Communications News articles from October 2007

Communications News archives from October 2007

An IT portrait.(Viewpoint)
October 1, 2007... One only has to look at the covers of the last 32 issues of this magazine to get a picture of what today's typical IT directors must look like--they are white, with receding hairlines and generally more than 45 years of age. Because of our...

Next: mobile device management.(Mobility)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Mobilized workforces are significantly increasing productivity at many large U.S. and European companies, according to CIOs and telecommunications directors interviewed by Coleman Parkes. Those enterprises plan to...

Communications cure.(SHORT TAKES)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... The University of Colorado Hospital's new medical campus has installed a hybrid IP/TDM telephony communications network from NEC Unified Solutions. The network provides the hospital with enhanced patient care and accommodates the future growth...

Faster, faster.(SHORT TAKES)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Volvo Financial Services has selected Blue Coat ProxySG appliances to provide WAN optimization for its branch and regional offices, The appliances accelerate business-critical applications, provide Web security to stop malicious and unwanted...

IT armor for U.S. tanks.(Security)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... With sophisticated computer systems installed in tanks and other equipment, the U.S. military is emphasizing protection of its data networks as well as the troops. As one example, battlefield vehicles are now being supplied with firewalls for...

Videoconferencing on hold.(Conferencing)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... The nirvana of videoconferencing is far from a reality in most enterprises today, according to Forrester Research. In addition, vendors have made designing a coherent strategy difficult. "Among today's market leaders, only TANDBERG and Polycom...

Wireless medicine.(SHORT TAKES)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Duke University Medical Center has selected ADC's wireless Digivance indoor coverage solution to provide wireless coverage inside its hospitals. The wireless system was custom-tailored to fit the university's needs for a flexible architecture...

Flywheel backup.(SHORT TAKES)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Composite flywheel technology from Pentadyne Power is in use with a UPS system at California's Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport. The airport serves the Silicon Valley and greater San Francisco Bay area. The system is operating in...

Events.(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Mobile Business Expo, Oct. 22-25, New York, provides information on how to build and connect a mobile workforce and leverage wireless technology. www.mobilebusinessexpo.com Interop, Oct. 22-26, New York, gives the big picture regarding...

Windows Server 2008 for Dummies.(Publications)
October 1, 2007... Windows Server 2008 for Dummies, by Ed Tittel, covers installation and configuration basics, day-to-day administrative tasks, active directory, IIS and networking, while giving information on new features and enhancements, www.wiley.com

Optimizing and Testing WLANs.(Publications)
October 1, 2007... Optimizing and Testing WLANs, by Tom Alexander, is a guide to WLAN tests and measurements. Also discussed are industry standards and the necessary hardware, test and measurement configurations; how to conduct tests and measurements; and the...

iPhone user responds.(FEEDBACK)(Letter to the editor)
October 1, 2007... While reading your recent babble (August Viewpoint, "I wish I had an iPhone'), it got me thinking; if I wrap fish guts in your article, will it make them stink more rapidly by having been subjected to your opinions. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]...

Zen or control?(FEEDBACK)(Letter to the editor)
October 1, 2007... Balancing the need for control of the IT environment against the pressure brought unintentionally by our users to use software and non-approved devices is indeed a challenge. We are a service industry and I have found that if we try to...

A faithful fan.(FEEDBACK)(Letter to the editor)
October 1, 2007... A few months ago, with heavy heart, I decided not to renew my subscription to your illustrious magazine that has had a great history. For many years, it provided me much guidance and timely information required for conducting my professional...

No more worries: Gil Betz chose a managed services approach to upgrade the Louisville Metro United Way voice network.(Cover story)
October 1, 2007... The more Gil Betz listened to the speakers at a national United Way Community Leaders Conference, the more excited he became. In his role as chief operating officer of Metro United Way, the more worried he became, too. What excited him was...

