Network Instruments® Unveils New Optical nTAP™ Line

Updated Optical nTAP Line Provides Link Access at the Lowest Prices in the Industry

December 12, 2005 - Minneapolis, MN – Network Instruments, the leading developer of network analysis, monitoring and management solutions, announced today that it has upgraded its entire optical nTAP line. This new line of optical nTAPs sets the industry’s lowest price point and delivers higher port density for convenient link access for network professionals requiring complete visibility into their full-duplex networks.

Optical nTAPs now start at $295. This new price is 25 percent less than Network Instruments’ previous optical nTAP offerings, which were already at an industry-leading price point.
“Not only have we enhanced the quality of our optical nTAPs, but our prices are well below the current market offerings,” said Pete Hage, nTAP sales director. “We don’t have to depend on a third party to develop, manufacture, and ship our nTAPs, so we never have to compromise on quality or price.”

The new line of optical nTAPs is configured with LC connectors that are far more compact than the older SC connectors. This allows a single nTAP unit to support one, two, or three channels. Up to nine full-duplex links can be supported in a single 1U rack panel, a 50 percent capacity increase over prior nTAP models. nTAPs supporting different media types can be conveniently mixed and matched within a 1U panel.

Optical nTAPs are available in multiple configurations, including gigabit single-mode, gigabit multimode, and 10 Gb multimode. nTAPs are compatible with analysis tools ranging from network analyzers to forensic appliances and intrusion detection systems.

“Today’s network professionals understand that multiple points of visibility are required to effectively manage a network,” Hage said. “Seeing every bit of communication that traverses those points of visibility is crucial. In full-duplex networks, the only way to see all the traffic is with a TAP. And now, with our newest additions to the nTAP line, we’ve ensured there is a nTAP configuration to fit every network professional’s need and budget.”
TAPs are a superior alternative to the commonly used SPAN session, because unlike SPAN sessions, TAPs guarantee complete data transfer to a monitoring device for accurate analysis. A SPAN session can provide an inaccurate picture of the network because it can only transfer 1000 Mbps at a time to a monitoring device. If utilization on a full-duplex link (which can hold up to 2000 Mbps) exceeds 1000 Mbps, packets are dropped. TAPs never drop packets regardless of network conditions. Additionally, SPAN sessions do not pass error frames that traverse the network. TAPs reveal all data, including errors, to the monitoring device for complete analysis.

“Analyzing high-speed networks without nTAPs can provide a misleading picture of the network,” said Douglas Smith, president of Network Instruments. “The world increasingly depends on gigabit links, most of which support business-critical communication. If you don’t have an accurate way to access and monitor that information, you could get blindsided from a network issue at any time.”

About nTAP
nTAPs were created by Network Instruments, LLC, the industry-leading developer of distributed, user-friendly and affordable network management, analysis and troubleshooting solutions. nTAPs provide 100 percent guaranteed data delivery for monitoring full-duplex gigabit networks. All Network Instruments products are designed utilizing a Distributed Network Analysis (NI-DNA™) architecture. With NI-DNA, nTAPs work in conjunction with other products to ensure optimal network troubleshooting and management, network and application performance, and scales to meet the needs of any organization. Founded in 1994, Network Instruments is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota with offices in London, Paris, Toronto and multiple cities throughout the United States with distributors in over 50 countries. More information about the company, products, innovation, technology, NI-DNA, becoming a partner, and NI University can be found at: www.networkinstruments.com. For nTAP product descriptions, configuration options, and pricing, go to www.networkTAPs.com.