Overview
ISO/IEC 9646-7:1995 - "Information technology - Open Systems Interconnection - Conformance testing methodology and framework - Part 7: Implementation Conformance Statements" defines how to create and use Implementation Conformance Statements (ICSs) and System Conformance Statements (SCSs) for OSI specifications. It specifies the structure, the questions to be asked, the syntax/notation and the semantics of questions and expected answers for ICS proformas, ICS templates and profile Requirements Lists (RLs). This part of the ISO/IEC 9646 series supports conformance testing by describing the information suppliers must provide to show which protocol/profile features an implementation supports.
Key topics and requirements
- Scope and purpose: Guidance on ICSs/SCSs related to OSI specifications; requirements for producing ICS proformas, templates and profile RLs.
- Structure and notation: Prescribes the structure of ICS proformas and the exact syntax, status values and support answers to be used so conformance information is unambiguous.
- Questionnaire model: ICS proformas are questionnaire/check‑list forms covering mandatory, optional and conditional features, PDUs, timers, parameters and other capabilities identified in OSI specs.
- Profile handling: Rules for combining base specification ICSs with profile‑specific ICS proformas and for producing profile Requirements Lists (RLs).
- Relation to testing: Defines how ICS/SCS data relate to Abstract Test Suites (ATS) and conformance assessment outputs.
- Annex guidance: Includes annexes with detailed interpretation of status values and support answers, examples of PICS/RL tables, IXIT guidance, multi‑specification dependency handling and information object ICSs.
- No single generic template: Because OSI specifications vary, the standard sets general requirements rather than a single universal ICS template.
Applications
- Creating standardized ICS proformas and profile RLs that suppliers complete to declare implemented features.
- Supporting conformance testing and test-reporting workflows (PICS, PCTR, SCTR).
- Informing test laboratories and conformance assessors so test cases map unambiguously to declared functionality.
- Documenting feature-level support of PDUs, timers, parameters and negotiation/error handling options.
- Integrating with Abstract Test Suites (TTCN-based ATS) and profile test specifications.
Who should use this standard
- Protocol and profile authors and standards bodies producing OSI specifications.
- Implementors and suppliers completing ICSs/PICS for products.
- Conformance test laboratories and accreditation bodies.
- Test-suite developers and systems integrators who need precise implementation declarations.
- Organizations preparing documentation for profile-based interoperability testing.
Related standards
- ISO/IEC 9646 (Parts 1–6) - general conformance testing framework, ATS, TTCN, test realization, test lab requirements, profile test specs.
- ISO/IEC 10165-6 and ISO/IEC TR 10000-1 - related guidance on management information and profile frameworks.
- Published in parallel as ITU‑T Recommendation X.296 (non‑identical text).
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