DURHAM, N.H. -- Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) today demonstrated that its security and content networking-performance tester is the first to validate firewall performance for VoIPv6 (Voice over Internet Protocol version 6). With the ability to emulate both voice and data applications simultaneously, Agilent's N4180A NetworkTester can identify and solve IPv6 implementation issues such as the ability of IPv6 networks to offer higher-quality voice services while carrying Web and e-mail traffic and blocking denial-of-service attacks.

Working with more than 20 major equipment vendors, network operators who convened for the Moonv6 IPv6 test event at the University of New Hampshire InterOperability Laboratory (UNH-IOL), as well as several branches of the U.S. military, Agilent was instrumental in testing interoperability and measuring the security and performance of IPv6 network equipment. The test equipment enables vendors and service providers to reduce IPv6 implementation time and increase confidence that IPv6 network security equipment is ready to carry voice traffic.

"We worked closely with Agilent using NetworkTester to validate the VoIPv6 capabilities of our market-leading VPN-1/FireWall-1 Next Generation with Application Intelligence," said Jonathan Appel, IPv6 project manager from Check Point Software Technologies, a leading provider of network security solutions. "Check Point's application-intelligence technology is critical to protect converging voice and data networks from security threats such as Internet worms and billing frauds."

At the Moonv6 event, the NetworkTester demonstrated the emulation of SIP and H.323 VoIP protocols at the same time as application protocols such as HTTP, SMTP, and POP3, allowing users to simulate IPv6-capable hosts and services running hundreds of thousands of real data transactions and voice calls per second.

"For the first time, manufacturers and service providers can emulate thousands of VoIP calls and Web applications simultaneously over IPv6, allowing the performance of data services on voice traffic to be measured under real-world conditions," said Dave Bass, vice president and general manager of Agilent's Data Networking Division. "By accelerating the development and deployment of IPv6 and IPv4 network security devices such as firewalls and VPN gateways, Agilent helps assure the security and quality of voice services over next-generation networks."

Agilent Technologies Inc.