VOIP made itself heard in 2004, and we got the message loud and clear. We tested highly scalable IP phone systems from traditional PBX vendors Avaya Inc. and Siemens AG, as well as smaller-scale solutions from relative newcomers such as AIP Communications Inc. and Zultys Technologies Inc. In most cases, we found the products surprisingly easy to set up and manage, although not typically interoperable. We"re hoping to see more standards-based solutions similar to the Zultys MX250 in 2005. We also reviewed tools that monitor VOIP networks effectively, along with scads of traditional network analysis products.
Other developments in 2004 included new highs in WAN acceleration, thanks to vendors such as Riverbed Technology Inc. and Tacit Networks Inc.; Dell Inc."s first core switch, the PowerConnect 6024; and laudable attempts at managing heterogeneous network devices, especially from Rendition Networks.
Improvements in WLAN security and management from vendors such as Trapeze Networks Inc. and AirDefense Inc. certainly weren"t shabby, either. These and other WLAN vendors are delivering stronger policy-based management tools and more scalable distributed systems. We"ll be following these trends closely in the coming year.
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Accelerators and load balancers
Coyote Point Equalizer E350
Coyote Point Systems Inc.
Excellent 8.6
Cost: Starts at US$5,995
Bottom line: This inexpensive, easy-to-use appliance delivers excellent basic load balancing. If your bandwidth usage isn"t high and you have budget constraints, Coyote Point Equalizer E350 is a solid solution.
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NetScaler 9400 Secure Application Switch
NetScaler Inc.
Excellent 8.7
Cost: Starts at $35,000
Bottom line: A sophisticated appliance, the NetScaler 9400 produces dramatic improvements in response times and bandwidth usage. In addition to load balancing and Web acceleration, the solution delivers application-level firewall features and SSL VPN capabilities.
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Redline Networks E|X 3250 Version 3.3
Redline Networks Inc.
Excellent 8.9
Cost: With OverDrive, $34,995
Bottom line: The Redline E|X 3250 provides faster response times and lower bandwidth usage for Web sites and comes equipped with the usual load-balancing and application-protection features. The OverDrive programming environment enables flexible response with minimal programming to client needs.
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Riverbed Steelhead 2000
Riverbed Technology Inc.
Excellent 9.0
Cost: Steelhead 2000 (tested), $17,995; Steelhead 1000, $9,995; Steelhead 500, $5,995
Bottom line: In our tests, Riverbed"s WAN acceleration appliance reduced file-transfer times over slow or degraded WAN circuits by several orders of magnitude. Application-level protocol is limited to MAPI and CIFS, but the unit requires no infrastructure retrofitting and almost no effort to get it online.
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Stampede WebRider
Stampede Technologies Inc.
Excellent 8.7
Cost: As tested on IBM eServer, including license for 100 plug-in clients, $35,000
Bottom line: WebRider does a great job reducing typical TCP and HTTP bottlenecks. This client-to-server Web traffic accelerator requires a device on only one end of the connection and reduces time spent accessing Web-based applications from a remote computer. TCP optimization, creative cache management, and Stampede"s own TurboStreaming technology make client-to-Web application performance much faster, especially over slow or poor quality WAN circuits.
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Tacit I-shared 1.6.1
Tacit Networksv Inc.
Excellent 8.7
Cost: Server, starts at $21,500; remote appliance, starts at $7,950
Bottom line: The cost of deploying I-shared 1.6.1 is easy to justify thanks to the product"s incredible performance boost to sharing files over WAN connections and subsequent improved productivity. With supporting technology still evolving, waiting for I-shared to mature may be prudent -- but that shouldn"t dissuade users suffering from acute remote-file-sharing syndrome.
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Media networking
Acterna DA-3400 Data Network Analyzer
Acterna LLC
Very Good 7.6
Cost: DA-3400, $24,735; DA-3400 VOIP Option, $3,000
Bottom line: The DA-3400 is a capable and mostly flexible VOIP monitoring solution designed mainly for the carrier and service provider markets. Although similar to Fluke Networks Inc."s OptiView, the DA-3400"s implementation and price show carrier-oriented roots, which may put off some enterprise users.
