Communications News articles from August 2003

Communications News archives from August 2003

2+2=5? (Editor's Note).
August 1, 2003... Ten years ago, I bought my first Mac. That 8-megabyte RAM, 80-megabyte hard drive machine was costly for the time but its speed and capabilities were astounding. Within a few months, however, I began to realize that 80 megs of storage was going...

Voice over IP gaining momentum. (Trends).
August 1, 2003... U.S. businesses are getting the message: IP telephony is the next wave. Considered more cutting-edge than mainstream for at least the last two years, IP telephony solutions are gaining momentum as enterprises upgrade legacy communications...

Events.
August 1, 2003... [check] Fall 2003 VON, Sept. 22-25, Boston. focuses on the convergence of the telecom and Internet industries. The tradeshow and ex position tackles issues affecting IP communications, including both voice and data. www.von.com [check]...

Unanswered issues on patch cords. (Feedback).
August 1, 2003... I read the article "Test those patch cords" in the June issue. I've also read the Quabbin PR and Quabbin/Fluke Networks white papers on, the subject. This is certainly "blockbuster" news, as it questions the service ability of all CAT 6 or CAT...

Publications.
August 1, 2003... IP Storage Networking: Straight to the Core, by Gary Orenstein, delivers guidance for evaluating, architecting and implementing IP-based storage technologies. Topics covered include future trends, disaster-recovery strategies, management...

ROI for WLAN. (Trends).
August 1, 2003... If your organization is considering the deployment of a wireless LAN, the WLAN Benefits Calculator is a to01 you might want to investigate. The tool is built using Microsoft Excel and calculates ROI based on the productivity gains associated...

In the spirit of storage. (Cover Story).
August 1, 2003... Southern Wine & Spirits of America is one of the largest wine and spirits distributors in the country, with more than $4 billion in revenue and commanding 12% of the total domestic wine and spirits revenue. Operating in 10 states, it represents...

Storage appliance. (NAS and solid-state solutions).
August 1, 2003... Protect data against hardware and software failure, environmental disasters, malicious viruses and end-user faults such as deletions and overwrites. EchoView is a data-protection iSCSI appliance that continuously protects data while it is being...

Backup management software. (NAS and solid-state solutions).
August 1, 2003... Integrity 1.4.5 is the latest version of the company's backup-and-recovery solution, providing information technology professionals with seamless management of disk and/or tape backup methodologies in a single storage environment. Features and...

High-performance NAS. (NAS and solid-state solutions).
August 1, 2003... Built on a scalable NAS architecture, the SpinServer 4100 eliminates the complexities of storage management inherent in traditional NAS architectures, while offering capacity and performance scalability. Combining a switched Gigabit Ethernet...

Solid-state storage. (NAS and solid-state solutions).
August 1, 2003... The RamSan-320 solid-state disk storage unit demonstrates a 2x-5x performance leap over existing solid-state disks and a 10x-25x performance enhancement over existing RAID storage. The system features 3,000 MB per second bandwidth and 250,000...

NAS filer. (NAS and solid-state solutions).
August 1, 2003... The NetFORCE 4000 Series NAS filer features improved performance, storage density and modular scalability for greater productivity and data protection. With its dual-head, fully redundant design, the solution is scalable to a storage capacity...

Satellite to the rescue: careful planning is required for rebooting call center operations after a disaster. (Wireless).
August 1, 2003... The complicated nature of voice-intensive operations, generally call or customer contact centers, until now has mandated a hot site-type recovery solution for business continuity. Hot sites, however, which are third-party locations completely...

Wireless PC card. (Wireless products).
August 1, 2003... The ORiNOCO .11a/b/g ComboCard is a business-class PC card that enables notebook computer users to easily and securely connect to any flavor of Wi-Fi wireless network, anywhere in the world. The new cards connect to wireless networks running...

