The University of New Hampshire InterOperability Laboratory (UNH-IOL), provider of broad-based testing and standards conformance services for the networking industry, announced on Tuesday its collaborative efforts with NetSecOPEN, a nonprofit, membership-based industry group focused on network security, to provide performance testing for the NetSecOPEN Certification Program.
Unlike proprietary testing methods, NetSecOPEN aims to create open and transparent testing standards that help network operators better understand the reported performance and security of the devices they use to protect networks, such as next generation firewalls.
Enterprises are heavily vested in assured network security and looking to hardware and software vendors to develop and deliver products that provide certified reporting for performance and security with a clear understanding of what that entails. The NetSecOPEN Certification Program represents a dedicated effort to work with industry and others to create well-defined, open and transparent testing standards that reflect the security needs of the real world.
The UNH-IOL is dedicated to being the world’s premier data networking resource. Beginning in 1988, the UNH-IOL has built a multimillion-dollar testbed and developed testing solutions to help companies efficiently and cost effectively deliver products to market. UNH-IOL’s services fit the needs of the market, while maintaining broad, comprehensive interoperability and conformance testing of networking, data, telecommunications, and storage products. The industry relies on UNH-IOL’s extensive staff experience, standards-bodies participation, 28,000+ square foot facility, and 100+ students who represent the future interoperability testing and verification.
The UNH-IOL Firewall Testing Services have been designed to improve validity, robustness, and interoperability of independent testing on firewall and security devices and protocols. Membership of this testing service will help establish a robust testing infrastructure to enable products to be tested for compliance to profile requirements and for interoperability for USGv6 and contribute to a transparent benchmarking methodology for next generation firewalls for the NetSecOPEN initiative.
“Because performance testing for security is often done in closed environments, there can be confusion among implementers and users about exactly what is being tested and the meaning of that testing,” said Timothy Winters, UNH-IOL senior executive, Software and IP Networking. “As a member of NetSecOPEN, and one of the few labs offering testing for its certification program, the UNH-IOL is uniquely positioned to not only provide greater transparency and meaning to security testing for industry stakeholders, but also to help shape the open standards being developed by NetSecOPEN.”
“Enterprises, service providers and equipment manufacturers have long been asking for a security performance standard that is fair, unbiased and open,” Brian Monkman, board member of NetSecOPEN. “Our collaboration with industry experts and labs like UNH-IOL addresses this need, and we welcome participation from other major stakeholders to test new practices and methodologies for security device performance.”