Managed service answers the call: program provides customized communication system for fixed monthly fee.(Special Focus: Managed Services)
October 1, 2007... Built on a legacy of developing long-term relationships with customers and vendors, Group & Pension Administrators (GPA) considers its delivery of superior service to clients one of its biggest differentiators in the market. Headquartered in...

Managed wireless services.(MANAGED SERVICES)
October 1, 2007... HiPath Managed Services for Wireless offers a single contact point For around-the-clock remote monitoring, management and service desk support for large-scale Wi-Fi networks. The service covers components and networks from all major Wi-Fi...

Telecom expense management.(MANAGED SERVICES)
October 1, 2007... Intelitrak service monitors and reports on enterprise telecom inventory and expenditures. Features of the service include contract and inventory audit services, industry and carrier trend analysis, domestic and international invoice management,...

Network-management service.(MANAGED SERVICES)
October 1, 2007... WAN-embedded traffic analysis service Network Analyst 2.0 provides near real-time visual insight into traffic and application performance across the WAN. The solution shows traffic patterns and direction, bandwidth utilization and recent...

SSL VPN 'insures' productivity: insurance firm securely connects data centers and offsite employees.(Special Focus: Managed Services)
October 1, 2007... American Century Casualty Co. (ACCC) had always insisted that its network access be restricted to users on the corporate LAN. The catalyst for change came during the year-end holiday break in 2006, when some of the statewide claims managers...

Wireless IPS.(MANAGED SERVICES)
October 1, 2007... Wireless Intrusion Prevention Service (IPS) helps users design, deploy, configure, manage and monitor wireless intrusion prevention systems. The service ensures devices are designed, configured, staged and tested before deployment. Security and...

Mobile asset management.(MANAGED SERVICES)
October 1, 2007... BT Managed Mobility Service simplifies and centralizes the management of mobile contracts and end-users across multiple regions and countries. The service includes all elements needed to ensure efficient control, administration and operation of...

Buyers' guide.(Special Focus: Managed Services)(Directory)
October 1, 2007... Companies listed in this managed services providers/integrators Buyers' Guide can assist you in selecting the products and services that work best for your organization. BUSINESS CONTINUITY SERVICES ADVA Optical Networking ...

Back up the virtual machine: software as a service is one option for providing data recovery.(Virtualization)
October 1, 2007... While the adoption of virtual technologies is accelerating, data protection tools have not kept pace. There is a gap in protection between physical and virtual markets, and some organizations are now turning to "on-demand" online...

Automate monitoring.(Virtualization)
October 1, 2007... Companies should understand the performance characteristics of virtualization so they can first put the right management tools and business drivers in place. One area in need of attention is application and performance monitoring. While...

Mirrored RAID I storage.(Storage Products)
October 1, 2007... The Guardian MAXimus is an external dual-drive storage solution that provides "live activity" backup/data redundancy via RAID 1 hardware mirroring, for any computer with a FireWire 400, FireWire 800 or USB 2 interface. The 9.3" x 2.8" x 5.6"...

Archiving appliance.(Storage Products)
October 1, 2007... For the long-term storage needs of smaller enterprises and branch offices, the Assureon NX Easy Archive Appliance offers a disk-based archiving solution in a compact rackable appliance. The solution offers a plug-and-play NAS-like interface...

Expandable storage.(Storage Products)
October 1, 2007... For fast and expandable network storage, the Storage Central Turbo supports up to two 3.5" SATA drives of any capacity from any vendor. An Ethernet connection enables gigabit-speed file storage and access for any PC on the network. The system...

Storage-management software.(Storage Products)
October 1, 2007... Offering quota management and thin provisioning for clustered storage, SmartQuotas provides administrators with control over management and optimization for large stores of digital content and unstructured data--up to 1.6 petabytes. Users can...

Company optimizes with 10-GigE: new data center accommodates need for high-performance connectivity.(Cabling Infrastructure)
October 1, 2007... When LBX Co., headquartered in Lexington, Ky., was moving to a new corporate campus, John Chumney, LBX IT manager, faced the task of building a new data center--with a completely new laundry list of communication and data center needs to...

