NetScout Announces nGenius Performance Manager 2.0 and nGenius Probe Firmware 6.0
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, 2003-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® Performance Manager 2.0 and significantly expanded data collection and analysis capabilities via nGenius® 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 CDMTM Architecture. With the major firmware 6.0 release, nGenius® 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:
- CDMTM 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 TimeTM 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 AlarmsTM 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:
- WorkspacesTM, 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 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® 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.
©2003 NetScout Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 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.
For Further Information:
Chris Johansen
NetScout Systems, Inc.
(978) 614-4113
johansenc@netscout.com |
Dawn Sullivan
Schwartz Communications, Inc.
(781) 684-0770
netscout@schwartz-pr.com |
SOURCE NetScout Systems, Inc.
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