NEBS (Network Equipment Building System)

NEBS is a set of technical requirements with one basic purpose: to make network switches bulletproof. The standard was developed internally at Bell Labs - and later, at Bellcore (now Telcordia Technologies) - in the days when it was the "deep think" part of the Bell Telephone system (and you thought it only helped bring us Unix!) Does it work? You bet.

http://www.networkworld.com/details/5901.html

http://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia_term/0,2542,t=NEBS+compliant&i=47722,00.asp

http://www.ce-mag.com/archive/03/03/nebs.html