Cover V10, I06
Article

jun2001.tar


New Products

Connex Unveils SANavigator Lite

Connex announced its SANavigator Lite storage management application, designed for entry-level storage management. According to the company, SANavigator Lite provides many of the storage management features of the company's SANavigator software to smaller SAN installations

SANavigator Lite, like SANavigator Version 1.5, is a Java-based storage management application that operates as a host for other storage management applications, utilities, and tools from other storage vendors. It includes an Auto Discovery feature that performs a complete inventory of all SAN and NAS resources. The SANmap component of SANavigator Lite presents a visual map of the SAN showing all devices and their interconnections.

According to the company, one of SANavigator Lite's features is its ability to automatically discover direct-attached Fibre Channel devices. This gives entry-level SAN customers an opportunity to test Host Bus Adapters (HBAs) or other SAN devices before they invest in a complete SAN architecture that incorporates fabric devices.

Like SANavigator, SANavigator Lite supports all Microsoft Windows platforms (98, NT, and 2000), Solaris, and Linux. SANavigator Lite is fully interoperable with other storage management applications and can be utilized to launch operations such as serverless backup using third-party backup software. SANavigator Lite provides storage management functionality, but does not include the Data Path Map, Event Notification, Trap Forwarding, Community Strings, and SNMP Listen Port Change features included with SANavigator. Additionally, SANavigator Lite does not have the ability to change the port on which SANavigator listens for SNMP traps. According to the company, when a SAN grows to the point that these management features become necessary, a manager can simply upgrade to SANavigator.

For more information, or to download SANavigator, visit the company's Web site at: http://www.sanavigator.com or contact: Connex, 2040 Fortune Drive, Suite 200, San Jose, CA 95131; Phone: (408) 232-1000; Fax: (408) 232-9869; Internet: Marketing@SANavigator.com.

Crystal Group Introduces Darksite Remote Management Appliance

Crystal Group Inc. announced the addition of DarkSite remote management appliance for servers. According to the company, DarkSite is a platform-independent management tool that monitors the health of servers and notifies users of potential problems before they cause an application to fail. DarkSite allows the user to select which hardware and software systems are monitored and how users will be contacted.

According to the company, DarkSite is an embedded computer system, with its own operating system and Crystal's server management software application. It functions independently from the host system, using an ISA or PCI slot for power. Sensors on the system can monitor temperature, fan rotation, and power in the host system. Additionally, DarkSite can keep an eye on the status of a server's resources. Installing a small OS Agent will allow DarkSite to monitor the host system's CPU, RAM, disk drives, and network connections.

DarkSite is Web-enabled, allowing remote administration from any browser on the network or the Internet. Security concerns are addressed by allowing SSL connections to the system, and advanced users can configure DarkSite through Telnet. DarkSite is able to send alarms to any email address, and wireless alert messages to any PDA, pager, or cellular telephone. If you use SNMP to manage your facility, DarkSite can send SNMP traps also.

According to the company, DarkSite's notification features minimize the worries associated with hardware or software problems that may bring servers down. Altogether, DarkSite can monitor: CPU load, RAM usage, disk space usage, network usage, and system status (heartbeat). DarkSite requires an available ISA or PCI expansion slot for use, an available RS-232 serial port, an ATX power supply, and optional tachometer chassis/case fans. Each DarkSite card features a RISC-based microprocessor, onboard DRAM and Flash memory, embedded 10-Mbs Ethernet adapter and two RS-232 serial ports. DarkSite is compatible with Microsoft Windows 95/98, 2000, or NT 4.0, Linux, Solaris x86, SCO (Caldera) UnixWare 7.x, and TCP/IP connectivity. Additionally, protocols compatible with DarkSite include: TCP/IP, HTTP/SSL, Telnet, PPP, Serial Console, SMTP, SNMP, SNTP, and Syslog. Pricing starts at $799 per card.

For more information, contact: Crystal Group Inc., 850 Kacena Road, Hiawatha, IA 52233; Phone: (800) 378-1636; Fax: (319) 393-2338; WWW: http://www.crystalpc.com.

Advanced System Concepts Announces ActiveBatch Version 3

Advanced System Concepts, Inc. announced the availability of ActiveBatch version 3. ActiveBatch is an enterprise job scheduling and management system, designed for Windows 2000/NT and supports the reliable execution of jobs and programs on multiple operating systems including various UNIX platforms and OpenVMS. The product can be downloaded from the Advanced System Concepts Web site.

According to the company, ActiveBatch supports the full implementation of Microsoft's Window Management Instrumentation (WMI) as a basis for improved system and applications management in Windows.

ActiveBatch's scaleable architecture allows systems to be added to meet increasing demand and manage workloads. ActiveBatch's Virtual Queuing automatically selects the system to execute a specific job, based upon the job's run-time characteristics and current machine utilization.

ActiveBatch supports the concept of "third-party" jobs. A batch job can be submitted, for example, under the administrator's credentials and one or more users or groups can be designated to trigger execution of that job. By using ActiveBatch, administrators can associate their rights with the running of that specific job without requiring any further actions.

