Analyst Daniel Pinkston said the reported test might be training for a future test but it could also just be a routine military exercise.

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Shares of optical networking component and test equipment provider JDSU are trading lower Thursday after Raymond James analyst Simon Leopold cut his rating on the stock to Market Perform from Outperform.

FORBES: JDSU: Raymond James Cuts Rating, Trims Ests After Rally

But HP is ahead in some areas, such as automated tools to test the quality of the customer's software, says IDC analyst Stephen Hendrick.

FORBES: OutFront

It could also spark a browser war, however, irritating corporate information-technology administrators who don't like the prospect of having to test and maintain competing browsers, says Tim Hickernell, associate lead research analyst with Info-Tech Research Group.

FORBES: The Web's Edge

"His test is the way he handles the establishment, " says Aijaz Gillani, a conservative analyst.

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One factor that could be contributing to the rise: a bullish analyst meeting yesterday by Agilent (A), which has a small business that makes network test equipment.

FORBES: JDSU: The Stock Market Has Optical Networking Fever

"Because the depth of the test is not known and the geology of the test site is uncertain, translating the seismic magnitude into yield is difficult, " said Acton, the Carnegie analyst.

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