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AIP Communications AIP-416
AIP Communications
Very Good 8.2
Cost: $1,250, plus $150 per user (includes Swissvoice IP10S phone for each user)
Bottom line: Easy to implement and use, the AIP-416 is a feature-rich PBX. It works well in the typical Fast Ethernet enterprise environment and creates little extra bandwidth demand. After it"s configured, it requires little attention beyond the occasional need to add, change, or remove users.
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Avaya S8300 and S8700 Media Servers
Avaya
Excellent 8.8
Cost: S8300, 200 users, $52,000; S8700, approximately $500 per user, depending on options; 4620 IP Telephone, $495
Bottom line: Avaya is one of telephony"s heavy hitters, and it shows in the robust design of these PBXes. The S8300 and S8700 can be outfitted to meet nearly any requirement and can be expanded to support huge enterprises. IT will find the management tools easy to use. Call setup protocols and voice streams are encrypted by default.
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bConvergent OpenVoice 2.0
bConvergent Inc.
Very Good 7.8
Cost: $85 per user, plus implementation and, if applicable, hardware and PSTN gateway
Bottom line: OpenVoice is a highly scalable IP PBX: Its user limit depends only on the number of licenses you buy and the power of the platform on which it"s installed. It"s as feature-rich as its competitors but does require an external gateway.
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Brix System
Brix Networks Inc.
Very Good 7.8
Cost: BrixMon software, starts at $20,000; BrixMon Advanced VOIP Test Suite for SIP, $11,250; Brix 100 Verifier, $1,800
Bottom line: Brix is the most flexible VOIP monitoring solution we tested. Although it has a service-provider component, the BrixMon version is aimed at enterprises. Its distributed architecture and price mark it for high-end installations, but enterprises with large distributed networks won"t find a more capable tool.
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Epygi Quadro4x
Epygi Technologies Ltd.
Very Good 7.4
Cost: $1,695
Bottom line: The Quadro4x VOIP appliance is small and incredibly simple to set up and use. Call quality is superb. These boxes are a boon to small and remote offices but present challenges to larger offices and those wishing to use legacy digital PBX equipment.
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Fluke Networks OptiView Protocol Expert Plus
Fluke Networks
Very Good 7.8
Cost: OptiView Protocol Expert, $3,195; Protocol Expert VOIP module, $3,500; OptiView Link Analyzer, $18,995
Bottom line: The new OptiView Protocol Expert Plus is an excellent option for enterprise-oriented VOIP monitoring. It offers a full set of tools but comes as an upgrade to existing OptiView management software, which is already installed in a large segment of the midsize enterprise market.
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Siemens HiPath 4000 Real-Time IP System 2.0
Siemens Information and Communication Networks
Excellent 8.8
Cost: HiPath 4000, 100 users, $39,960; Optipoint 410 Standard phone, $365; Opticlient 130 softphone, $175
Bottom line: The HiPath 4000 shows Siemens" telephony experience. It can be configured with redundant components, can be networked with other HiPath PBXes for fail-over, and supports both digital and IP phones. The management interface is bland but very well documented, flush with tutorials and wizards.
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Spirent Abacus 5000
Spirent PLC
Very Good 7.4
Cost: $84,200
Bottom line: Intended for VOIP product manufacturers, Abacus 5000 measures a product"s quality and adherence to standards. It"s flexible enough to handle certain enterprise-level VOIP network management tasks, but that requires extra engineering time and effort.
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Tandberg E5780 High Definition Encoder, TT1280 High Definition Decoder
Tandberg Television
Excellent 8.8
Cost: E5780, $55,454; TT1280, $8,333
Bottom line: Tandberg"s high-definition encoder/decoder solution provides high-quality high-definition video over IP that"s scalable, easy to use, and suited for enterprise presentation, internal learning programs, and engineering imaging.