ActiveBatch supports a range of new features designed to automate the management and scheduling of jobs. Among these are ActiveBatch's powerful broadcast capabilities making transparent "updates" to any or all systems whenever they reconnect to the network.

For more information, contact: Advanced Systems Concepts, Inc., 33-41 Newark Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5604; Phone: (201) 798-6400; Fax: (201) 798-9203; WWW: http://www.activebatch.com/.

Comtrol Launches RocketPort Serial Hub

Comtrol Corporation, a provider of serial network device connectivity solutions, announced that it is expanding its family of RocketPort Serial Hubs with a two-port, industrial-focused model. According to the company, Comtrol's new DIN rail-mountable two-port RocketPort Serial Hub minimizes cabling requirements by leveraging existing Ethernet networks, eliminates redundant PCs, and offers one "back up" port. Comtrol accelerates device communications with support for 10/100Base-T Ethernet and enables connections to RS-232/422/485 and ModBus devices. Comtrol's network appliances deliver native COM ports, eliminating the need for special software configuration, and provide support for many popular operating systems.

For more information, contact: Comtrol Corporation, 6655 Wedgwood Road, Suite 120, Minneapolis, MN 55311-3646; Phone: (800) 926-6876 or (763) 494-4100; Fax: (763) 494-4199; Internet: info@comtrol.com; WWW: http://www.comtrol.com.

Allied Telesyn Introduces EncloseNET

Allied Telesyn International announced its new line of network solutions, EncloseNET. According to the company, EncloseNET brings pre-configured, easy-to-install network solutions that simplify setting up new networks and expanding existing ones.

EncloseNET puts the active and passive components a network needs -- hubs, switches, routers -- into a compact system inside a wall-mountable cabinet. According to the company, these networks can be set up by positioning the cabinet, connecting the network cables, and powering it up and are available in 15 different configurations appropriate for various networks, EncloseNET turnkey networking systems are priced ranging from $490 to $4380. For more information, contact: Allied Telesyn International, WWW: http://www.alliedtelesyn.com.

Allied Telesyn's Announces ADSL Bridge/Routers

Allied Telesyn International announced productivity tools for small offices, the AR240E and AR250E ADSL bridge/routers. According to the company, the AR240E combines one ADSL port, one USB port, and one 10-Mbps Ethernet port in a compact desktop unit. The AR250E packs an office networking center into the same compact enclosure -- one ADSL port, one USB port, and a 10/100-Mbps, 4-port Ethernet switch. The AR240E/250E's USB ports simulate Ethernet connection, making them an option for connecting mobile computers for NIC-free ADSL access, and the USB and Ethernet ports on the unit can be used simultaneously.

ADSL operation includes support for standards-based G.DMT and G.Lite protocols to ensure optimum DSLAM inter-operability. The ADSL rate adaptation means that the ADSL link always runs at maximum throughput. Support for bridged or routed IP over ATM, PPP over ATM, and PPPoE provides flexible and robust connectivity to ISPs.

Installation and setup of the AR240E/250E is simplified with its Windows-based GUI, and Allied Telesyn also offers free, unlimited technical support and a 1-year warranty.

For more information, contact: Allied Telesyn International, WWW: http://www.alliedtelesyn.com.

Tripwire Inc. Announces Tripwire for Web Pages

Tripwire Inc., a provider of data and network integrity software (DNI), announced Tripwire for Web Pages. Tailored for the Apache Web server platform, this new product detects unauthorized modifications to Web site content, prevents the delivery of modified pages, and alerts the systems administrator.

According to the company, Tripwire for Web Pages provides integrity solutions by assuring the integrity of Web page content. It extends Tripwire's core DNI offerings from monitoring the file system of the Web server to the real-time monitoring of dynamic Web pages presented by the server. Tripwire for Web Pages does this by detecting unauthorized modifications to Web server content, alerting the systems administrator, and redirecting Web site viewers to a user-defined temporary Web page until authorized content is restored.

Tripwire for Web Pages determines whether a Web page has been altered by comparing the date and the digital signature of the current Web page to that of the "known good" authorized file securely saved in the database. This "integrity check" is performed each time a browser requests a Web page from the Web server. If the file dates and/or signatures do not match, Tripwire for Web Pages halts the file from being served, sends a custom notification/replacement page to the browser, logs the event, and sends an email to alert the systems administrator of the change and provide steps to restore the authorized content.

For more information, contact: Tripwire, Inc., 326 SW Broadway, 3rd Floor, Portland, OR 97205; Phone: (503) 223-0280; Fax: (503) 223-0182; WWW: http://www.tripwire.com.

AccuSoft Corporation Announces ImageGear 2001

AccuSoft, a provider of document imaging software, announced that the latest version of ImageGear is available, and the UNIX version will be released in Summer 2001.

