TANDBERG Removed from JITC LIST

[atragle]

Thread Removed

[Sean Lessman]

DOD UNIFIED CAPABILITIES APPROVED PRODUCTS
LIST REMOVAL PAGE (END OF LIFE CYCLE)

Aaron,

Is PLCM really this desperate?

TANDBERG was the first to pursue and obtain JITC certification and has held that certification for the last 3 years. PLCM just passed last year (HDX9000 and MGC only by the way) after years of trying to achieve what we have done.

You know very well that TANDBERG is in the final stages of JITC right now (DSN testing that is, we have IPv6 already on our full solution) to renew our certifications for the same products that were certifiied for the last 3 years. This is a normal renewal process. Apparently this scares PLCM so much they have to resort to these tactics.

I suppose we could just make up our certifications as PLCM did with the press release you posted (http://www.vtctalk.com/showthread.php?t=39120) -- I know JITC asked PLCM to change their press release to reflect reality and it appears you are just ignoring them, way to go. Instead, TANDBERG believes in providing the best and most secure solutions in the industry (not press releases) to the DoD which is probably why we own over 75% market share.

Aaron, this is really too bad, you had a better reputation than this over here at TANDBERG. Good luck with the tactics.

If anyone is really worried about this, feel free to contact me and will be happy to set the record straight and give you a status update.

Sean

[11B-33T]

Wow....:thumbdown....

[MARSOC_VTC]

If you look closely you see that there are specific firmware versions stated on that list, and guess what, they are old....very very old. Anyone who buys a Tandberg knows enough to buy a service contract, which includes firmware updates.

[atragle]

Thread Removed

[BasicITOne]

Aaron,

Is PLCM really this desperate?

TANDBERG was the first to pursue and obtain JITC certification and has held that certification for the last 3 years. PLCM just passed last year (HDX9000 and MGC only by the way) after years of trying to achieve what we have done.

You know very well that TANDBERG is in the final stages of JITC right now (DSN testing that is, we have IPv6 already on our full solution) to renew our certifications for the same products that were certifiied for the last 3 years. This is a normal renewal process. Apparently this scares PLCM so much they have to resort to these tactics.

I suppose we could just make up our certifications as PLCM did with the press release you posted (http://www.vtctalk.com/showthread.php?t=39120) -- I know JITC asked PLCM to change their press release to reflect reality and it appears you are just ignoring them, way to go. Instead, TANDBERG believes in providing the best and most secure solutions in the industry (not press releases) to the DoD which is probably why we own over 75% market share.

Aaron, this is really too bad, you had a better reputation than this over here at TANDBERG. Good luck with the tactics.

If anyone is really worried about this, feel free to contact me and will be happy to set the record straight and give you a status update.

Sean


I'm sure DISA never intended the JITC certification to be used as a marketing tool. Now any company with money, time and a sponsor can get their product tested and certified. With the duopoly of Tandberg and Polycom as far as JITC certification is concerned it comes down to who started the process first and was put on the schedule first. Polycom was able to get one of their codecs and the MGC on the list first. OK that is good but once Tandberg and everyone else is processed through the certification mill then what? Once every one is certified I hope they all have have real specifications and relavent technology to provide not just marketing the same cert everyone has or will have. Hopefully people don't buy a product based on that one requirement.

By the way if you read the JITC certification document for all certified CODECs including the Polycom HDX 9000 you will see some very key points that make the certification questionalble in most cases and should raise some questions of the value of the certification because it specifically excludes the IP interface from being certified and states that the serial interface is only certified when used with a IMUX on that is on the APL. And readers there are no IMUX's on the APL.

Quote from APL document [http://jitc.fhu.disa.mil/tssi/cert_pdfs/polycom_vtc_hdx9000.pdf] :

"....The SUT offers an International Telecommunication Union - Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T) H.323 interface; however, the ITU-T H.323 interface was not requested for testing by the sponsor and is therefore not certified or authorized for use with the DSN. The SUT meets the critical interoperability requirements for serial interfaces; however, the serial interfaces must connect to
an Integrated Access Switch (IAS) or Terminal Adapter (TA), which provides an inverse multiplex capability and a direct interface to the DSN. The SUT is certified with any IAS or TA on the DSN Approved Products List...."

[Sean Lessman]

I'm sure DISA never intended the JITC certification to be used as a marketing tool. Now any company with money, time and a sponsor can get their product tested and certified.

Correct on not being a marketing tool. However it is a little bit more than money and time. It is a pretty rigorous rest of the security and interoperability of your products. From TANDBERG's experience this testing along with our ICSA Labs testing of the GK, BC and VCS has provided a lot of very valuable feedback on how to make our products better.

Polycom was able to get one of their codecs and the MGC on the list first.

Actually TANDBERG had been on the list over the last 3 years. Polycom just made it on last year. This is why we are going through the recertify process as the certs are good for 3 years. Difference is we aren't putting out preliminary press releases trying to make it look like we passed already when we haven't.

OK that is good but once Tandberg and everyone else is processed through the certification mill then what?

These certs are more and more a mandatory requirement for deployment within the DoD, so it is actually a real need and not a marketing thing.

Hopefully people don't buy a product based on that one requirement.

It isn't the only reason why, but being a requirement, we as manufacturers must take it serious. If everyone has the cert, then the Federal customer can buy the right solution and not be forced to buy the product he doesn't want.

specifically excludes the IP interface from being certified and states that the serial interface is only certified when used with a IMUX on that is on the APL. And readers there are no IMUX's on the APL.

Correct, the current set of standards are based on certs for the H.320 network within DoD. The IP interface is tested as part of the tests, but is not certified for operations on the IP networks. There are other 'blessings' for that. JITC plans (from what I have been told) to offer certs for IP networks moving forward.

But you did bring up a good point, if your DoD network is IP only, this cert means nothing to you, and all are on common ground (for now until JITC starts with the IP certs).

Hope that helps on understanding the topic.

Sean

[Sean Lessman]

Aaron (and others),

The TANDBERG MXP and MPS have been recertified and approved for the APL. Give it a few weeks to for the web page to be updated as that is administrative work. If anyone out there is waiting for this information and needs this to go forward with purchases, feel free to send me an email.

Sean

[Dax]

Huy! Thanks for the information. Keep up the good work.