Is more intelligence in the network a good thing?

NetworkWorld.com | LANs & WANs Research Center | Update Your Profile Is more intelligence in the network a good thing? By Steve Taylor and Jim Metzler IT organizations are constantly being bombarded by vendors trying to convince them that networks need to become more intelligent. We believe that it certainly can make sense to put more intelligence in the network but we also believe that as is so often the case, the devil is in the details. In the next two newsletters we will highlight how one IT organization approaches the task of adding intelligence to the network. Read full story Steve Taylor is president of Distributed Networking Associates and publisher/editor-in-chief of Webtorials. For more detailed information on most of the topics discussed in this newsletter, connect to Webtorials, the premier site for Web-based educational presentations, white papers, and market research. Taylor can be reached at taylor@webtorials.com Jim Metzler is the Vice President of Ashton, Metzler & Associates, a consulting organization that focuses on leveraging technology for business success. Jim assists vendors to refine product strategies, service providers to deploy technologies and services, and enterprises evolve their network infrastructure. He can be reached via e-mail. SPONSORED BY QUALYS On Demand Security Risk and Compliance Management Solutions Learn the benefits of on demand security risk and compliance management through this informative microsite. Download, view and listen to this compilation of whitepapers, webcasts, and videos to learn how to more accurately discover vulnerabilities. Find out how to ensure regulatory compliance and prioritize remediation. Click here to visit our microsite today! RELATED NEWS: Top 6 Cisco acquisitions of 2007; what it should buy in 2008 Cisco made 11 acquisitions this year culminating in 126 purchases since Cisco's birth. 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Packeteer sharpens tools for managing WAN application performance, 12/06/2007 The tools enterprises use to speed up applications have in the past been viewed as a network add-on, something tacked on to make the end-user ... HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE Find the very best tech holiday gift ideas. '07 ENTERPRISE ALL-STARS Honoring outstanding technology projects. SPONSORED BY QUALYS On Demand Security Risk and Compliance Management Solutions Learn the benefits of on demand security risk and compliance management through this informative microsite. Download, view and listen to this compilation of whitepapers, webcasts, and videos to learn how to more accurately discover vulnerabilities. Find out how to ensure regulatory compliance and prioritize remediation. Click here to visit our microsite today! Holiday Tech Toys Stumped on what gadgets and gizmos to give this holiday? Have no fear, Cool Tools' Keith Shaw is here. We do all of the heavy lifting of wading through hundreds of submitted technology products to find the very best holiday gift ideas. Click here to view our holiday gift guide: http://www.nww.com/PSA2_1210 Featured reader resource 90% of IT Managers are leaving their company at risk for a DNS ATTACK. Get the tools and resources you need to keep your DNS healthy and secure. Run a DNSreport on your domain today - 56 critical tests run in 8 seconds. Visit www.dnsreport.com to learn more. (apply coupon NWW2007NLA for a 25% membership discount)   12/11/07 TODAY'S MOST-READ STORIES: Microsoft pulls plug on potty-mouth Santa Open source software targets math programs Network coding: networking's next revolution? 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