Zero-footprint rack enclosure.(INFRASTRUCTURE PRODUCTS)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Measuring 28" x 68" when fully opened, the Armarac is a zero-footprint, 19" rackmount enclosure that enables enterprises to deploy network equipment without a network room. The compact, wall-mounted enclosure...

Uninterruptible power system.(INFRASTRUCTURE PRODUCTS)
October 1, 2007... The Powerware 9395 is a 275-550 EVA, three-phase, double-conversion, online UPS that integrates the capabilities of a redundant multimodule UPS system into an integrated, prewired solution. The unit integrates with the Power Xpert Architecture...

Intelligent GigE switches.(INFRASTRUCTURE PRODUCTS)
October 1, 2007... Along with a 32-bit MIPS CPU processor and QoS capabilities, the StrataXGS 200 series contains integrated multilayer Ethernet switches that support eight-, 16- or 24-Gigabit Ethernet ports and four uplinks. Built using the 65-nanometer...

PoE surge suppressor.(INFRASTRUCTURE PRODUCTS)
October 1, 2007... Featuring female-to-female or male-to-female RJ-45 connections, the STC-PoE in. line surge suppressor protects equipment and data transfer from internally generated transients and noise. The compact surge suppressors add protection to CAT 5e...

Surge suppressor.(INFRASTRUCTURE PRODUCTS)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] With a direct plug-in design that converts two outlets into six by plugging into any wall outlet, the SWIVEL6 surge suppressor helps connect and organize electronic equipment with rotating outlets. The unit includes...

Deep rack enclosure.(INFRASTRUCTURE PRODUCTS)
October 1, 2007... To help manage and protect deeper servers and larger volumes of cable, the NetShelter SX 1200 mm Deep Enclosure offers more space, additional cable channels and larger openings. The roof of the enclosure features large cable openings along the...

Performance analysis 'tapped' in: aggregating taps offer a viable option for monitoring network performance and security.(Networking Monitoring)
October 1, 2007... Effective IT security and performance management relies on visibility. IT departments need visibility of production network data to identify security vulnerabilities and violations, as well as network and application performance. Often, this...

Virtual network monitor.(REMOTE MONITORING PRODUCTS)
October 1, 2007... Through a dashboard accessed through any Internet browser, CommandCenter NOC Virtual Appliance provides status, reports and notifications on network devices, servers and applications. The network and traffic monitor also identifies and tracks...

KVM-over-IP solution.(REMOTE MONITORING PRODUCTS)
October 1, 2007... The SecureLinx Spider, an IP-based distributed KVM remote server-management solution, provides secure, real-time control of the remote server, including full administrative privileges, and operating system and system BIOS access. The device...

KVM switches combat e-crime: dual-video monitors present a unique challenge to Canadian detectives' networks.(Remote Monitoring/KVM)
October 1, 2007... A 28-year veteran of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), including 18 overall years in IT, detective sergeant Bob Gagnon is no stranger to technology. Gagnon was quite surprised, however, to find that keyboard/video/mouse (KVM) technology...

Put service processors to work.(Remote Monitoring/KVM)
October 1, 2007... Service processors are dedicated processors located within servers that can be used for remote server management. Service processors enable remote access to power control, sensor readings and, in some cases, server configuration, monitoring and...

Hosted VoIP connects small business: firm avoids up-front equipment costs and long waits for customer service.(Convergence)
October 1, 2007... While Jason VanDevender, the CEO of Internet marketing firm ANSR, may not have anticipated how rapidly his business would grow, he knew a full-featured, scalable phone system was necessary. He also understood the need for a solution that would...

