Spectracom's Netclock® NTP Server Demonstrates Network Time Protocol on IPV6 at MoonV6
The first public demonstration of network synchronization on the new internet standard proves interoperability with the DoD and industry leaders
Rochester, N.Y. - Spectracom Corporation, the leader in synchronizing critical operations, today announced a successful demonstration of its products on the world's largest network running the new version of Internet Protocol. The demonstration was part of the company's effort to support the federal government's deployment of Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) networks through its next-generation time servers.
The military is implementing IPv6 to support the future of network-centric warfare envisioned by a global information grid of interconnected sensors, platforms, and other network capabilities. The Department of Defense (DoD) has mandated IPv6 for all new networking equipment. All federal agencies must deploy IPv6 by 2008.
In March, Spectracom received IPv6 Phase 2 certification through the IPv6 Ready program. Spectracom is the only supplier in the product category to receive Phase 2 certification and one of only ten companies in the United States overall.
"We understand the needs of today's and tomorrow's mission critical network applications, so we believe it is important to participate in and support the testing and promotion of new standards such as IPv6," said Glenn Burdett, Spectracom's New Business Development Manager. "We are working with the University of New Hampshire's InterOperability Lab (UNH-IOL) and other industry leaders to ensure reliable operation." UNH-IOL is the official tester of IPv6 networking products for North America.
Last week, Spectracom participated in the largest IPv6 network demonstration at the Moonv6 Test Event, which was hosted by UNH-IOL in Durham, New Hampshire, from July 24 to August 4. UNH-IOL utilizes a wide area network (WAN) to connect multiple locations, including the DoD's Joint Interoperability Testing Command (JITC) in Fort Huachuca, Arizona. The focus of Moonv6 was to test and observe IPv6 technology that is currently being developed to support the next generation internet protocol.
"As implementations mature and proliferate, and applications emerge from the first stages of development, IPv6 interoperability testing will be increasingly important," said Erica Williamsen, Senior Manager, Software and Applications, UNH-IOL. "By facilitating the transition and adoption of the new protocol, the event mirrors the global mobilization around IPv6 and promotes a deeper understanding of the technology and its implications."
While tests and assessment analysis are continuing for IPv6 security, transition mechanisms, IPv6 routing, and DHCPv6, this was the first time network time synchronization was demonstrated over IPv6. Network Time Protocol (NTP) allows network devices and computers to synchronize their time clocks via an NTP server that maintains official universal coordinated time (UTC). It is particularly crucial for military networks so field operations are truly synchronized.
Spectracom's NetClock® Model 9283 provided network timing for other devices, such as routers and firewalls, via IPv6. In production networks, network administrators typically install NetClock products to synchronize their critical network devices both to synchronize all log files and to support security protocols that demand accurate timing, and to synchronize the data in their application servers and workstations. In addition to military applications, network time is critical for public safety, healthcare, and financial markets among others. The 9283 supports dual stack IPv4/IPv6 to support organizations transitioning to IPv6.
In addition to running NTP over IPv4 and IPv6, the NetClock Model 9283 was tested successfully for other IPv6 applications, such as DHCP6 and DNS.
About IPv6
Internet Protocol is the method by which data is sent from one computer to another over the Internet. Version 4 of the Internet Protocol (IPv4) has been in use for over 25 years. Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) is proposed to replace IPv4 to support the increase in addresses needed for the proliferation of network devices. Other advantages of IPv6 include improvements for security, mobile communications, quality of service, and system management.
About Spectracom Corporation
Spectracom Corporation designs, develops, and manufactures Legally Traceable Time® and frequency products that are used for Synchronizing Critical Operations(TM) in a wide variety of telecommunication and IP networks in the Public Safety, Enterprise, Telecom, and Government markets. Founded in 1972, Spectracom's worldwide headquarters is located in Rochester, New York. Spectracom is an ISO 9001:2000 registered company. For more information, visit www.spectracomcorp.com.
FOR MORE INFORMATION Contact:
Tim Klimasewski, Spectracom Corp.
Tel. 585-321-5853
