NETSCOUT Addresses Application Blind Spots Caused by WAN Security and Optimization Technologies

04 Oct 2004
nGenius Solution Extends Management Visibility to Applications Where VPNs Are Used; Single Solution Now Addresses IPSec and MPLS VPNs in All WAN Topologies

WESTFORD, Mass., Oct 4, 2004 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ -- NetScout Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: NTCT), a leading provider of enterprise-wide network and application performance management solutions, today announced performance management for applications in wide area networks where Virtual Private Network (VPN) services are utilized to optimize security and performance. The nGenius(R) VPN Site Monitoring and Reporting capability, delivered as an enhancement to NetScout's nGenius(R) Performance Management Solution, allows IT managers to view and manage the resource and performance requirements of business applications in VPN environments. Without this visibility, IT managers are blinded in their ability to identify business and non-business application traffic, troubleshoot slowdowns, or generate application-level activity reports for remote locations.

According to Infonetics Research, end-user demand for VPN services is skyrocketing and the market is expected to reach $30.1 billion worldwide, by 2008. Companies of all sizes are investing in VPNs, which facilitate the creation of "virtual tunnels" within a corporate network or in carrier backbones. The technology allows companies to take advantage of lower cost access routes such as the Internet while adding a layer of protection against unauthorized sight or usage of business traffic. After being tunneled, individual application streams are hidden. In addition, both IPSec and MPLS- based VPNs may employ QoS services to maximize application responsiveness.

"IPSec VPN and hybrid MPLS/VPN solutions are becoming prevalent in the WAN," said Jeff Wilson, principal analyst for Infonetics Research. "The challenge is their interference with the equally important goal of managing capacity according to business requirements. NetScout is addressing this market head-on for its customers by restoring application visibility, which in turn enables quicker adoption of security and efficiency technologies."

To lower WAN costs and improve bandwidth for business applications, a leading U.S. retailer implemented VPNs between its North American headquarters and its operations in Asia. Although cost and performance improvements were achieved, the IT staff found that they had lost their ability to track individual applications, understand bandwidth consumption and perform in-depth troubleshooting. As a result, day-to-day service assurance and traffic engineering became much more challenging. Using the nGenius Solution, the retailer was able to restore valuable visibility into applications for both planning and troubleshooting, as well as perform packet capture and decode for rapid resolution of troubles reported by users at the remote side of the VPNs. The company is now meeting its goal of reduced expenses for WAN services using lower cost VPN connections, while simultaneously managing IT resources according to business priorities.

    The nGenius VPN Site Monitoring and Reporting provides:

     *  Complete, unified insight into the types of applications being
        delivered across the IPSec and MPLS-based VPNs.

     *  Validation of appropriate prioritization schemes, individual
        application flows and their respective QoS levels in context with
        remote site details.

     *  Unified real-time network and application monitoring, flexible
        newspaper-style reporting and in-depth packet analysis -- all
        delivered seamlessly within a single solution for more effective IT
        planning and reduced mean-time-to-repair (MTTR) of service slowdowns.

     *  Physical and logical monitoring of the network and its applications
        for individual, grouped and total application volumes and
        responsiveness on the network.

"With the nGenius Solution, enterprises will improve the deployment of VPNs as a result of more comprehensive management information," said Michael Szabados, senior vice president of product operations for NetScout Systems. "Our CDM(TM) technology allows performance metrics from across the enterprise, regardless of infrastructure technologies present, to be integrated within a single view. This unified view of performance helps our customers manage by business priority while maximizing IT investments."

Pricing and Availability

NetScout's new VPN Site Monitoring and Reporting capabilities are available in nGenius(R) Performance Manager 2.0.1 and nGenius(R) Probe Firmware CDM 2.1 at no additional charge. For additional product or ordering information about nGenius solutions, 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 and application performance management products and solutions 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.

NetScout and the NetScout logo, and nGenius are registered trademarks of NetScout Systems, Inc. The CDM logo, 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, Inc.

Peggy Flynn of NetScout Systems, +1-978-614-4162,
flynnp@netscout.com; or Dawn Sullivan of Schwartz Communications, Inc.,
+1-781-684-0770, netscout@schwartz-pr.com, for NetScout Systems, Inc.
http://www.netscout.com