Taking stock of network conditions

Network Optimization This newsletter is sponsored by Akamai Perk up apps with Web acceleration Find out how Nike made the decision to go with a managed Web application service provider to improve performance on one of its key retail applications. After deciding a distributed datacenter was too costly, Nike went with Akamai. Its once sluggish app is now chugging along. Network World's Network Optimization Newsletter, 07/26/07 Taking stock of network conditions By Ann Bednarz Could you use a little help figuring out exactly what is going on in your network? Are you wondering why certain applications behave the way they do? For companies just getting started on the WAN optimization path, a key first step is determining which application delivery issues are most pressing. To help shed some light on the issue, Packeteer offers a free WAN performance evaluation. The evaluation makes use of Packeteer’s PacketShaper visibility and monitoring tools, which can discover network applications, identify “top talkers,” and reveal response time characteristics. For example, the evaluation will highlight the Top 10 applications running on a network, how much bandwidth each application is consuming, and how efficiently the network is performing. New Executive Guide Network World has recently published an executive guide entitled "Virtualization Meets Reality". Find out the 8 key challenges of virtualizing your data center. Download it now! “There are over 200 applications on the average enterprise network, and there are no silver bullet technologies that solve all problems,” says Mark Urban, director of product marketing at Packeteer. “The free WAN assessment lets us go in and figure out what’s happening on your network, and that provides you with information you can use in order to more effectively manage your network and application environment.” In addition, the evaluation can help companies that are planning a significant infrastructure change, such as moving from an IP telephony pilot to a broad-scale rollout, Urban says. “Take a look at the pilot and see how it’s performing so you can plan for the broader set of issues you might encounter when you go from two sites to 100 sites,” he says. “You can anticipate how a change will impact the network rather than being caught flat-footed.” Sounds useful to me. Sure, there’s obviously something in it for Packeteer and its resellers - namely access to companies with WAN performance concerns and to whom they can direct sales pitches. But there’s also value to IT executives who are looking to investigate network performance issues and possible remedies without breaking the bank. Companies can register for Packeteer's free WAN performance evaluation here. Meanwhile, do you know about other WAN optimization-related freebies out there? I’d like to compile a list of free services or trial offerings to share with newsletter readers, so please send me any you know about. Thanks in advance for your help.   What do you think? Post a comment on this newsletter

TODAY'S MOST-READ STORIES: 1. Hogwarts IT director quits 2. Serious hole in BIND 9 DNS server 3. Free security tool ferrets out unpatched software 4. Cisco outlines fix for ARP storms on WLANs 5. 12 IT skills that employers can't say no to 6. Cisco outlines vision for the new data center 7. Security team claims successful iPhone hack 8. What will Windows 7 look like? 9. 11 corporate anthems to die for 10. Andreessen thanks EDS/Cisco for $138M MOST E-MAILED STORY: Hogwarts IT director quits

Contact the author: Ann Bednarz is an associate news editor at Network World responsible for editing daily news content. She previously covered enterprise applications, e-commerce and telework trends for Network World. E-mail Ann. This newsletter is sponsored by Akamai Perk up apps with Web acceleration Find out how Nike made the decision to go with a managed Web application service provider to improve performance on one of its key retail applications. After deciding a distributed datacenter was too costly, Nike went with Akamai. Its once sluggish app is now chugging along. ARCHIVE Archive of the Network Optimization Newsletter. 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: security.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