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3Com VCX V7000 IP Telephony Solution 5.0
3Com Corp.
Very Good 8.1
Cost: 1,000 PBX users, $111,665; 3Com 3102PE Business Phone, $310
Bottom line: 3Com"s VCX V7000 PBX is actually an app running on Linux on a standard Intel server, which makes hardware support easy. The application is simple to use and manage, and IT will appreciate the clear interface. It won"t scale to handle a huge enterprise, but it"s great for midsize companies.
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VBrick EtherneTV Media Distribution System
VBrick Systems Inc.
Very Good 8.1
Cost: As tested, with Media Control Server, EtherneTV-NXG Video-On-Demand Server, two VBrick 6300s, one VBrick 4300, and EtherneTV-STB Set Top Box, $45,000
Bottom line: VBrick delivers a rock-solid, polished video distribution system that goes far beyond the traditional category of video codecs. It can be integrated into just about any video application through its flexible array of features, and it can be further customized through its rich programming interfaces.
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Versatel IQ1500 Intelligent Media Gateway
Versatel Networks Inc.
Very Good 8.4
Cost: As tested, $49,000
Bottom line: The IQ1500 is a very flexible, extremely powerful VOIP solution. In addition to providing T1/E1 connections, it offers SS7 signaling, supports H.323 and SIP, and provides significant security features. Application support includes IQscript APIs for creating custom applications, as well as add-on apps from Versatel.
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Zultys MX250 Enterprise Media Exchange
Zultys Technologies
Very Good 8.4
Cost: MX250, five users, $3,000; 250 users, $44,000; ZIP 4x4 IP Telephone, $350
Bottom line: The Zultys MX250 is a truly standards-based solution that shows just how well SIP can work when properly implemented. It"s aimed at small to midsize enterprises and will work nicely with existing standards-based infrastructure. Even better, it will support any SIP device on the network.
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Network management
Acterna DA-3400 Data Network Analyzer
Acterna Corp.
Very Good 7.8
Cost: As tested, $30,821 per chassis
Bottom line: An excellent solution for long-term network monitoring, the DA-3400 generates flexible traffic flows for network verification and capacity testing. It has direct management features, passive traffic monitoring, and a slick and intuitive software interface, but more flexibility in media splitting would be nice.
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AlterPoint DeviceAuthority Suite 2.0
AlterPoint Inc.
Very Good 8.1
Cost: 100 devices, $19,995
Bottom line: DeviceAuthority Suite"s audit and inventory tools are solid but somewhat uninviting. The reporting capabilities are more than adequate, and the Update Module, a unique network development environment, is well-designed and useful.
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ClearSight Analyzer 3.2
ClearSight Networks Inc.
Very Good 7.2
Cost: Software only, $7,995; gigabit Analyzer appliance, $34,995
Bottom line: ClearSight Analyzer puts a pretty face on network traffic analysis with a colorful, all-Java interface. Reports and charts are thorough but can"t be exported. The ladder-style TCP transaction visualization and color-coded error-tracing features identify network problems easily and quickly.
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Fluke Networks OptiView Hardware Analyzers
Fluke Networks Inc.
Very Good 8.0
Cost: Integrated Network Analyzer, $13,395; Workgroup Analyzer, $7,195
Bottom line: The OptiView line"s testing capabilities are relatively rudimentary, but they"re more than enough for their stated mission and are surrounded by a host of indispensable network management and troubleshooting tools. It"s definitely more of a diagnostic testing tool than a long-term monitoring tool.
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MaXware Virtual Directory 7.0.9
MaXware Inc.
Very Good 8.3
Cost: $25,000; synchronization
add-on, $25,000
Bottom line: Engineers will probably be quite comfortable with this offering. It works well but requires detailed knowledge about the inner workings of both your directory and database operations. The relatively low price is a plus if you don"t need the synchronization capabilities.
