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From: kwe@bu-cs.BU.EDU (kwe@buit1.bu.edu (Kent W. England))
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.lans
Subject: Re: Request for TCP/IP conformance test
Message-ID: <6695@bu-cs.BU.EDU>
Date: Fri, 17-Apr-87 15:52:22 EST
Article-I.D.: bu-cs.6695
Posted: Fri Apr 17 15:52:22 1987
Date-Received: Sun, 19-Apr-87 11:06:16 EST
References: <1105@edison.GE.COM>
Reply-To: kwe@buit13.UUCP (Kent England)
Organization: Boston Univ. Information Tech. Dept.
Lines: 33
Keywords: TCP/IP, conformance
Summary: There is none

In article <1105@edison.GE.COM> eac@edison.GE.COM (Beth Clark) writes:
>Is anyone familiar with a conformance test for TCP/IP similar to
>the ITI conformance tests for MAP?  Is there a way to know that
>you're really getting full, complete, correct, TCP/IP from a
>vendor?    Any info, hints, pointers, etc. would be appreciated.
>

The DoD tried to set up conformance testing for TCP/IP and gave up.  I
don't think anybody is doing conformance testing.  Your best bet on
verifying the performance of a vendor's TCP is to ask them for
references for sites with similar hardware and software and ask those
people how it works and what they have tested.  (Recall that only IP
and ICMP are mandatory, so a TCP could be called conformal with only
TCP/IP/ICMP)

If you have to be a pioneer, then get a demo and test it in a lab
environment or test it on your network.  You should get a minimum of
90 days to try it and line up cooperation from your people in advance.
Make a detailed list of things to test and try it.  Or if the vendors
don't buy that, make up a PO contigent on passing the conformance test
you spell out.  Don't pay the invoice until the test is completed.
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