MECHANICSBURG, Pa.

Federal agencies will soon be required to buy only networking and IT products that meet specific Internet protocol version 6 compliance requirements as recommended by the Commerce Department’s National Institute of Standards and Technology. The requirements include product testing in an accredited third-party laboratory.

The goal of the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) USGv6 testing program is to ensure interoperability among all IT and networking components used to build, maintain and secure the IT infrastructure of federal agencies.

USGv6 Testing Program Tips

As an accredited third-party testing facility, ICSA Labs offers the following tips and guidance for vendors seeking to deliver USGv6-compliant products:

* Thoroughly review the USGv6 Testing Program User’s Guide, which explains all of the requirements and procedures.

* Federal agencies can procure IPv6 hardware and software only if it adheres to USGv6 Testing Program guidelines, as well as the individual agency’s network architecture requirements.
* IT suppliers should not assume their IPv6 products meet USGv6 Testing Program guidelines. These products must be evaluated by an accredited third-party test laboratory.

* Any product that contains an IPv6 component must be tested, including operating systems, routers, switches, firewalls, intrusion prevention and detection devices, Web application firewalls and unified threat management devices, as well as network-connected devices such as printers and fax machines.

“With the compliance deadline just a few months away, vendors that have not had their IPv6 products tested should start the process immediately,” said Guy Snyder, secure communications program manager, ICSA Labs. “As the first of two testing labs accredited under the USGv6 testing program managed by NIST, we can help product vendors fulfill this requirement.”

Moving to IPv6

In August 2005, the Office of Management and Budget directed NIST to develop a technical infrastructure of standards and testing necessary to support wide-scale adoption of IPv6 in U.S. government agencies, resulting in the USGv6 Testing Program.

NIST worked with several test labs and developers including ICSA Labs to create this program, which provides a procurement path for vendors to sell their products to the U.S. government. ICSA Labs became the first third-party laboratory accredited to test USGv6 product capabilities.