Mobile employee IP phone. (Wireless products).
August 1, 2003... The NetLink e340 wireless telephone operates as a client device on wireless LANs utilizing the IEEE 802.11b global standard, allowing converged mobile voice and data applications on a single wireless infrastructure. The solution supports...

Point-to-point, high-speed wireless. (Wireless products).
August 1, 2003... The AI108-4 is designed for use anywhere that fast and affordable wireless bridging between two sites is required. Utilizing 802.11a hardware technology and proprietary bridging software, the unit provides up to 35 Mbps of actual throughput for...

Solution bridges security concerns: high-speed wireless creates lower-cost video network for transportation agency. (Wireless).
August 1, 2003... In one of the first major homeland security projects to be implemented since 9/11, the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) has deployed a state-of-the-art electronic surveillance system to protect the San Francisco Bay Area's...

High-bandwidth fixed wireless. (Wireless products).
August 1, 2003... AB-Full Access is a fixed wireless broadband platform that is spectrum and data-rate scalable, enabling large enterprises to trade off system gain with spectral efficiency and channel availability for optimal network connectivity. Operating in...

Modular access port. (Wireless products).
August 1, 2003... Intended to provide mobile environment design flexibility, the Symbol Access Port is a highly modular enterprise wireless solution. The unit features multiple antenna options for both .11a and .11b, and a single 2.4-GHz expansion slot that can...

Access-point management. (Wireless products).
August 1, 2003... The BeaconMaster controller aggregates all access points into what appears to the rest of the network as individual, centrally managed IP subnets. The solution works with the company's BeaconPoint access points, as well as third-party access...

Wireless-management switch. (Wireless products).
August 1, 2003... Securely extend the enterprise network from wherever users want to connect. The Aruba 5000 is a modular WLAN switch that combines air-traffic management, active-user management, multilayer security and advanced wireless switching services into...

Wireless RS-232 connectivity. (Wireless products).
August 1, 2003... The S125SB provides a wireless connection for all RS-232 devices, such as point-of-sale terminals, data-collection devices, vendor machines and industry controls. It can transmit the RS-232 data from the serial ports to another S125SB or to any...

SNMP-managed encryption. (Wireless products).
August 1, 2003... Designed for remote offices, warehouses and WLANs in a distributed corporate environment, the AirFortress AF1100 provides a fast and secure connection between access points and the wired LAN. The product is certified under the U.S. government's...

Upgrade choice not a gamble: airport gets high returns with Gigabit Ethernet and its bundled air-blown fiber infrastructure. (Infrastructure).
August 1, 2003... As the second largest origin-and-destination (non-hub) airport in the world, and the host to 31 scheduled and four unscheduled/seasonal airlines, hundreds of concession customers, and nearly three million passengers per month, McCarran...

Turn a network live the right way. (Infrastructure).
August 1, 2003... Cable test and verification occurs prior to the inevitable alterations by local IT departments and tech-savvy employees. Daily operations within the wiring closet will inevitably affect the quality of the network. In other words, test and...

Structured cabling solution. (Cable management and wireless).
August 1, 2003... Built to handle emerging bandwidth-intensive, IP-based applications, the 10G ip structured cabling system features three components. The company's 10-Gbps XGLO fiber products feature singlemode and multimode LC- and SC-style, laser-optimized...

Low-profile microwave antenna. (Cable management and wireless).
August 1, 2003... The ValuLine terrestrial microwave antennas now include a 1.8-meter diameter, single- and dual-polarized low-profile design. Available for the 13-GHz, 15-GHz and 18-GHz bands, the antennas are a durable solution for point-to-point microwave...

Improved cable. (Cable management and wireless).
August 1, 2003... The HP Cable Series has been expanded to include additional sizes and an optional polyurethane jacket feature. The polyurethane jacket adds improved flexibility and abrasion resistance for applications from -65[degrees] to 85[degrees]C. Now...