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Network Associates InfiniStream Network Management 1.7
Network Associates Inc.
Very Good 8.1
Cost: i1610 (includes five consoles with VOIP support), $75,000; i410 (includes three consoles with VOIP support), $35,000
Bottom line: Network Management gives the Sniffer network analysis tool the capability of capturing and storing ongoing traffic streams. It"s easy to view recorded events in time slices from days to seconds, so you can mine historical packet-level data to isolate and diagnose network problems.
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Network Intelligence NIE-2550-HA
Network Intelligence Corp.
Very Good 8.1
Cost: $59,900
Bottom line: The NIE-2550-HA provides a vast array of reporting and alerting tools, but with more power comes more complexity. Implemented and maintained properly, this appliance helps distill necessary data from log files.
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Radiant Logic RadiantOne 4.0
Radiant Logic Inc.
Excellent 8.9
Cost: $50,000
Bottom line: Radiant Logic"s RadiantOne is a well-integrated set of tools for gathering data from multiple locations, organizing it into an LDAP schema, and presenting it as a single LDAP directory. It"s easy to use even for admins who aren"t database or directory experts.
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Rendition Networks TrueControl 3.0
Rendition Networks Inc.
Very Good 8.4
Cost: 50 devices, $19,995
Bottom line: Feature-rich and broad in scope, TrueControl does a great job with device detection and maintenance. The mass configuration scripting tools could be better, but the reporting is powerful, flexible, and easy to digest.
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Spirent SmartBits TeraMetrics XD
Spirent
Very Good 7.8
Cost: As tested, $25,215 per card
Bottom line: Spirent raises the bar with its inexpensive TeraMetrics XD card line. Although relatively expensive, the XD line packs a lot of flexibility and capability that will be valuable to organizations with large networks. But it"s not the right choice for those looking to manage or monitor.
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Tripwire for Network Devices 3.0
Tripwire Inc.
Good 6.5
Cost: 100 devices, $19,995
Bottom line: Tripwire for Network Devices is very good at maintaining baseline configurations among heterogeneous network devices. Because it lacks configuration scripting and reporting tools, however, it doesn"t match the scope of competing products.
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Routers and switches
Dell PowerConnect 5324
Dell
Very Good 7.9
Cost: $1,199
Bottom line: The newest entry in Dell"s LAN switching line hits the high points, providing 24 10/100/1000 copper ports and four shared SFP-based fiber ports at a surprising $50 per port. The CLI, which mimicks Cisco"s Internetwork Operating System, will be familiar to experienced network admins, and the Web interface based on Dell"s OpenManage layout will suit the rest. All in all, the 5324 is a high-performance switch suitable for small and midsize networks.
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Dell PowerConnect 6024
Dell
Very Good 8.4
Cost: $3,499; Dell Network Manager Advanced Edition, $4,995
Bottom line: Dell"s first attempt at reaching the network core is a good one. The PowerConnect 6024 performs as well as any fixed-port layer 3 switch on the market, with a host of advanced features. Lack of discovery protocol support is a hindrance, but it"s still a good value for a small to midsize LAN core.
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Extreme BlackDiamond 10808
Extreme Networks Inc.
Excellent 8.7
Cost: Two BlackDiamond 10808 chassis, six power supplies, four Switch Management modules, four 10G6X 10 Gig modules, two 60-port 10/100/1000-base TX modules, four Management Switch Modules, $557,900; as tested, two Summit 5iTX edge switches, $10,995
Bottom line: Extreme"s 10 Gig solution delivers an excellent mix of performance and polish. It keeps pace with the speedy Force10 products and provides better management. A full-featured OS allows unprecedented levels of architectural flexibility.
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Force10 E600
Force10 Networks Inc.
