Communications News articles from January 2003

Communications News archives from January 2003

Who really knows? (Editor's Note).(Industry Overview)
January 1, 2003... No one really seems to know what to expect from the enterprise technology market in 2003. Predictions from various sources have been all over the map--and often quite ambiguous. Research firm IDC predicted, in November, a 5% growth rate...

Reduce firewall complexity. (Trends).
January 1, 2003... The need for network security will only become more urgent over time. Not only are cybercriminals constantly inventing new ways to steal electronic information, they are getting more nefarious in their use of it. An effective solution for...

Burlington rides the path to convergence. (Trends).(and related articles)
January 1, 2003... Burlington, MA, located approximately 13 miles outside Boston, recently upgraded its telecommunications infrastructure, adding voice over IP (VoIP) capabilities and applications to maintain its corporate lure and boast its town motto, "Where...

Optical extends university LAN: Randy Anderson and Ann Agee selected an Ethernet solution to connect George Mason University's three campuses. (Cover Story).
January 1, 2003... The distributed campus nature of George Mason University (GMU) in Virginia created an interesting challenge for Deputy CIO Ann Agee her network engineers. Each of the school's three campuses, which are separated by 20 miles or more, has a...

How to secure switches and routers: security-in-depth philosophy marries traditional network security technologies with implementations. (Special Focus: local area networks).
January 1, 2003... Traditional network security technologies tend to focus on securing the perimeter with intrusion detection systems, antivirus software and firewalls. What about the security from within? The network infrastructure-switches and routers--can play...

Buyers Guide: the first portion of this Local Area Networks Buyers Guide, the Product Guide, lists the various in this products category, and the companies that make those products.(Buyers Guide)
January 1, 2003... Buyers Guide: the first portion of this Local Area Networks Buyers Guide, the Product Guide, lists the various in this products category, and the companies that make those products. The second section, the Company Guide, provides phone and fax...

KVM-over-IP. (Network access and management products).(Raritan Computer IP-Reach M)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Digital KVM-over-IP solution for small to midsize data centers offers anytime, anywhere access to servers. The IP-Reach M Series comes in one- and two-port configurations and provides multiplatform, BIOS-level, KVM console access to multiple...

Remote control. (Network access and management products).(CrossTec's NetOp Remote Control 7.5)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... NetOp Remote Control, version 7.5, adds inventory, additional security and cross-platform support options. The remote-control software application supports virtually every Windows platform, as well as Linux and Solaris servers. In addition to...

Access multiplexer. (Network access and management products).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Linking one or two high-speed applications across a DS-3 or E-3 line, the Orion 4500 T-3/ E-3 CSU/DSU access multiplexer serves a wide range of broadband applications. The device splits DS-3 or E-3 bandwidth between two high-speed serial ports....

Compact KVM switch. (Network access and management products).(Tripp Lite's B004-004-R KVM switch)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Offering features for network, PC and laptop users, the Model B004-004-R KVM switch comes in a compact, desktop housing. The four-port switch can operate off connected PC or server power, or from the included separate power supply, which...

Metro switch. (Network access and management products).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... The OMX optical-transport switch integrates multiple network elements into a single, consolidated footprint. It combines the functions of a wideband, broadband and super-broadband digital cross-connect system with SONET add/ drop-based...

Optimize VoIP performance: class-of-service management adds value to an IP network. (Voice Networks).(Industry Overview)
January 1, 2003... Voice over IP (VoIP) changes the network management paradigm, creating a complex problem for network administrators to assure quality of service (QoS) of this demanding application. The answer to this challenge is the use of class-of-service...

10 tips for mobile security: as the number of mobile workers increases, security challenges become more important. (Wireless).
January 1, 2003... Telecommuters, road warriors and laptop-carrying executives dominate the corporate landscape, increasing demand for remote access to applications and network resources. This presents new security challenges for network administrators as remote...

Compact enclosure: booth 707. (BICSI Winter, 2003).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... The FERM24ST1U rackmount fiber enclosure accommodates up to 24 fibers, while taking up minimal space on a relay rack. The 1U enclosure is available unloaded or loaded with 24 simplex ST multimode/ single-mode adapters, and features a swing-out...

Flexible trays: booth 224. (BICSI Winter, 2003).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... To accommodate almost any type of cable installation requirement, the Cablofil Cable Tray System now includes 2" and 4" widths, in addition to the standard widths ranging from 6" to 24". The wire-mesh cable trays are constructed of welded steel...

