Communications News articles from April 2003

Communications News archives from April 2003

Filling in the blanks. (Editor's Note).(Editorial)
April 1, 2003... Editors always like to receive letters or e-mails from their readers-almost. While sometimes those messages essentially say we're nincompoops, and make us cringe if the reader happens to be on target about an egregious error in print,...

Enterprises work on their WANs. (Trends).(Butler Manufacturing, Advantek, Universal Health Services)
April 1, 2003... Improving WAN performance has become a critical aspect of distributed enterprises. Whether branch offices or partners are-across town or on another continent, end-users are searching for, and finding, solutions that improve their long-distance...

Testing keeps brown movin': UPS builds close data ties with customers for moving packages and information. .(United Parcel Service)
April 1, 2003... UPS is more than just the brown truck. True, UPS shipped 3.4 billion packages and documents last year, moving at a rate of 13.6 million documents and packages each day. Even so, that number pales in comparison to the number of package tracking...

The rise of the `interprise' network: audit four key application traffic-management elements. (Special focus: testing & monitoring).(quality-of-service criterion)
April 1, 2003... The Internet's effect on enterprise networks has been profound, enabling businesses to extend their online reach to customers, partners and suppliers with unprecedented efficiency. Concurrently, corporate LANs and intranets have seen...

Buyers guide. (Special focus: testing and monitoring).(Directory)(Buyers Guide)
April 1, 2003... The first portion of this Enterprise Network Testing and Monitoring Buyers Guide, the Product Guide, lists the various products in this category, and the companies that make those products. The second section, the Company Guide, provides phone...

Secure the network the same as a home: basic rules apply to keeping unwanted visitors out of prized possessions at home and at work. (Wireless).(Industry Overview)
April 1, 2003... Imagine a home, filled with prized possessions. All of the windows are open, and all the doors are unlocked. The owner then announces on a bullhorn that his domain is wide open and invites anyone to come in and go through those prized...

Expandable UPS system. (Networld+Interop, Spring 2003).(Tripp Lite's SU1500RTXL2U)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Booth 4041 The SU1500RTXL2U combines true online, double-conversion technology, remote manageability and installation flexibility to provide clean, reliable power to sensitive IT and telecom equipment. The unit provides 1,500 VA of battery...

Advanced backup software. (Networld+Interop, Spring 2003).(Computer Associates' BrightStor ARCserve Backup for Windows 9.0)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Booth 5451 Version 9.0 of BrightStor ARCserve Backup for Windows features ease-of-use, reliability and performance. Customers can plug in separately offered options and agents to develop a customized, distributed solution regardless of...

Converged communications. (Networld+Interop, Spring 2003).(Cisco Systems' Unity 4.0)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Booth 5969 Unity 4.0 provides advanced, convergence-based communication services and integrates them with desktop applications. Designed for Lotus Domino and Microsoft Exchange environments, the solution provides unified-messaging...

Security platform. (Networld+Interop, Spring 2003).(Advantech Network Computing's FWA-660)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Booth 5720 Suitable for remote and small to midsize offices, the FWA-660 is a compact Internet security platform that is designed for Internet-secure connectivity. The system has room for a slim-type 2.5" IDE hard disk, and also supports...

Policy-based networking. (Networld+Interop, Spring 2003).(Allot Communications' NetEnforcer AC-802)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Booth 5921 The NetEnforcer AC-802 links business polices to specific network actions that improve and control users' productivity and satisfaction. Supporting a bandwidth throughput of 250 Mbps to 310 Mbps, 128,000 simultaneous connections...

Secure high-speed wireless. (Networld+Interop, Spring 2003).(SMC Networks' EZ Connect G 2.4GHz 54-Mbps Wireless CardBus Adapter )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Booth 6499 The EZ Connect G 2.4GHz 54-Mbps Wireless CardBus Adapter supports both 64/128-bit WEP encryption and the new Wi-Fi Protected Access with 802.1 x user authentication. To simplify use in multiple environments, profile-management...

Analog KVM switch. (Product spotlight: KVM administration).(Avocent's AMX5010 )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Booth 5739 The high-density AMX5010 analog matrix KVM switch provides centralized control of hundreds of servers. Each matrix switch provides server access from a single point, or simultaneous access for as many as 16 users throughout a...

Scalable KVM system. (Product spotlight: KVM administration).(Rose Electronics' UltraMatrix 16X KVM switch)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Booth 6637 Capable of handling video resolutions up to 1,600 x 1,280 and distances of up to 100 feet, the UltraMatrix 16X KVM switch offers the ability to connect up to 16 non-blocking connections between keyboards, monitors and mice to as...

