityXofpreciousmetal

canthusbecalculatedasfollows:

where

Xisthepurityofthematerialincarat,

Mgisthemassofpuregoldor

platinuminthematerial;and

Mmisthetotalmassofthematerial.

Usingtheaboverelationship,a

22-caratgoldringmeansthatitis

madeupof91.67%puregold.The

samecalculationcanbedonefor

platinummaterials.

Anotherpopularuseofthecaratamong

goldjewelersisthemarking22/22K.

Thisisaqualitymarkwhichoriginates

fromIndia.Therst22signiesthe

skinpurity,thepurityofthetoplayer

ofthegoldjewelry,andthesecond22

signiesthataftermelting,thepurity

ofthegoldjewellerywillbe22-carat,

or91.67%ofpuregold.Thissystemis

notonlygoodforconsumerawareness

butalsoshowstheconsistencyinthe

qualityofthegold.

perfeCt fake

Thiscolorlesssyntheticdiamondfrom

ApolloDiamond,U.S.,hasthesame

atomicstructureasamineddiamond,

andisthereforeoptically,chemicallyand

physicallyidentical.ButApolloplansto

getthecostdowntoUSD10/caratwith

highvolumemanufacturing.

Thediamondsaregrownonecarbon

atomatatimeinacustomizedCVD

(chemicalvapordeposition)process.A

perfectseedcrystalstartstheprocess

(overtime,Apollohasenlargedthe

seedtowaferscale).Theseedis

placedinamicrowavechamberwith

ahydrogen-and-methaneplasmaand

heatedto1300degrees.Thisrains

reactivecarbondownontotheseed,

allowingittogrowatroughlyonecarat

every12hours.

Photo

and

textby

Steve

Jurvetson,

on

Flikr.

JadesEngagementRing,

byTobyKeller,onFlikr.


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s&Q | Vol.19, no.3, 2010

20 announCements

annOUnCEmEnTSupdates on sirim qas international certification

updates on malaysian standards (ms)

please refer to these websites for current information

on product and management system certifications.

thESE WEbSItES coNtaIN up-to-DatE INfoRMatIoN oN MalaYSIaN StaNDaRDS (MS)

MS Development Structure:

http://smsonline.sirim.my

http://smsonline.sirim.my/FMainISC.jsp

http://smsonline.sirim.my/FMainISC_ENC.jsp

Industry Standards Committees (ISCs) managed by SIRIM Berhad. Currently,there are 23 ISCs ranging from ISC A on Agriculture to ISC Z on Environmental

Management. You can also find the list of the Technical Committees (TCs)

and Working Groups (WGs) established under each of the ISCs. Just click

on each of the committees to get the information on their scope and member

organisations as well as the list of MS developed by the committee.

Also available here is information on Standards Writing Organisations (SWO),

the organisations appointed by SIRIM Berhad to undertake and manage

standards development within a specific scope.

www.malaysiancertified.com.my

www.sirim-qas.com.my

Contact: Azlina Dzulkifli /Shuana Mohd Aris

Phone: +603 5544 6809 /6822

E-mail: [email protected]@sirim.my

Get the list of MS approved by the Minister, the list of projects approved by

Industry Standards Committees (ISC) for development of MS and draft MS

available for public comment. Draft MS for public comment can be downloaded

from this page at no charge. Additionally, draft MS which are adopted in total

from International Standards are available at the charges indicated. Hardcopies

of these draft standards can also be obtained from:

SIRIM Berhad,

P.O. Box 7035,

40911 Shah Alam, Selangor.

(Attn: Standards Research and Management Centre)

Tel: 603 5544 6366; Fax: 603 5510 6389

E-mail: [email protected]

Recently approved MS:http://www.sirim.my/std_dev/latest.doc

Be among the first to get the latest

information on the newly approved

Malaysian Standards with this list of

recently approved MS.

All the information you need

about the stages of MS

development, from request

until final publication.

MS Development Processhttp://www.sirim.my/std_dev/ms_flow/processflow.htm

The MS Online system provides users with an easy and secure way to view,

purchase and download full MS texts online. Payments may be made by creditcard. The system also features advanced functions and allows you to search by

MS number, Title, Subject, Year and/or by keywords.

MS Onlinehttp://www.msonline.gov.my

Approved MS, projects and drafts for

public comment:

http://www.sirim.my/std_dev/h4_01.htm


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