Wi-Fi network analyzer.(GENERAL PRODUCTS)
October 1, 2007... To troubleshoot Wi-Fi network problems, analyze the radio spectrum, and identify and classify sources of interference, the Enterprise Analyzer automatically pinpoints more than 130 types of wireless factors that can impact network performance,...

Bluetooth headset.(GENERAL PRODUCTS)
October 1, 2007... Weighing less than .5 oz., Bluetooth Headset H680 provides up to eight hours of talk time and eight days of standby time. The unit features an ear bud with interchangeable ear cushions and a lightweight ear hook, which adds stability and...

ExpressCard to USB adapter.(GENERAL PRODUCTS)
October 1, 2007... Suited for use with slotless notebook computers, the MicroU2E USB to ExpressCard 34/54 Host Adapter allows the use of ExpressCard devices on USB 2.0 ports. The device measures 45.9 x 58.2 x 13.4 mm and provides 480-Mbps throughput with 5V power...

Internet traffic management.(GENERAL PRODUCTS)
October 1, 2007... The LoadMaster 1600 offers Layer 4 load balancing, hardware SSL acceleration, Layer 7 content switching, IP and cookie persistence, high availability and low power consumption. The entry-level server load balancer and SSL accelerator features...

Outlook repair.(GENERAL PRODUCTS)
October 1, 2007... To recover what was lost or deleted from Microsoft Outlook (97 and up), Advanced Outlook Repair 1.4 scans Outlook personal folder files and recovers almost any piece of information, including e-mail messages, folders, appointments, meeting...

Soft clients vs. IP phones: independent testing gives soft clients the edge in terms of voice quality.(Convergence)
October 1, 2007... One of the main attractions of IP telephony (IPT) to the enterprise is cost savings. Lower call costs promise operational savings for on-net voice calls and voice conferencing. In addition, the more flexible infrastructure can provide a wide...

VoIP/UC testing service.(Product Spotlight: Security)
October 1, 2007... Enterprises can utilize Sipera VIPER Services to analyze, assess and test their VoIP/UC networks and receive recommendations on how to resolve VoIP-related security issues. The service includes vulnerability analysis, risk assessment and...

Gateway security appliance.(Product Spotlight: Security)
October 1, 2007... To offer added network security, the InterScan Gateway Security Appliance sits behind the existing firewall/VPN solution to stop threats in the cloud, at the gateway and at the desktop. The solution includes hosted services for Web and e-mail...

Host IPS.(Product Spotlight: Security)
October 1, 2007... LANDesk Host Intrusion Prevention leverages rules-based technology that examines network traffic and machine behavior to identify anomalies or security policy violations based on predefined rules. Able to defend against zero-day threats,...

Ultra-compact firewall.(Product Spotlight: Security)
October 1, 2007... The SlimLine Firewall is a compact in-line appliance that protects critical resources from unauthorized access, increases security and helps meet regulatory compliance. The firewall supports stateful access control at 2-Gbps throughput while...

USB port security.(Product Spotlight: Security)
October 1, 2007... To reduce the risk of data leakage, data theft, viruses and malware, the USB Port Security System physically locks and blocks USB ports from unauthorized access. Available in configurations for up to seven USB ports, the solution offers...

Storage encryption appliance.(Product Spotlight: Security)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The [Q.sup.3] Storage Security Encryption appliance encrypts backup data without affecting corporate networks or current backup procedures. The appliance sits between the data path and the tape storage device. The...

Web application firewall.(Product Spotlight: Security)
October 1, 2007... Providing out-of-the-box security for Web applications, the ModSecurity Pro M1100 appliance features prepackaged rule sets that prevent information leakage and assist organizations with compliance efforts. Rule sets can be applied on a...

Ethernet goes green: new standards being examined to reduce energy consumption of electronics.(Up to Speed)
October 1, 2007... Network-capable IT electronic equipment consumes at least 75 terawatt-hours per year in the United States alone, producing roughly the same amount of carbon dioxide emissions as 12 million cars. In an attempt to reduce that energy consumption,...