Fiber boxes: booth 227. (BICSI Winter, 2003).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... The company's fiber wall boxes and panels are now available with MTRJ Jacks and adapters designed for private networks. The adapters can be used as interconnect points for MTRJ connectorized pigtails, allowing for easy moves, adds and changes....

Fiber assemblies: booth 417. (BICSI Winter, 2003).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... OptiMo Fiber Assemblies provide guaranteed reliability and performance for patching and workstation applications in networks running Ethernet, ATM and Fibre Channel applications. Designed to ensure low insertion loss in structured cabling...

10-Gbps fiber: booth 416. (BICSI Winter, 2003).(Berk-Tek's GIGAlite-10 )(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... GIGAlite-10 extends the 10-Gigabit Ethernet performance range for multimode optical fiber to a full 300 m for an 850-nm VCSEL light source. The fiber controls differential mode delay, providing compatibility with installed 50-[micro] and...

Easy connections: booth 520. (BICSI Winter, 2003).(NORDX/CDT's Optimax ST and SC connectors )(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... The single-mode Optimax ST and SC connectors incorporate a factory-polished fiber stub in a splice mechanism that provides a fast, secure and reliable termination on optical fiber cables. No epoxy, curing, polishing or complicated tools are...

Angled patch panels: booth 521. (Comnet 2003).(Leviton's QuickPort )(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Eliminate the need for front horizontal cable management and increase rack density with Angled Patch Panels. Available in a modular, component-rated, CAT 5e version or an empty, field-configurable, QuickPort panel, the system mounts on 19"...

Adaptable frame cabinet: booth 446. (Comnet 2003).(Chatsworth Products SteelFrame T-Series )(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... The SteelFrame T-Series cabinet is developed for applications requiring a simple solution for mounting and securing electronic and network equipment. The cabinet is available in 24" and 27.3" widths, three usable depths of 22.6", 30" and 36",...

Remote desktop access: booth 526. (Comnet 2003).(Avocent's AutoView2000R )(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... With end-to-end CAT 5 connectivity, on-screen management and the versatility of remote access over IP connections, the 16-port AutoView2000R is an all-in-one KVM solution for server control. The switch provides an analog port for access at the...

Media conversion: booth 1138. (Comnet 2003).(Metrobility Optical Systems' Delta Class Twister fiber-optic connectivity device )(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... The Delta Class Twister is a fiber-optic connectivity device available for 100-Mbps and 10/100-Mbps copper-to-fiber conversion, and is available in both multimode and single-mode models. The case offers built-in cable management and protection,...

Power distribution: booth 935. (Comnet 2003).(Geist Manufacturing's BREL 102-0020/16 power strip )(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... The BREL 102-0020/16 is a 17" power strip that can be mounted horizontally or vertically. With a capacity of 125 V @ 20 A, or 250 V @ 16 A, the unit features one C-20 power inlet, with cord-retaining clamp and 10 C-13 power outlets. The strip...

Fiber solutions: booth 533. (Comnet 2003).(Tyco Electronics)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... A new line of fiber-optic cables is now available to support end-to-end cabling system solutions or as a stand-alone purchase. The fiber-optic cable is manufactured to industry specifications and standard requirements.--Tyco Electronics ...

Asset management. (New Products).(NetCracker Technology's IT Infrastructure Management Solution )(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... The IT Infrastructure Management Solution is a product suite that manages details related to a company's IT assets and communications networks throughout their lifecycle, from acquisition to retirement. The system assists tracking active...

E-mail virus protection. (New Products).(SentryBay's ViraLock )(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Designed by developers who analyzed virus replication from a completely different perspective, trapping viruses instead of trying to identify and block them, ViraLock encrypts e-mail addresses in Microsoft Outlook and Outlook Express e-mail...

Network monitoring. (New Products).(OcuStat)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... As part of the Oculan 3.1 integrated management platform, OcuStat watches network traffic to find congestion points, utilization, traffic patterns, bandwidth usage and top talkers. Network managers using OcuStat can identify the types and...

You are what you measure--part II: efficiency metrics are essential for efficiency improvements. (The Bottom Line).(network management)
January 1, 2003... Last month, we talked about measuring the quality of the job you and your network team are doing. Now we're going to look at how you can measure the efficiency with which you achieve that quality. Both metrics are clearly important for...