Communications News articles from February 2003

Communications News archives from February 2003

Conflict of interest. (Editor's Note).
February 1, 2003... Ask yourself this question: Would a magazine publishing product reviews/analysis give a good advertiser's product a bad rating? Such a possible conflict of interest is one important reason that Communications News publishes new product...

WPA tightens wireless security. (Trends).(Wi Fi Protected Access initiative )
February 1, 2003... Enterprises that have relied on the default wired equivalent privacy (WEP) protocol in current wireless access points now have a more secure option to protect their networks--Wi Fi Protected Access (WPA), an initiative announced by the Wi-Fi...

Short take. (Trends).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... "If carriers emerge from bankruptcy, yet continue to follow their previous business plans, then nothing will change. If surviving carriers purchase the capacity of failed carriers, then nothing will change. What needs to change is getting rid...

Clarification.
February 1, 2003... A reference in the December article, "WAN analyzer guards network," was incorrectly edited, and should have read: SymScope was configured with a monitoring "pod" as used by Concord. Subsequent to the implementation, the "pod" was replaced with...

Events. (Trends).
February 1, 2003... [check] Wireless 2003, March 17-19, at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, brings in the traditional wireless audience of network providers, carriers and manufacturers, as well as enterprise end-users. www.wireless2003.com...

Publications. (Trends).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... Halting the Hacker, a practical guide to computer security, 2nd edition, by Donald Pipkin, combines insight into the mind of the hacker, with practical, step-by-step countermeasures for protecting any HP-UX, Linux or Unix system.www.phptr.com...

The role of standards in planning. (Trends).
February 1, 2003... Today, enterprise network operators looking at their internal processes and procedures (as well as those of their partners, service providers and customers) to ensure service continuity. As part of this process, they have looked to standards...

Voice your opinion. (Trends).
February 1, 2003... Many enterprises are upgrading their telephony systems to take advantage of new features and cost savings available with today's products, or as they expand their networks. In our efforts to ensure editorial coverage addresses your future...

EADS TELECOM, Dallas, has consolidated its enterprise business, Intecom. (nano bits).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... EADS TELECOM, Dallas, has consolidated its enterprise business, Intecom, into its North American operations under the EADS TELECOM North America name.

Proxim Corp., Sunnyvale, CA, has announced that its wireless LAN and WAN products support the new Wi-Fi Protected Access security standard. (nano bits).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... Proxim Corp., Sunnyvale, CA, has announced that its wireless LAN and WAN products support the new Wi-Fi Protected Access security standard. Proxim also announced a strategic partnership with Ericsson to provide wireless LAN access points for...

Mirapoint. (nano bits).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... California State University, Northridge, is standardizing on Mirapoint, Sunnyvale, CA, systems for its campus messaging and IT operations.

Infonet Services Corp. (nano bits).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... Infonet Services Corp., El Segundo, CA, has launched its voice-over-IP service, IP Voice VPN, targeted to multinational customers.

Equant. (nano bits).
February 1, 2003... Equant, Atlanta, will provide automotive supplier Trelleborg AB, Sweden, with a customized IP VPN solution for 15,500 employees at 90 sites in 40 countries.

EXFO, Quebec City, Canada, has purchased Dallas-based Gnubi Communications. (nano bits).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... EXFO, Quebec City, Canada, has purchased Dallas-based Gnubi Communications, and its line of optical testers.

Wi-Fi not a threat. (Feedback).(Letter to the Editor)
February 1, 2003... At least you could also print the other side of the story ("The Wi-Fi threat," Editor's Note, October)! Wi-Fi is only helping us break away from the old and obsolete telecom business model and help us create a true "information utility"...

Seek certification of outsource partners: enterprise applications outsourcing, despite a host of guidelines, brings lots of doubts. (Guest Column).(Industry Overview)
February 1, 2003... Application service providers (ASPs) manage and deliver application capabilities to multiple corporate customers from data centers across a WAN. IT managers must always evaluate effectiveness and whether a better choice is to build and/or host...

Cabled for the future: CH2M HILL engineers a structured solution for higher speeds and future growth. .(Cover Story)
February 1, 2003... You know a commercial business campus is immense when it has its own phone exchange. When CH2M HILL, multinational professional services firm, moved its four Denver-area operations to a new campus, it also consolidated several thousand...

Navy secures healthcare network: extranet appliance provides medical information for personnel and their families. (Special focus: E-Business Technologies).
February 1, 2003... An important initiative at the U.S. Navy Medical Information Management Center (NMIMC) in Bethesda, MD, has been to empower its healthcare community by pioneering the virtual organization. This entails securely sharing a substantial amount of...

High-density switch. (Switches and routers).(HP Procurve 2650)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... For campus and remote-office connectivity, where high port density is critical, the ProCurve Switch 2650 is a stackable, managed 50-port switch that includes 48 10/100-TX autosensing ports and two dual-personality ports for 10/100/1000 or...

