World's Largest Multi-vendor MPLS Interoperability Test Successfully Completed

Mass. USA May 30, 2002--NetTest, a leading worldwide provider of testing, monitoring, management and optical component solutions for advanced and converged networks, today announced its successful completion of the world's largest multi-vendor MPLS interoperability test event. NetTest joined 20 major equipment vendors in testing and validating MPLS technology, applications and services. The event was sponsored and managed by the MPLS Forum. The tests ran over an RSVP-TE core and included Traffic Engineering using Explicit Routes, Layer 3 BGP/MPLS VPN tunnels(1) and Ethernet over MPLS tunnels(2).

NetTest will participate in a live public showcase of MPLS interoperability during SUPERCOMM 2002 at the MPLS Forum booth (Hall C2, booth #11559, Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta, June 4-6). A white paper discussing the test methodology as well as key findings from the interoperability test event will be made available to attendees who visit the MPLS Forum booth.

"NetTest is proud to participate in these events, and contribute its know-how and expertise to ensure equipment from various vendors work flawlessly when deployed on the same network," said David Nguyen, senior product manager. "Using our MPLS interEMULATOR to create, test and verify complex MPLS and MPLS/VPN topologies and to deliver tangible results, prove just how far real-life MPLS implementations have come since the formation of the IETF's MPLS Working Group in March 1997. The live interoperability MPLS showcase at SUPERCOMM will further demonstrate to the service provider community that MPLS is ready to be deployed for revenue."

The interoperability test event was facilitated by experienced laboratory test teams from the University of New Hampshire and NetWorld+Interop's iLabs. The staging facility for this event was NetWorld+Interop's Hot Stage Test Facility in Belmont, CA. Testing took place from April 15-24, 2002. The interoperability test specifications for the event were developed by the MPLS Forum's Interoperability Working Group.

About MPLS interEMULATOR

The MPLS interEMULATOR is a high scalable software package, operating on a Solaris workstation, that emulates large-scale complex MPLS networks, and enabling network engineers to test their network configuration and network equipment prior to deployment.

About NetTest

NetTest is a leading worldwide provider of testing, monitoring and management systems across both the optical and network layers of communications networks. NetTest provides network operators, network equipment manufacturers, component manufacturers and enterprise service providers with the network testing solutions they need. These solutions troubleshoot and optimize performance in today's most complex and hybrid networks, as well as those planned for tomorrow.

NetTest is represented through business centers in Denmark, USA, Canada and France, and through sales subsidiaries and distributors all over the world. NetTest's products are sold in over 70 countries. NetTest has a staff worldwide of approximately 1,500. NetTest is a wholly owned subsidiary of GN Great Nordic, a multi-billion dollar Danish communications company and one of Scandinavia's leading industrial companies.

For more information regarding NetTest's MPLS solutions please go to http://www.nettest.com/solutions/rd/rdls.php#5

(1) as per RFC 2547bis in PPVPN WG in the IETF (2) using targeted LDP sessions as defined in the `Martini' draft being discussed in the PWE3 WG in the IETF.