All programs should populate the System Under Test (SUT) Survey attached to the Joint Interoperability Test Plan (JITP) 3006 Appendix I for testing IBS systems. The SUT Survey identifies the system sponsorship information, format implementation, IBS integration, data exchanges, requirements documents, and various other information elements needed to plan for and conduct meaningful testing. The system sponsor must establish a formal test program with the JITC IBS-NS Test Support Action Officer via an accepted Plan of Actions and Milestones (POA&M).
All changes to system versioning require new Joint interoperability certification. However, not all changes to system versioning require new Joint interoperability tests. JITC must evaluate the given system's version changes to determine their specific and overall impact(s) to interoperability. The determined impact(s) will consequently determine the level of testing required: full testing required, limited regression testing required, or no test required. Joint interoperability certifications expire every four (4) years or upon changes to the system that affect interoperability.
Once formatting software has received a standards conformance certification, that version can be integrated into any system/platform indefinitely without requiring recertification for standards conformance. Standards Conformance certifications do not expire.
Answer: Generally, systems which integrate subcomponents that have been tested and certified for standards conformance and/or interoperability still require system interoperability certifications. This is due to the unique nature in which common subcomponents are used to support system-specific mission requirements. Integrated systems also often contain additional IBS processing nodes/software/subcomponents that have not been evaluated previously or with the tested/certified integrated subcomponents. In such cases, JITC will generally only evaluate the system-unique subcomponents and/or mission areas that have not already been tested and certified.
Answer: In accordance with Department of Defense Instruction (DoDI) 8330.01, all Information Technology (IT)/National Security System (NSS) require Joint interoperability certification, an Interim Certificate to Operate (ICTO), or an interoperability waiver prior to joining an operational network for other than test purposes. This regulatory direction does not discriminate between producer and consumer systems.
"End-to-end" means testing mission supportability and data integrity of a network from data source to end data user(s) in support of Universal Joint Task List (UJTL) mission satisfaction. This means that JITC will test all relevant nodes within the IBS network to ensure mission supportability is achieved/maintained throughout the affected data transit points and end user(s), even going beyond the immediate scope of the SUT as necessary. However, it is important to note that during end-to-end testing JITC is evaluating all affected areas, if a discrepancy is identified with an IBS node outside of the given system's architecture that system will not be held accountable for that given discrepancy.
Standards conformance test results are binary in nature, meaning the given system/software either does or does not meet applicable standards. Systems receive a standards conformance certification, regardless of findings, detailing the level to which the applicable standard(s) is met. JITC initially provides the system sponsor with a risk assessment for whether or not identified standards conformance discrepancies will likely impact mission supportability (i.e., interoperability) prior to conducting interoperability testing.
The Joint interoperability test determines the "so what" of mission supportability for decision makers. The interoperability cert will report user representative–determined operational impacts of any identified discrepancies. Operational impact categories (critical, moderate, minor, and other) are defined in further detail in the JITP 3006 Appendix I for testing IBS. Systems can achieve interoperability certification with identified discrepancies, depending on the determined level of operational impact (moderate or below). In such cases, the given system will likely carry conditions that restrict the operational use of the system relative to the identified discrepancy(s).
Programs retain the discretion to redress all identified discrepancies, whether standards conformance or interoperability, prior to receiving a subsequent regression test(s) and corresponding certifications.
JITC, as the DoD interoperability test agency, is reimbursable to the Service-level program sponsor. All costs for standards conformance and/or Joint interoperability testing must be assumed and provided by the Service sponsor to JITC via an accepted POAM and Military Interdepartmental Purchase Request (MIPR) as part of test program establishment with the command.
The program sponsor of the given system which has standards conformance requirements (e.g., the JTT PMO in the case of the JTT Family of Systems or the government sponsor for CMF processing software) is responsible for standards conformance testing and certification prior to fielding for integration into mission systems/platforms.
The integrating program sponsor of a given system/platform with Joint Staff-approved mission requirements is responsible for Joint interoperability testing and certification prior to joining an operational network for other than test purposes.
If a given system/platform integrates uncertified subcomponents with standards conformance requirements, the system sponsor will be required to obtain standards conformance certification for those respective subcomponents prior to/in conjunction with interoperability certification.