Permanent network TAPs for complex infrastructure

Networking Technology Update This newsletter is sponsored by Procurve Networking "Big Rebates on the ProCurve Switch 2810 Series" Save up to $100 on Switch 2810 Series. Gigabit connectivity & lifetime warranty. ProCurve Networking. Networking Technology Update, 06/11/07 Permanent network TAPs for complex infrastructure By Alastair Hartrup Network test access ports were developed as portable diagnostic tools to gain temporary, out-of-band, nonintrusive access to traffic between two network devices. VoIP: Lessons from Early Adopters Experts say VoIP isn't a magic wand that will solve all of an organization's communications challenges right out of the box. Learn why VoIP may not produce expected savings and productivity gains, and other lessons from early adopters. Click Here to Watch Today, TAPs are available for permanent deployment in the data center, helping enterprises manage complex infrastructures. Leveraging a permanent out-of-band network access platform (permanent TAP), users are able to maintain 24/7 network visibility and real-time management benefits without affecting network performance. SPAN (mirrored switch ports) and other network deployment methods once held their own, but the increasing data load placed on these tools is severely affecting enterprise infrastructure management. Permanent TAP solutions avoid bandwidth pitfalls by establishing an out-of-band platform to deploy any critical network device. With a physical TAP integrated in a desired network segment, the out-of-band device has uninterrupted, hardware-level visibility into the tapped network traffic, without having to compete for access and, most importantly, without affecting network flow. The detailed visibility that permanent TAPs provide is ideal for enterprise monitoring and management, giving TAP-attached devices the ability to identify errors and events — including link-layer events — within the network. For more on this story, please click here.

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Contact the author: Hartrup is founder and CEO of Network Critical. He can be reached at alastair.hartrup@networkcritical.com. – www.criticalTAP.com. This newsletter is sponsored by Procurve Networking "Big Rebates on the ProCurve Switch 2810 Series" Save up to $100 on Switch 2810 Series. Gigabit connectivity & lifetime warranty. ProCurve Networking. BONUS FEATURE IT PRODUCT RESEARCH AT YOUR FINGERTIPS Get detailed information on thousands of products, conduct side-by-side comparisons and read product test and review results with Network World’s IT Buyer’s Guides. Find the best solution faster than ever with over 100 distinct categories across the security, storage, management, wireless, infrastructure and convergence markets. Click here for details. PRINT SUBSCRIPTIONS AVAILABLE You've got the technology snapshot of your choice delivered to your inbox each day. Extend your knowledge with a print subscription to the Network World newsweekly, Apply here today. International subscribers, click here. SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES To subscribe or unsubscribe to any Network World newsletter, change your e-mail address or contact us, click here. This message was sent to: networking.world@gmail.com. Please use this address when modifying your subscription. Advertising information: Write to Associate Publisher Online Susan Cardoza Network World, Inc., 118 Turnpike Road, Southborough, MA 01772 Copyright Network World, Inc., 2007