Certification Definition and System
28.1.1. What is TQS Certification
TQS (TIENIPIA QUALIFIED STANDARD) certification is a proprietary technical quality certification standard defined internally by TIENIPIA. It is a system that officially verifies and assures code-level quality, security, and stability for software, hardware, and infrastructure.
The core concept of TQS certification is "code-level quality certification." While existing international certification systems (ISO 27001, ISMS-P, CMMI, etc.) focus on verifying organizational policies and processes, TQS directly verifies the actual implementation artifacts: source code, configuration files, build pipelines, and test coverage. This assures "substantive technical quality" rather than "compliance on paper."
TQS certification performs verification based on the following four core domains.
| Core Domain | Verification Scope |
|---|---|
| Security and Data Protection | Data encryption, access control, integrity verification |
| Performance and Stability | Response time, high availability, resource efficiency |
| Compatibility and Interoperability | Standard API specifications, platform independence, technology stack verification |
| Code Quality and Maintainability | Code conventions, test coverage, configuration management |
TQS certification goes beyond simple checklist compliance to systematically assure quality across the entire technical lifecycle of a project. Projects that obtain certification are officially recognized as meeting TIENIPIA's technical standards and are granted the right to use the TQS Mark.
TQS certification is operated by the TIENIPIA Technical Standards Committee (TQS Committee). The TQS Committee holds full authority over the establishment, revision, audit, issuance, and revocation of standards, and is responsible for ensuring the fairness and consistency of certification.
28.1.2. Certification System Structure
The TQS certification system is divided into three categories based on the characteristics of the verification target. Each category has independent verification criteria and checklists, and audits are conducted by specialized committee members in the respective domain.
28.1.2.1. TQS-S/W
TQS-S/W is the software certification category. Its verification targets include enterprise applications, backend services, internally developed libraries, and APIs.
The key verification items for TQS-S/W are as follows.
| Verification Domain | Detailed Items |
|---|---|
| Code Conventions | Formatter application status, naming rule compliance, package structure standardization |
| Framework Standards | Spring Boot configuration, Vue 3 Composition API adoption, component design rules |
| Testing | Unit test coverage (line 80% or above, branch 70% or above), test automation |
| Security | Input validation, authentication/authorization handling, secret management, dependency security scanning |
| Build and Deployment | CI/CD pipeline configuration, build tool settings, dependency management |
| API Design | RESTful rule compliance, standard error response format, API documentation |
TQS-S/W covers both backend and frontend, with separate detailed checklists applied to each domain. If a project includes only backend or frontend, only the corresponding domain's checklist is applied.
28.1.2.2. TQS-H/W
TQS-H/W is the hardware certification category. Its verification targets include physical equipment, servers, and network communication devices connected to the internal network.
The key verification items for TQS-H/W are as follows.
| Verification Domain | Detailed Items |
|---|---|
| Network Compatibility | Internal network protocol compliance, communication specification conformance |
| Security | Firmware security, physical access control, encrypted communication support |
| Stability | Failure recovery capability, redundancy configuration, durability test results |
| Compatibility | Integration feasibility with existing infrastructure, driver compatibility |
TQS-H/W certification verifies not only the physical specifications of equipment but also the quality of firmware and management software installed on the equipment. For firmware, a subset of TQS-S/W criteria is applied by analogy.
28.1.2.3. TQS-Infra
TQS-Infra is the infrastructure certification category. Its verification targets include data center (IDC) deployment environments, cloud storage, and media streaming architecture environments.
The key verification items for TQS-Infra are as follows.
| Verification Domain | Detailed Items |
|---|---|
| Availability | Single Point of Failure (SPOF) elimination, Failover configuration, uptime SLA |
| Security | Network isolation, firewall policies, access log management |
| Scalability | Horizontal scaling capability, auto-scaling configuration, resource monitoring |
| Deployment | Zero-downtime deployment strategy, rollback procedures, deployment automation level |
For TQS-Infra certification, when infrastructure is managed as code (IaC), the TQS-S/W criteria for configuration management and code quality are also applied to that code.
28.1.3. TQS Mark
The TQS Mark is the official certification mark awarded to products that pass the TQS certification audit. The TQS Mark serves to externally demonstrate that the product meets TIENIPIA's technical quality standards.