According to the company, the ImageGear toolkit comes with more than 600 functions, support for more than 100 formats, and 200 control parameters. Both DLL and ActiveX versions and all of the plug-ins are now 100% thread safe. The implementation of thread safety was designed to allow maximum performance improvements for applications utilizing threads and for multiple-CPU computers.

ImageGear 2001 enhancements include:

  • 100% thread safety for ImageGear DLL and ActiveX.
  • Added support for many formats including read/write support for WBMP (Wireless bitmap) and Scitex CT, and read support for PTOCA A multimedia plug-in that supports any format readable by Windows Media Player including AVI, MPEG, and QuickTime LuraWave and LuraDocument compression plug-ins.
  • Improvements to the Annotation and Redlining Toolkit.
  • Direct editing of RTF files.

An evaluation copy of ImageGear 2001 is available from AccuSoft's Web site at: http://www.accusoft.com. For more information, contact: AccuSoft, 71 Lyman Street, Northborough, MA 01532; Phone: (800) 525-3577 or (508) 351-9092; Fax: (508) 351-9086.

Gadzoox Networks Announces Slingshot 4218

Gadzoox Networks, Inc, a supplier of intelligent storage networking products, announced Slingshot 4218, a 2-Gb open fabric storage area network (SAN) switch. According to the company, the Slingshot 4218 doubles the speed of current SAN switches and is based on new open fabric standards that enable full interoperability within new and existing storage networks.

The Slingshot 4218 supports new open fabric standards that will allow users to build a heterogeneous SAN fabric. One of the new standards, FC-SW-2, which includes the FSPF routing protocol, enables switches from different vendors to work together to route data and share management information.

According to the company, the introduction of the Slingshot 4218 enables customers to build a 2-Gb SAN infrastructure and boost performance in their applications, such as online transaction processing (OLTP), high-availability clusters, and backup and restore. Slingshot also has 18 ports in a one unit (1U) form factor, a non-blocking architecture, auto-sensing ports for both loop and fabric, automatic speed negotiation between 1 Gb and 2 Gb on a port-by-port basis, and load sharing trunks.

For more information, contact: Gadzoox Networks, Inc., 5850 Hellyer Avenue, San Jose, CA 95138; Phone: (408) 360-4950; Fax: (408) 360-4951; WWW: http://www.gadzoox.com.

TrueSAN Announces Paladin C-series

TrueSAN Networks, Inc. announced a new line of network storage systems and software that, according to the company, provides storage scalability, unified SAN and NAS functionality, and management tools to mainstream enterprise storage infrastructure. The Paladin C-series family helps organizations to incrementally scale their storage infrastructure to hundreds of terabytes while increasing system bandwidth and reliability. FusionOS software simplifies storage provisioning and data sharing by combining block and file information delivery onto a single, centrally manageable system. With new Alchemy software, organizations can control of their data assets, thus reducing the cost and complexity of their networks.

According to TrueSAN, FusionOS software helps combine distributed virtualization technology with heterogeneous file sharing. With FusionOS, administrators can provision storage capacity on a granular and secure basis. As an open platform, the Paladin C-series can be integrated with existing storage systems.

With Alchemy software, IT administrators can control the storage infrastructure from any device with Internet access and a Web browser. Alchemy incorporates agent technology that extends intelligence to the edge of the storage network, enabling proactive resource management. According to the company, because Alchemy is integrated with the Paladin C-series, it provides a way for IT administrators to visualize, configure, and control their storage infrastructure. For business-critical applications, Alchemy provides reliability through built-in alternate-pathing and snapshot technology.

Paladin C30, including Alchemy software and a two-year support program, begins at $129,000. The Paladin C60, configured with no single point of failure, Alchemy software, and 24x7 onsite support, begins at $239,000. For more information, contact: Truesan, 25 Metro Drive, Suite 300, San Jose, CA 95110; Phone: (877) 878-3726 or (408) 869-4200; Fax: (408) 869-4480; WWW: http://www.truesan.com.

CYRANO Announces Production Testing Tool 2.6

CYRANO announced the 2.6 release of its "production" testing tool that monitors production Sybase server activity and detects anomalies in real time. According to the company, Production enables you to define specific performance rules in the form of thresholds which, when reached, trigger alarms. These alarms can be set to execute predefined shell scripts, or SQL commands, such as emailing a systems administrator. By automating the process of monitoring a Sybase server, Production makes it possible to provide greater levels of performance and availability without requiring any additional time on the part of database administrators. The new version of Production adds several capabilities such as supporting Windows 2000, Version 12 of Sybase, and new lock row levels in recent Sybase releases.

According to the CYRANO, Production runs as a background process alongside the production server. It periodically analyzes information from Sybase SQL Server and, when it detects performance bottlenecks, provides notification to the database administrator and saves the information.

For more information, contact: CYRANO, 26 Parker Street, Newburyport, MA 01950; Phone: (800) 714-4900 or (978) 462-0737; Fax: (978) 462-4755; WWW: http://www.cyrano.com.