Active/Passive Response Time Measurements, Application Bandwidth Utilization,
Power Alarm Forensics and Other Key Information Unified in User-Defined
Real-Time and Historical Views and Reports
WESTFORD, Mass., July 14 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- NetScout Systems
(Nasdaq: NTCT) today announced the industry's first next-generation solution
to unify and elevate best practices in managing enterprise-wide network and
application performance. The solution includes an enhanced, unified
performance management application, nGenius(R) Performance Manager 2.0 and
significantly expanded data collection and analysis capabilities via
nGenius(R) Probe Firmware 6.0 that allow IT managers to begin consolidating
their multiple performance reporting and monitoring tools in favor of a
unified, enterprise-wide solution.
nGenius Performance Manager 2.0 is the first solution in the market to
unify the information, features and functions of multiple performance
management disciplines within a single product. It delivers network and
application monitoring, capacity planning and reporting, troubleshooting,
fault prevention and service level management using enterprise-wide
information that has been gathered and stored using NetScout's patent-pending
CDM(TM) Architecture. With the major Firmware 6.0 release, nGenius(R) Probes
are supporting the expansion of the nGenius solution with a host of new
capabilities such as gathering and analyzing flow records from network
infrastructure devices, Power Alarms that automatically collect evidence
needed for troubleshooting, passive and active responsiveness metrics and
traffic analysis by network QoS level.
Key new features include:
* CDM(TM) Adaptors, new software functionality implemented in nGenius
Performance Manager 2.0 and in nGenius Probes, help IT managers
construct a total view of network and application performance,
enterprise-wide. New CDM Probe Adaptors leverage the advanced data
collection and analysis capabilities of nGenius Probes to also now
collect flow records such as sFlow and NetFlow from industry-leading
switches and routers. Further, new CDM Server Adaptors integrate basic
SNMP traffic data, such as MIBII, Frame Relay MIB and mini-RMON, from
industry-standard routers, switches and DSU/CSUs.
* Universal Response Time(TM) seamlessly integrates active and passive
response time measurement techniques within a single solution. In
addition to the monitoring of service levels by measuring the
responsiveness and availability of applications, NetScout goes a step
further by providing rich, tightly integrated troubleshooting to quickly
get to the heart of response time problems. This feature is enabled
with enhancements made in nGenius Probe Firmware 6.0 and for the first
time integrates nGenius Active Agents for client-side active testing.
* Power Alarms(TM) allow users to define time-over-threshold alarms that
automatically collect evidence on factors contributing to performance
degradation at the time of the event, such as the top applications,
conversations and talkers. This approach accelerates root cause
analysis using nGenius Probes by delivering both the alarm and the
evidence simultaneously. It offers a significant advantage to
troubleshooting efforts with reactive instrumentation, which puts IT
managers in the position of hoping the problem happens again to collect
their evidence.
* New Application and Protocol Support for today's complex, multi-tier
application environments, including visibility into well-known
applications being served over Citrix, precise URL-by-URL tracking and
reporting within web traffic, IP-based storage protocols, and SIP for
Voice over IP traffic. Support is also provided for monitoring,
viewing and reporting on performance by network QoS level.
In addition, the following enhancements have been added to advance the
usability and scalability of the nGenius solution:
* Workspaces(TM), the newly upgraded real-time user interface in nGenius
Performance Manager 2.0, allows IT professionals to organize and save
multiple views of any type of application, metric, time frame,
technology or data source from across the network within a single, live
pane of glass. Workspaces can be organized to display the precise
combination of information needed for troubleshooting or planning tasks,
and can easily be converted into ad hoc reports for posting and
collaboration.
* Enhanced Packet Capture and Decode capabilities to support more than
450 protocols and applications, including decodes for new multicast and
wireless protocols.