28.1.3.1. Meaning of the TQS Mark
A product bearing the TQS Mark signifies that the following have been officially verified.
- All mandatory verification items in the applicable category have been 100% satisfied.
- The code, configuration, and build pipeline conform to TQS standards.
- The product has passed the TQS Committee's technical audit.
- The certification is within its validity period.
The TQS Mark may be displayed on internal project documents, release notes, the corporate portal, and external technical presentation materials.
28.1.3.2. Mark Notation Format
The TQS Mark must be displayed in the following standard formats.
| Notation Element | Format | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Notation | TQS-[Category] Certified | TQS-S/W Certified |
| With Version | TQS-[Category] Certified v[Version] | TQS-S/W Certified v2.0 |
| With Grade | TQS-[Category] [Grade] Certified v[Version] | TQS-S/W Advanced Certified v2.0 |
| Full Certification | TQS Full Certified v[Version] | TQS Full Certified v2.0 |
The following rules must be observed when displaying the mark.
- The category name must use the official abbreviation (S/W, H/W, Infra).
- The version number must indicate the version of the certified project.
- The visual design of the TQS Mark (logo, colors, size) must follow the guidelines provided by the TQS Committee.
- If the certification expires or is revoked, use of the TQS Mark must be discontinued immediately.
28.1.3.3. Mark Usage Restrictions
Inappropriate use of the TQS Mark constitutes grounds for certification revocation. The following actions are prohibited.
- Using the mark beyond the certified scope (e.g., displaying "TQS Full Certified" when only TQS-S/W has been certified)
- Continuing to use the mark after certification expiration
- Arbitrarily modifying the design of the TQS Mark
- Using the TQS Mark on uncertified products
28.1.4. Certification Grades
TQS certification is divided into three grades based on the level of standard compliance. Grades are determined by the fulfillment ratio of mandatory and recommended items.
28.1.4.1. Grade System
| Grade | Mandatory Item Fulfillment | Recommended Item Fulfillment | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Certification | 100% | No restriction | Minimum certification criteria |
| Advanced Certification | 100% | 80% or above | Most recommended items satisfied |
| Premier Certification | 100% | 100% | All items fully satisfied |
Across all grades, 100% fulfillment of mandatory items is a prerequisite. If even one mandatory item is not met, certification will not be issued.
28.1.4.2. Standard Certification
Standard Certification is awarded to projects that satisfy all mandatory items of the TQS standard. It represents the minimum threshold for TQS certification, and this grade must be obtained to use the TQS Mark.
The core requirements for Standard Certification are as follows.
- All mandatory checklist items for the applicable category must be passed.
- The CI/CD pipeline must be functioning normally.
- Test coverage must meet the minimum criteria (line 80%, branch 70%).
- No vulnerabilities with a CVSS score of 7 or above must exist in security scans.
28.1.4.3. Advanced Certification
Advanced Certification is awarded to projects that, in addition to 100% fulfillment of mandatory items, satisfy 80% or more of the recommended items. Recommended items are not mandatory but consist of items that elevate the project's quality to the next level.
The additional requirements for Advanced Certification are as follows.
- A recommended item fulfillment rate of 80% or above must be achieved.
- A justification statement must be submitted for unmet recommended items.
- The recommended item fulfillment rate is calculated separately for each category.
Projects that obtain Advanced Certification may display the "Advanced" grade on the TQS Mark.
28.1.4.4. Premier Certification
Premier Certification is awarded to projects that satisfy 100% of both mandatory and recommended items. It is the highest grade of TQS certification, signifying that the project has achieved the highest level of technical quality in its category.
The additional requirements for Premier Certification are as follows.
- Both mandatory and recommended items must be 100% satisfied.
- An in-depth technical review by the TQS Committee must be additionally passed.
- Code quality metrics (complexity, duplication, etc.) must be at an excellent level.
Projects that obtain Premier Certification may display the "Premier" grade on the TQS Mark and are registered as internal technical best practice cases.
28.1.4.5. Grade Changes
Certification grades may change upon re-audit. Grade upgrades may be applied during renewal audits without additional audits, while grade downgrades occur when the recommended item fulfillment rate falls below the existing grade's threshold. Even if a grade is downgraded, Standard Certification status is maintained as long as the mandatory item fulfillment rate remains at 100%.