Intrusion detection. (Product preview: networld+interop).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Booth 4793 For deployment in mission-critical, high-performance networks, the Gigabit Ethernet-enabled version of the IDP 500 performs intrusion detection and prevention. The solution is capable of detecting computer-network and software...

Wireless device gateway. (Product preview: networld+interop).(Intermec Technologies' G4000 Server Appliance)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Booth 6643 Developed for industrial, warehousing, field service, retail and transportation markets, the G4000 Server Appliance and Browser Gateway software allow networks using mobile computers and other hardware to move seamlessly to...

Optical channel switch. (Product preview: networld+interop).(EXFO's FTB 9310 Channel Selector )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Booth 6427 Intended for commissioning and lighting channels in dense wavelength-division multiplexing (DWDM) networks, the FTB 9310 Channel Selector enables non-intrusive, low-loss and high-isolation channel filtering. Typically used with...

Compact fiber conversion. (Product spotlight: media conversion).(IMC Networks' MiniMc TP-TX/FX)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Booth 4535 The MiniMc TP-TX/FX is a versatile, low-cost converter featuring 10/100 auto-negotiation and plug-and-play operation. The device enables network managers to connect both 10-Mbps and 100-Mbps twisted-pair network segments to...

Conversion and tap. (Product spotlight: media conversion).(Transition Networks)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Booth 4005 The 10/100/1000 Copper to Fiber Converter allows network managers to migrate from 10/100 networks to Gigabit Ethernet in stages, allowing Gigabit-only switches to be connected to existing 10/100 networks. The media converter's...

SSL traffic analysis. (Product preview: networld+interop).(Array Networks)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Booth 4305 Improve and simplify enterprise network security with an Array SP (version 6) integrated security platform. To secure all inbound and outbound Web traffic, the platform uses a suite of network-security and Web-optimization...

Keep equipment cooler. (Product preview: networld+interop).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Booth 5935 The Enclosure Blower lowers datacom cabinet operating temperatures up to 10[degrees]F over conventional cooling solutions by channeling raised-floor, cooling-system air to within the cabinet. Lightweight and easily installed,...

Flexible access point. (Product preview: networld+interop).(Hewlett Packard's ProCurve Wireless Enterprise Access Point 520wl )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Booth 5485 With support for up to 250 wireless clients per radio slot, the ProCurve Wireless Enterprise Access Point 520wl provides easy network access for mobile users or for hard-to-wire locations, such as conference rooms. The access...

Security appliance. (Product preview: networld+interop).(ServGate Technologies' EdgeForce Plus)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Booth 4215 Tailored for enterprises that rely on secure site-to-site and remote-access connectivity, the EdgeForce Plus is a three-port security appliance that integrates firewall, VPN, virus scanning, URL filtering and Web-caching...

Enterprise storage solution. (Product preview: networld+interop).(Sony Data Systems' SAIT-1 drive)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Booth 4257 Storing up to 1.3 TB of compressed data (500 GB uncompressed) on a single half-inch tape cartridge, the high-capacity SAIT-1 drive combines the data density advantages of helical-scan recording with the longer and wider tape...

Portable cooling. (Product preview: networld+interop).(MovinCool's Office Pro 18 portable air conditioner)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Booth 4433 The Office Pro 18 portable air conditioner provides maximum spot air conditioning from a standard 115-V power source, cooling heat-sensitive office systems and protecting against the loss of data. The self-contained, portable...

VPN appliance. (Product preview: networld+interop).(Aventail's EX-1500 SSL VPN clientless appliance )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Booth 4413 Designed to handle the needs of large enterprises, the EX-1500 SSL VPN clientless appliance provides employees, partners and customers with secure, anywhere access to the Web and client/server applications. The solution provides...

Fiber plug. (Product preview: networld+interop).(3M's Volition VF-45 Field Mount Plug)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Booth 5131 The Volition VF-45 Field Mount Plug facilitates the use of consolidation-point designs and emergency-link restoration, and enables field-made, custom-length cable assemblies. The field-mount plug is designed for 50-[micro]m and...

Fiber provides Rocky Mountain high: wiring solution proves its worth through improvements in longevity and productivity. (Infrastructure).(Lakewood, Colorado)
April 1, 2003... Boris Naschansky, director of information technology for Lakewood, Colo., made a convincing business case for using a new low-cost fiber-optic LAN in two major projects. His approach is now showing results in terms of network speed and...

Six secrets of VoIP testing: preparation is the key to successful implementation. (The Bottom Line).
April 1, 2003... Plenty of vendors are selling good VoIP solutions, but the truth remains that the overwhelming majority of enterprise networks are not ready for VoIP. That does not mean you have to undertake a major overhaul of your LAN and WAN infrastructure...