Parabolic antenna. (Infrastructure).
August 1, 2003... The PAWDA58-29 parabolic dish antenna features 29-dbm gain and operates in the 5.725-GHz to 5.850-GHz industrial, scientific and medical band. The system is designed for point-to-point wireless data links, 802.11a wireless systems,...

Cable tray. (Infrastructure).
August 1, 2003... Route cable around unexpected detours with ease, negotiating corners and following dips and rises. The FieldMate wire basket cable tray is a lightweight, open-basket tray that is easy to handle and install. For most installations, one person...

Cable lashing. (Infrastructure).
August 1, 2003... The Model C2 Cable Lasher provides an increased cable or bundle capacity from 1-5/8" (41 mm)to 1-7/8" (48 mm), as well as overlash capability. By depressing the latch of the strand tension-roller assembly and turning the assembly one-quarter...

Video and data simultaneously. (Infrastructure).
August 1, 2003... Eliminate the need to install and maintain both UTP and coax cable with the Lynx Video and Data Network System. The solution transmits up to 134 channels of RF video on a single twisted pair of a Category 5 cable. The remaining three pairs can...

Punch-down tool. (Infrastructure).
August 1, 2003... The Lighted 110 Punch-down Tool features a battery-operated, high-intensity light mounted on the front to illuminate panels in dark cabinets, work areas and closets. It is used to terminate 28-22 AWG solid or stranded wire on jacks and panels...

Port-level VLAN. (Infrastructure).
August 1, 2003... The iConverter 10/100VP managed media converters provide UTP-to-fiber conversion, as well as rate conversion, between 10Base-T or 100Base-Tx and 100Base-Fx fiber. Features include PortVLAN, which allows control of traffic flow between copper,...

University takes high-value approach: a horizontal structured-cabling system supports Gigabit Ethernet to the desktop. (Infrastructure).
August 1, 2003... When the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center (LSUHSC) decided to upgrade and standardize its New Orleans LAN and statewide WAN on the Category 6 structured-cabling standard, its computer services team took a "total system"...

Effective computer room cooling. (Infrastructure).
August 1, 2003... Computer equipment cooling air, delivered from a raised-floor air source, can be optimized by applying some basic thermal management concepts. This checklist reviews key considerations in applying these principles: [check] Manage the air...

Smart tools alleviate pain: managing more complexity with fewer resources is the challenge for today's IT managers. (Internet).
August 1, 2003... Today's IT environment is characterized by a variety of architectures, platforms and technologies. Within five years, hundreds of millions of people will be connected, using wireless and other devices, driving trillions of transactions and...

IP traffic monitoring. (Traffic management products).
August 1, 2003... Proactive resolution of IP routing faults can be achieved with Route Dynamics, a product suite that identifies the root cause of Layer 3 problems across the network and monitors the impact on application flow path availability. The solution...

WAN router. (Traffic management products).
August 1, 2003... The Tasman 1004 router is a WAN connectivity solution that offers built-in scalability in bandwidth, functionality and performance. The four built-in T-1 or E-1 ports can be activated as needed. With 300 MHz of processing power, the system...

Large-scale traffic shaping. (Traffic management products).
August 1, 2003... Prioritize traffic and limit in- and out-bound unauthorized transfers. The NetEnforcer AC-1000 Series devices allow QoS deployment at gigabit wire speed, with Layer 7 protocol classifications and monitoring supporting nearly 100,000 policies....

Hand-held cable fault detector. (Network testing products).
August 1, 2003... The Dynatel Cable Length Meter, model TDR 940CLM, allows technicians to find cuts or shorts in two-conductor cables up to a distance of 2,500 feet. Operation involves attaching the two leads to two conductors, turning the unit on, selecting the...

Portable capacity assessment. (Network testing products).
August 1, 2003... Test Web infrastructure anywhere with the Avalanche 220 and Reflector 220. At 3.5 pounds each, the portable devices are designed for use by system engineers and field-application engineers for troubleshooting customer issues in the field. Used...