* Distributed Server architecture allows nGenius Performance Manager 2.0
customers to support large, geographically dispersed environments,
providing enterprise-wide reporting, ease of configuration and 24x7
network management. This also gives end users flexibility in deploying
servers worldwide to cost-effectively collect information from data
sources locally.
* Data Access Kit formalizes interfaces for tapping into the rich CDM data
repository, so partners and end users can extract the high-quality,
unified information to address issues which are beyond the scope of the
nGenius solution, such as network modeling or usage-based billing.
"We have been using the nGenius products for years, for everything from
capacity planning to troubleshooting," said George DuGuay, senior network
systems engineer, American Tower Corporation. "The enhancements that NetScout
has delivered have continually advanced our ability to direct network
investments to business priorities and manage services according to business
impact. We particularly like nGenius Performance Manager's expanded data
source coverage, allowing us to report on not only nGenius Probes, but also
network devices and Active Agents, giving us enterprise-wide visibility into
network and application performance."
"Network managers are being challenged to demonstrate the business impact
of the network by relating both performance and costs to business applications
and end users," said Debra Curtis, research director of network and systems
management for Gartner. "They need to correlate data from multiple sources in
order to provide business-relevant network performance information and do
cost-effective capacity planning."
"This solution delivers on NetScout's vision for elevating the state of
the art in performance management and for making management technology more
accessible for businesses," said Michael Szabados, senior vice president of
product operations for NetScout. "The true power behind the solution lies in
the integration of multiple management tools and enterprise-wide performance
data within the CDM Architecture. With our CDM vision completed, enterprises
can now tap into and integrate performance data from our probes and from many
other sources in their infrastructure. This information base then can be
analyzed and presented through our flagship nGenius Performance Manager 2.0
application."
Pricing and Availability
nGenius Performance Manager 2.0 is priced at $50,000 and nGenius Probe
Firmware 6.0 is included in all nGenius Probes, with prices starting at $6995.
Both will be available by July 31, 2003. For additional information about
nGenius Unified Performance Management Solution, call NetScout Systems at
1-800-357-7666 or visit our Website at http://www.netscout.com.
About NetScout Systems, Inc.
NetScout Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: NTCT) is a market leader and pioneer of
integrated network performance management products that unify performance
across the enterprise. NetScout's nGenius(R) Performance Management System is
helping more than 3000 leading companies increase their return on
infrastructure investments by optimizing the performance of networks and
applications according to business priorities. NetScout is headquartered in
Westford, Massachusetts and has offices worldwide. Further information is
available at http://www.netscout.com.
Forward-looking statements in this release are made pursuant to the safe
harbor provisions of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
Investors are cautioned that statements in this press release which are not
strictly historical statements, including the plans, objectives and future
financial performance of NetScout, constitute forward-looking statements which
involve risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from
the forward-looking statements. Risks and uncertainties which could cause
actual results to differ include, without limitation, risks and uncertainties
associated with the company's strategic relationships with Cisco Systems and
other partners, dependence upon broad-based acceptance of the company's
network performance management solutions, the company's ability to achieve and
maintain a high rate of growth, introduction and market acceptance of new
products and product enhancements such as the delivery of nGenius(R) product
platform probes and software solutions and the implementation of the Company's
CDM(TM) Technology strategy, the ability of NetScout to take advantage of
service provider opportunities, competitive pricing pressures, reliance on
sole source suppliers, successful expansion and management of direct and
indirect distribution channels, and dependence on proprietary technology, as
well as risks associated with a continued climate of tight IT spending, and
risks of further slowdowns or downturns in economic conditions generally and
in the market for network performance management solutions specifically. For a
more detailed description of the risk factors associated with the company,
please refer to the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year
ended March 31, 2003, on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
NetScout assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking information
contained in this press release or with respect to the announcements described
herein.
NetScout and the NetScout logo, and nGenius are registered trademarks of
NetScout Systems, Inc. CDM and the CDM logo, Universal Response Time, Power
Alarms, Workspaces and MasterCare and the MasterCare logo, are 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