Established in 1997 by Alastair Hartrup, Network Critical has grown to become the market leading designer and manufacturer of network access solutions for the security and network management marketplace, offering customers flexible deployment options to maximise their solution investment.

Our products are of the highest quality, designed by the best engineers in the business, and as a result Network Critical has a reputation for leading the industry with technological advances in the TAP (test access point) marketplace.  Worldwide “firsts” include the 100% guaranteed 'zero packet loss' TAP, the 4x4 port 1U rack mount Critical TAP, the multi-port Fiber TAP and the introduction of the Critical In-line TAP.  More recently, we've introduced the powerful CriticalConnex™ CC3100 TAP, which allows a gigabit network tool to passively monitor four 10/100 network links - even at maximum utilisation of all links, it won't drop a single packet.

Specialising in the security marketplace, and with sales offices in the UK and USA, Network Critical supports its customer base with a world-wide network of reputable and responsible channel partners. These carefully selected “team members” provide turnkey solutions covering the complete range of high-quality Critical TAPs to end clients in the Telecomm, Energy, Banking and Finance, Transport, Government, Pharmaceutical, Healthcare, Engineering and Media industries.

Customer requests for “deployment” solutions can be wide and varied, depending upon their chosen application, be it IDS, IPS, network monitoring (analysers & probes), VoIP or QoS. Network Critical prides itself on having built up such a comprehensive range of TAP products that, no matter what the end-user requirements, it feels that it has the flexibility to offer a TAP solution to suit “all scenarios.”

At Network Critical, we try to ensure that every aspect of doing business with us is as seamless as possible.  We offer our channel partners and their customers a range of pre- and post-sales services which enables quick, efficient and dependable product selection; this, in turn, allows for the timely deployment of the overall security or monitoring solution.

Our ethos is to "keep it simple, get it right". We don't believe in trying to make our business more complicated than it needs to be.  Our people, like our products, are straightforward, honest and reliable.  They are driven by customer satisfaction and are proud of our standing in the market as the “channel-friendly company.”

Network Instruments is the industry-leading developer of network analysis, monitoring and troubleshooting solutions. Since 1994, Network Instruments has delivered network visibility and insight through high-performance, comprehensive analysis tools. The company is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota with offices in London, Munich, Paris, Toronto, and throughout the United States.

About nTAPs and Network Instruments
With the addition of nTAPs, Network Instruments offers a complete end-to-end network analysis solution to our current customers and partners. nTAPs also serve as a stand-alone, best-of-breed product line that seamlessly integrates with any network or security analysis device on the market. To facilitate efficient configuration and purchasing of nTAPs, Network Instruments has developed an exclusive e-commerce center at networkTAPs.com. This web site includes in-depth product information, online ordering options, and configuration tools.

To learn more about Network Instruments and its line of award-winning, network analysis solutions, visit www.networkinstruments.com.

nTAPs Product Overview
The nTAP product line is engineered by Network Instruments to deliver maximum visibility into full-duplex links, a critical component of analysis in high-speed networks. nTAPs work with network analyzers, protocol analyzers, intrusion detection systems, forensic appliances, remote monitoring appliances, RMON probes and other network devices that require visibility into a full-duplex network.

nTAPs provide three key advantages:

1. High-volume data capture and performance
   nTAPs ensure complete visibility into full-duplex network links without compromising network performance. Unlike SPAN sessions on a switch, the nTAP will not affect switch performance, nor will it filter out physical layer errors.
   
2. No risk of downtime
   With an nTAP permanently installed, you never need to bring the link down to attach an analyzer or other device. And even if power to copper nTAPs fail, your critical links will continue to perform.
   
3. Flexibility
   The nTAP family includes models and configuration options to replicate Ethernet data streams for analysis. Whether you need to monitor optical or copper links there is an nTAP solution to bridge the gap.

Since the nTAP can provide access to all network traffic, it also reports on errors found in the physical layer from both sides of a full-duplex link. If the analysis device should fail, nTAPs ensure continued network operation. nTAPs are available in a variety of compact hardware configurations and meet international RF emission standards.

For more information on Network Instruments or nTAP please contact us.

Company Overview

VSS Monitoring Inc. is the industry’s leading innovator of network taps and distributed tap solutions focused on addressing the evolving needs and requirements of the world’s most security conscious network professionals serving enterprise scale organizations.

Founded in 2003 and based in Burlingame, California, the gateway to Silicon Valley, VSS Monitoring has a global reach that extends to 88 countries, supported by 22 sales partners worldwide. The company’s acronym, “VSS”, stands for “Visibility, Stealth and Security”.

Continuing to be at the forefront of groundbreaking network solutions, VSS is significantly changing the architecture of network monitoring. Our company is distinguished internationally as the only tap vendor providing distributed solutions and offering customers a large product portfolio.

Our solutions focus on the unique and diverse needs and environments of end users to optimally address security, performance and compliance issues and requirements. Cost effective and user friendly, our network monitoring solutions offer customers greater control, configurability, visibility, security, management and distribution options.

Exemplary customer support and superior technical expertise are the foundation of our commitment and sensitivity to the varied specific requirements essential to our customers security management and network monitoring applications.