SAN analysis. (Network testing products).
August 1, 2003... Streamline resolution of events that cause performance problems and design, implement, test and evaluate storage area networks. The Xgig Analyzer is a fully distributed, blade-based analysis architecture for 1-Gb and 2-Gb Fibre Channel and FCIP...

Fiber testing. (Network testing products).
August 1, 2003... Suited to the short-distance work on a typical enterprise or campus network, the TRACETEK package provides an OTDR-like fiber test package for the company's LANTEK 7 and LANTEK 6 cable testers. The troubleshooting tool For acquisition and...

RF-field strength detector. Network testing products.
August 1, 2003... Intended for wireless computer, networking and wireless surveillance installations, the ZC Model 270 measures baseline RF levels, RFI signals, and hot and cold spots. The data can be used to optimize transmit-and-receive sites and help identify...

Startup outsources backups: rapid growth sparks IT interest in limiting tasks. (Network Services).
August 1, 2003... When the information technology (IT) department at software startup Incentive Systems, Bedford, Mass., evaluated steps to keep from being blown away by the company's rapid growth, Glenn Timmons, IT director, looked for a way to build an...

Methodology removes guesswork: a structured approach to selecting outsourcing partners reduces risk and improves ROI. (Network Services).
August 1, 2003... Today, more than ever, organizations are focusing on core competencies and outsourcing non-core functions, such as information technology management. The outsourcing model, however, poses vendor selection and management challenges and...

Web presentations speed project: outsourced service provides cost-saving, Internet-based interaction with customers and staff. (Conferencing).
August 1, 2003... Distance can be a daunting--and expensive--obstacle to overcome when trying to communicate with customers or offsite employees. This spring, In-Situ Oxidative Technologies (ISOTEC) learned that lesson when it was granted a contract to use its...

Remote desktops. (New Products).
August 1, 2003... Data Center Desktops is a combination of blade PCs and digital-extension technology that provides a user experience as if the PCs were on the desk, but with all the benefits of data center centralization. The solution places a small connection...

Remote device management. (New Products).
August 1, 2003... Designed for data centers, local campuses and distributed organizations, OSA Server Manager now provides Linux customers with last-mile management software. Users can perform remote management, monitoring, diagnostics and recovery at different...

Remote management. (New Products).
August 1, 2003... Perform remote KYM server management of PC, SUN or MAC computers. The INTERMUX IP-based KVM extender provides remote access to servers from anywhere in the world, using any standard Internet Web browser. Featuring multiplatform compatibility,...

Accelerated 802.11g access point. (New Products).
August 1, 2003... The Wireless Turbo Multi-Function Access Point is a professional-grade access point, bridge, multibridge, client and repeater in one. Accelerator technology increases performance levels up to 100 Mbps on a single channel, and the device is...

High-density KVM. (New Products).
August 1, 2003... Targeted at the midlevel and enterprise markets, the LCD Console KVM Switch incorporates a 15" LCD display with an integrated 16-port KVM switch into one appliance. The solution is packaged in a 1U high, rack-mountable drawer, saving on...

IP phone. (New Products).
August 1, 2003... Provide both voice and data communications to the desktop with only a single wire from the network room. The ZIP 4x4 IP Phone is built on open technologies and runs on a highly stable, real-time Linux operating system. It is compatible with any...

Non-line-of-sight wireless. (New Products).
August 1, 2003... Easy-to-install, configure and manage wireless solution is designed for corporations, municipalities, universities and hospitals connecting disparate networks. OS-Gemini is an intelligent broadband wireless Ethernet bridge that offers true...

Manage VoIP quality and performance. (Guest Column).
August 1, 2003... Market research indicates that VoIP use is becoming more prevalent in the enterprise market. Important concerns about service or call-quality measurement and overall real-time manageability persist, however, as enterprise network managers seek...