Industrial Ethernet. (Switches and routers).(Ntron Electronics 608MFX)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... The 608MFX Ethernet switch features rugged packaging, specifications and safely approvals required for industrial environments. The Layer 2 switch has SNMP management functions and switch-selectable fiber-ring redundancy, with 300-ms ring...

Stackable high-speed switch. (Switches and routers).
February 1, 2003... www.rsleads.com/302cn-314 [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Core switch. (Switches and routers).(Alcatel OmniSwitch 8000)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... The OmniSwitch 8000 series for the enterprise core offers a true non-blocking, 10-gigabit architecture. The high-density, high-capacity platform supports up to 384 ports of Gigabit Ethernet in less than 40" of rack space. The 8000 series has a...

Multiservice router. (Switches and routers).(Cisco Systems Catalyst 8500)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... Designed for campus or metropolitan networks, the Catalyst 8500 Series Switch is a Layer 3-enhanced ATM switch that integrates wire-speed Layer 3 switching and ATM switching. New hardware and software enhancements include a 16-port, long-reach...

Buyers Guide. (Special focus: E-Business Technologies).(Buyers Guide)
February 1, 2003... The first portion of this E-business Technologies 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 and fax numbers,...

VPN device management. (New products).(SmartPipes' IP PolicyPro SecureSite)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... Enforce enterprise security policies and manage VPNs with IP PolicyPro SecureSite, a scalable and secure software platform for the creation and management of advanced IP services. The software provides a policy-based management system that...

Conferencing gateway. (New products).(Radvision Invision 410)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... Videoconferencing network appliance bridges the legacy world of ISDN with today's IP-based converged communications networks. The INVISION 410 includes the integrated functionality of a gateway, gatekeeper and multipoint conferencing bridge....

Wireless LAN security. (New products).(Madge Networks Smart Wireless Enterprise Access server)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... The Smart Wireless Enterprise Access Server is a scalable, software-only solution for the secure management of enterprise WLANs. With support for thousands of end-users, the software is designed for quick installation on any LINUX-supported...

Security appliance. (New Products).(Celestix Networks FV930)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... Designed for midsize enterprises and regional offices, the FV930 integrates the Check Point Software Technologies VPN-1/FireWall-1/Next Generation Internet security solution. The 1U rackmount hardware platform has a maximum of 200 Mbps of...

Intrusion prevention. (New Products).(NetScreen Technologies NetScreen-5XT)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... New features for the NetScreen-5XT increase the level of security and resiliency provided for enterprises securing remote sites and telecommuters. The restricted-zone feature enables remote sites to establish two security segments to isolate...

Remote access. (New products).
February 1, 2003... Global PDN is a Web-based service that provides users with secure anywhere, anytime access to the PCs they have registered in their private data network, plus offers virtual drives for online file storage and sharing. Designed For...

Website stress testing. (New products).(Antara.net FlameThrower 5.0)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... FlameThrower Release 5 is a standards-based, Web infrastructure stress-testing appliance. Users can test content delivery components of their infrastructure, and get insight into the performance and security of websites and network...

SSL VPN solution. (New products).(Aventail EX-1500)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... Gain secure remote access over dial-up, broadband or satellite networks, through a public Internet kiosk, from behind a firewall on another company's network, and through WLANs or Wi-Fi hotspots. The EX-1500 is a stand-alone, SSL VPN appliance...

Enclosures showcase data center: retailer catches "best wave" of new technology to upgrade its network. (Infrastructure).(Pacific Sunware of California)(and related article)
February 1, 2003... Pacific Sunwear of California (PACSUN) is a lot like the surfer who paddles the fastest, catches the best wave and gives the best performance for the longest ride. From its inception in 1980, the company has used the best "wave" of new...

Fiber-cable bend protection. (Enclosures and cable management).(from Device Technologies)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... The FastDrop cable-management system protects and organizes fiber-optic cables to ensure maximum data transmission output. The radius-control device is made from flame-retardant, impact plastic and attaches to enclosures three different ways:...

Proper grounding. (Enclosures and cable management).(Homaco's Ground Straps )(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... Used throughout a cabling configuration for a continuous, protective ground, Ground Straps provide grounding between spliced runways. To install, simply drill the runway to accept the strap, and connect to runway sections using compression...

Compact enclosure. (Enclosures and cable management).(Tracewell Systems S33-1U chassis )(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... The S33-1U chassis is designed to meet mission-critical demands for high-reliability/power, CompactPCI and VME64x applications. The compact unit is capable of cooling boards dissipating up to 70 watts per slot, and features local and remote...

Distribution panel. (Enclosures and cable management).(Leviton's Compact Series )(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... The Compact Series telephone and six-way video panel comes with a 1-GHz video splitter and a 1x9 bridged telephone board. The unit handles up to four telephone lines through to nine locations, and features video output for up to six locations....

