Three-Tiered Vision of the Future of Integrated Service Management is Built Upon Packet-Flow TechnologyWESTFORD, Mass., Apr 14, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- NetScout Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: NTCT), the industry leader in
advanced network and application performance management, today
announced the company's strategic vision for managing the Modern IP
Network. This vision is predicated upon the enterprise's need to
deliver a consistent end-user experience and reliable application
service as it builds out the increasingly complex and mission-critical
Modern IP Network.
What is the Modern IP Network and Why Is It a Management
Challenge?
Huge investments into faster servers, better protocols, high-speed
backbones, and virtualized services have turned yesterday's low-speed,
data-only networks into information technology platforms for 21st
century business. These Modern IP Networks are ready to support a bevy
of services--from Voice over IP to ultra-time-sensitive
customer-facing applications. To realize the full potential of the
Modern IP Network, IT organizations must effectively monitor and
manage the complex interactions and performance of resource-contending
application traffic on a virtualized network.
Today's network monitoring tools try to assess the health of
applications and services from incomplete viewpoints, such as the
infrastructure elements (e.g. switches, routers) or snapshots of
end-user experience. In so doing, they miss out on an increasingly
complex and vital base of information -- the dynamic interactions
between elements and the highly variable flow of services between
them. As a result, the IT team rarely knows where problems exist early
enough to prevent end-user impact.
The Answer: NetScout's nGenius Solution
The dynamic interactions between elements can only be fully
exposed by Packet-Flow technology. Packet-Flow evidence is based on
deep and direct inspection of network packets; it is not simulated,
sampled, or affected by data reduction. NetScout's nGenius(R) Solution
calculates flow data from the monitored packet streams, and further
rolls it up into early indicators in the form of high-level KPIs (Key
Performance Indicators) which are used for proactive early warning
alarms of pending service delivery issues.
The big payoff comes in the way that NetScout enables a highly
efficient top-down workflow called "KPI-to-Flow-to-Packet." Starting
with high-level indicators of issues, the user can drill down as
deeply as needed to rapidly manage and troubleshoot network and
application performance-- all the way to the full packet sequences
when dealing with the toughest performance problems. This combination
of deep, definitive data plus a powerful and efficient workflow is
enabling NetScout customers to dramatically reduce Mean Time to
Repair/Restore (MTTR).
NetScout advocates that organizations apply Packet-Flow technology
as they build out Modern IP Networks and address performance
management in the way that best meets their current focus, needs and
level of organizational and process maturity. The November 2007
acquisition of Network General was a milestone in enabling the company
to complete the solution to answer the demands of the Modern IP
Network:
-- Incident Management (a.k.a. Reactive Management) is the most
basic level of the maturity model, focused on reactive
troubleshooting - typically the problem is reported by an end
user, and IT needs a fast, efficient, effective way to
definitively diagnose the source of the performance
degradation.
NetScout Solutions for Incident Management: NetScout's nGenius(R)
InfiniStream(TM), combined with our industry-leading Sniffer(R)
Intelligence expert analysis applications, delivers fast, definitive
troubleshooting capabilities.
-- Problem Management (a.k.a. Proactive Management) is a more
systemic approach that focuses on broader views of activities
and reduction of incidents by recognizing and addressing
potential problems through enhanced visibility and
forecasting/planning. This depends on broader instrumentation
of the networked infrastructure for improved system-wide
clarity.
NetScout Solutions for Problem Management: NetScout's nGenius
Performance Manager, drawing real-time performance data from nGenius
InfiniStreams and nGenius Probes, delivers powerful flow-based views
into all application and service activity across distributed service
delivery infrastructures for fast problem isolation and reality-based
planning.
-- Performance Management (a.k.a. Service-Aware Management) is
the highest level of attainment in the maturity model. In this
phase, performance issues are tracked and understood in terms
of their specific business impact as reflected by the health
of the network-delivered applications and services. The focus
at this level goes beyond proactive to preventative - where
incidents are wholly avoided via intelligent early warnings
and better performance planning throughout the lifecycle of an
application or service (including pre-deployment performance
assessment and optimization).
NetScout Solutions for Performance Management: NetScout's newly
announced nGenius K2 (see related release issued today, "NetScout
Scales to New Heights in Application Performance Management with
Release of nGenius K2") provides intelligent early warnings of pending
service quality issues as well as an application service-oriented
dashboard for rapid problem recognition and focus.
"In Modern IP Networks, even micro events can have macro
consequences," said Anil Singhal, President, Chief Executive Officer,
and Chairman of NetScout Systems. "To deliver consistent end-user
experience and reliable application service, the industry urgently
needs integrated service management solutions that allow IT operators
to quickly and confidently find the needle in the haystack. From the
Network General acquisition to the introduction of nGenius K2,
NetScout has assembled the very best technology for each phase of the
journey and is now in a position to truly lead the market."
About NetScout Systems
NetScout Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: NTCT) has been an industry leader
in advanced network and service assurance solutions for over twenty
years. NetScout's breakthrough technology solutions provide trusted,
comprehensive real-time and historical performance intelligence,
including advanced early warnings and rapid, definitive problem
analysis. These capabilities are vital to IT operators who are
accountable for reducing the Mean Time to Resolution. The world's
largest enterprises, government agencies, and service providers depend
upon NetScout's nGenius and Sniffer (formerly Network General) brands
to assure service levels to their users by reducing or preventing
disruptions and degradations. More information about NetScout is
available at http://www.netscout.com.
NetScout, the NetScout logo, Network General, the Network General
logo, nGenius and Sniffer are trademarks or registered trademarks of
NetScout Systems, Inc. Other brands, product names and trademarks are
property of their respective owners. NetScout reserves the right, at
its sole discretion, to make changes at any time in its technical
information and specifications, and service and support programs.
SOURCE: NetScout Systems, Inc.
NetScout Systems, Inc.
Christine Johansen, 978-614-4113
Manager, Public Relations
johansenc@netscout.com
or
Davies Murphy Group, Inc.
Rob Morton, 781-418-2460
netscout@daviesmurphy.com