SmartProbe, a system for monitoring high-speed IP networks, is now applicable to Ethernets and IPv6

SmartProbe collects and analyzes traffic data and provides a variety of management functions indispensable to future network operation, such as performance monitoring, fault management and security monitoring. NTT-AT introduced SmartProbe products applicable to ATM in July this year. The company has now expanded the product line to cover Ethernets (10 Mbps, 100 Mbps and 1 Gbps), which are standard LAN specifications, and added the capability to analyze IPv6, which is being developed as the next-generation Internet Protocol. Consequently, SmartProbe is now applicable to a wide range of networks, including commonly used LANs and even the most advanced networks employing IPv6.
NTT-AT aims to provide the enhanced SmartProbe for a wide spectrum of customers, from telecommunications service providers to companies using LANs, not only as a support tool for traffic-related fault analysis and network design but as a powerful security management solution for preventing attacks and unauthorized access from the outside.

SmartProbe consists of a probe for measuring traffic and a manager that controls the probe. NTT-AT has added a newly developed probe and a test tool for Ethernet to its line of products. The company will also customize SmartProbe to suit a customer's specific environment, and provide a consulting service for network operation and construction. It plans to announce a product applicable to a high-speed Ethernet at 10 Gbps in the spring of 2003.

Background to the development

A marked trend in networking technology for LANs is the standardization of ever faster Ethernets. In addition, in the field of the Internet, activity is increasing for the introduction of IPv6 as a next-generation protocol. In light of these trends, NTT-AT started to develop SmartProbe in 1998 and began to sell it in July this year. Since then it has accelerated the development of products that are applicable to Ethernets and IPv6.

Advantages of using SmartProbe

1. Prevention of unauthorized use of the network
   Since a network usage log is available for each individual user, any unauthorized use can be easily detected, allowing appropriate action to be taken.
2. Protection against attacks on the network
   Attacks can be detected and eliminated before they cause serious damage leading to the suspension of services.
3. Reduced time for recovery from failure
   Causes for a failure can be analyzed and identified accurately and rapidly.
4. Optimization of network engineeri
   Accurate measurement of traffic changes allows optimized network engineering.
5. Precise allocation of network costs
   Network usage costs can be allocated to each department in a company according to its precise usage.

Main characteristics of SmartProbe

1. Applicable to Ethernet
   The same SmartProbe hardware is applicable to Ethernets at 10 Mbps, 100 Mbps and 1 Gbps.
2. Applicable to IPv6
   SmartProbe identifies origination and destination IP addresses, protocol number, origination and destination port numbers, network numbers, etc. in IPv6 traffic. It is also applicable to cases where IPv6 and IPv4 coexist.
3. Extensive and precise measurements
   SmartProbe has extensive filtering and aggregating functions to allow measurement of the traffic volume for individual applications, or the numbers of access requests to individual servers.
4. Capability to collect and accumulate a large volume of data
   SmartProbe can measure and accumulate up to 1 million items of data per measurement.
5. Automatic backup and data update
   The measured data are automatically backed up and updated to reduce the user's workload in data collection.
6. Remote operation and maintenance
   SmartProbe's manager can be used to monitor and operate probes from a remote location. The probe's firmware can also be updated from a remote site.
7. Customization
   NTT-AT will customize SmartProbe to suit the needs of individual customers in a flexible manner, including the provision of data adapted to the customer's specific environment.

Products

New product

Probe (Ethernets at 10Mbps, 100 Mbps and 1 Gbps); 2,500,000 yen per unit.

Existing product

Probe (ATM at 155Mbps); 2,500,000 yen per unit.

Existing product

Probe (ATM at 622Mbps); 3,540,000 yen per unit.

Existing product

Manager; 2,480,000 yen per unit.

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In addition, a test tool (new product) is available.

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NTT-AT plans to introduce a product applicable to Ethernet at 10Gbps in the spring of 2003.