Rugged racks. (Enclosures and cable management).(Hoffman's DataCom four-post frame racks )(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... Three new, heavy-duty DataCom four-post frame racks offer a load rating of 2,500 lbs. to securely accommodate heavier and deeper LAN/WAN equipment, voice/data equipment, routers, servers and switches that exceed the load rating of a standard...

'7 steps' for network security: being prepared and knowledgeable is the best defense against hackers and data thieves. (Local Area Networks).
February 1, 2003... A wide variety of network devices and servers must be tested and audited to ensure network security. Attack codes and hacker methods are moving targets, as newer, more complex attacks seem to be on a fast-track development curve. So, what are...

Network simulation tool. (Network troubleshooting).(GL Communications Digital Central Office Switch Simulator 5.0)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... The Digital Central Office Switch Simulator (DCOSS) converts a Pentium PC (portable, tower or rackmount) into a digital central office switch simulator, PBX and switch--complete with T-1, E-1 and POTS interfaces. Technicians can test virtually...

Patch-cord certification. (Network troubleshooting).(Fluke Networks DSP Patch Cord Test Adapter)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... Certify and document the transmission performance specifications of patch cords as specified by the TIA/EIA-568-B standard, with the DSP Patch Cord Test Adapter, designed to work with the company's DSP-4000 series cable analyzer. A patch cord...

Monitor device configurations. (Network troubleshooting).(Tripwire for Network Devices 2.5)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... Assure the integrity and security of network devices, such as routers, switches and firewalls. Tripwire for Network Devices, version 2.5, notifies network administrators within seconds if a device's configuration has drifted from a known...

VoIP troubleshooting. (Network troubleshooting).(Emiprix Hammer Call Analyzer)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... Designed for problem diagnosis in a VoIP environment, the Hammer Call Analyzer is telephony protocol-aware and combines IP/ TDM analysis with features to speed the VoIP protocol debug process. The unit has the ability/to take actions based on...

WAN testing. (Network troubleshooting).(Telinc TL2085 WAN Tester II)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... The portable TL2085 WAN Tester II is a sophisticated bit error rate tester in a compact, hand-held package. The unit is supplied with T-3, T-1, E-1, E-3, DDS, V.35, HSSI, RS530/RS422, X.21 and RS-232 interfaces, and includes a speaker to listen...

Network monitoring. (Network troubleshooting).(ACE*COMM NetPlus Internet Content Manager)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... Merging Internet/IP network content management with traditional telemanagement for enterprises, the NetPlus Internet Content Manager (ICM) supports both target- and data-centric monitoring of IP traffic. As part of the company's NetPlus...

Fiber-optic testing. (Optical devices and testing).(Advanced Fiber Solutions OLK-51)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... Designed for technicians and installers, the OLK-51 series fiber-optic test kit includes an OM120 power meter, and an OS420 or OS430 optical source. The OM120 meter features an easy-to-read backlit display, an auto-zero feature and an auto-off...

Backbone node. (Optical devices and testing).(Manticom Networks Scorpion 4104)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... Designed to liberate backbone networks from congestion, the SCORPION 4104 is a modularly scalable, multigigabit, protocol-independent solution, based on standards-driven optical Ethernet. By leveraging dual, bidirectional transport and...

Rugged optical switch. (Optical devices and testing).(TC Communications TC3705)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... Hardened for harsh temperatures, the TC3705 fiber-optic Ethernet switch provides four 10/ 100Mbps autosensing UTP ports and one fiberoptic 100Base-FX port. The switch is available in three versions for different temperature extremes. The...

Fiber converter. (Optical devices and testing).(IMC Networks T1/E1/J1)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... The remotely managed T1/E1/J1 fiber converter and network extender is designed to convert the twisted-pair interfaces found on most telecommunications equipment and routers to fiber optics, and to extend the transmission distances of these...

Fiber-based video encoder. (Optical devices and testing).(VBrick VB6000)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... The fiber-optic-based VB6000 is a compact and rugged encoder and decoder that delivers one- or two-way television over digital ATM and IP networks. Available with multimode, single-mode or hybrid-fiber interfaces, the device accepts standard...

Remote power control. (Power management).(Spectrum Control AC SMARTstart Jr.)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... For remote or local power management, the AC SMARTstart Jr. power-distribution unit directs and manages power to connected file servers and networking equipment. Remote operation control allows the user to sequentially power on or power off any...

Redundant AC power. (Power management).(MGE UPS Systems Epsilon Static Transfer Switch)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... Ensure power availability to mission-critical data processing and distributed computing, telecommunications and other power-critical loads with the Epsilon Static Transfer Switch. Featuring isolated triple-redundant power supplies, the system...

You are what you measure--Part III: the network is the best place to measure end-user consumption of IT services. (The Bottom Line).
February 1, 2003... So far in this series on metrics, we have discussed measuring the quality of network services and the cost of delivering them. Now, we are going to step up to a broader metric: the dollar-quantified consumption of end-to-end IT services. ...