Very Good 8.4
Cost: Two E600-1 chassis each configured with 24 1000-base TX ports and two 10 Gig ports, $191,000; as tested, four E300 chassis, $35,000
Bottom line: Force10 impressed us again with performance power and a multiple-ASIC architecture. This solution screamed through even our toughest tests. The company has taken great strides to improve its management platform, but it"s still got a little ways to go on the software side.
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Wireless
AirDefense 4.0
AirDefense
Excellent 8.7
Cost: Starter kit, $10,000
Bottom line: Strong on policy-based management, AirDefense 4.0"s wireless 802.11a/b/g IDS monitoring adds a layer of security monitoring to enterprise infrastructure and provides signature and statistical anomaly detection, protocol analysis, and policy deviation monitoring.
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AirMagnet Distributed 4.0
AirMagnet Inc.
Very Good 8.1
Cost: Starter kit, $7,995, which includes Console and Management Server ($4,995) and four hardware sensors ($750 each); as tested, with two sensors, $6,495
Bottom line: Building on AirMagnet"s strength in RF control, AirMagnet Distributed monitors a wide range of security and wireless network performance factors. An organization looking for a single tool to manage its wireless network could do well with this solution.
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AirMagnet Laptop Trio 3.0
AirMagnet
Very Good 7.7
Cost: As tested, $3,495
Bottom line: AirMagnet Laptop Trio 3.0 is a welcome step up from typical WLAN management tools. It"s built to manage WLAN devices and traffic. The Trio 3.0 license is for a particular MAC address, and the same wireless card always has to be used, making unfriendly reinstalls its primary weakness.
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Aruba 2400 Wireless LAN Switching System
Aruba Wireless Networks Inc.
Very Good 8.2
Cost: As tested, $10,595
Bottom line: A well-engineered, mature WLAN switching system, Aruba lacks Trapeze"s management and configuration flexibility but has rock-solid security. The 2400 manages authentication and encryption with aplomb, counters ongoing attacks, and finds and neutralizes existing threats.
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Canon Canobeam DT-130
Canon USA Inc.
Very Good 8.1
Cost: $27,000 per pair
Bottom line: The Canobeam DT-130 optical transceiver performs very well. Gigabit transfer speeds via laser make this an attractive solution to short-distance wireless challenges. Its strict reliance on line-of-sight makes RF wireless a better choice in fog and other scenarios, but with a clear signal, it works nicely.
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Network Chemistry RFprotect 3.1
Network Chemistry Inc.
Very Good 7.9
Cost: Pilot Package, including software, maintenance, and four sensors, starts at $2,499; extra sensors, $599 each (volume discounts available)
Bottom line: The RFprotect wireless protection system lacks some of the sophistication of competing solutions from AirDefense and AirMagnet, especially in policy creation and enforcement, but it provides the necessary WLAN monitoring and threat detection capabilities at a dramatically lower price.
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Red-M Red-Detect Server 3.5
Red-M Ltd.
Good 6.9
Cost: Starter kit, $12,995
Bottom line: With the unique capability of monitoring Bluetooth in addition to 802.11a/b/g devices, this functional IDS solution is best used for zero-tolerance policy compliance. Despite its ease-of-use, Red-Detect lacks fundamental reporting capabilities and is expensive.
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Trapeze MX-20 Mobility System
Trapeze Networks
Excellent 8.7
Cost: As tested, $9,495; dual radio AP, $549; RingMaster license, $1,995
Bottom line: Trapeze takes the gold for polish and flexibility. Its bundled management platform is easily the slickest and most flexible, and it"s no security slouch. The overall price is higher than that of the Aruba 2400, yet Trapeze is definitely worth the money for the majority of enterprise WLAN implementations.
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VigilantMinds AirXone Managed Security Service 2.0
VigilantMinds Inc.
Very Good 7.9
Cost: From $500 to $1,500 per month, depending on network configuration
Bottom line: VigilantMinds AirXone is similar to a monitored home security system -- you have a control panel, but experts do the actual monitoring. If you need a secure wireless network but don"t want to build a team of in-house wireless security experts, AirXone might be right for you.