25 New Products Debuting At Interop Las Vegas 2008

Interop Las Vegas is set to go full steam ahead this week (April 28 through May 2) and vendors are ready to parade out their new wares for the tens of thousands technology-starved attendees. Everything from networking and voice/video gear to storage and security will be showcased, announced, released, updated and integrated. Products to help cut and gauge power consumption will also take center stage. Just in case you plan to spend your time doubling down at the blackjack table and won't be able to hit every booth on the show floor, we've compiled 25 products that will be on display as Interop storms the Mandalay Bay Convention Center this week.

Barracuda Networks is announcing a pair of new Barracuda Message Archiver models: the Barracuda Message Archiver 850 (pictured) and 950.

The Archivers are designed to help enterprises search and retrieve emails to fulfill compliance requirements and e-discovery requests. The Archiver also enables message storage for the email server. The devices start at $27,999 with no per user licensing fees.

Nortel Networks is set to unveil a new end-to-end network virtualization solution that features the Ethernet Routing Switch 8600 5.0 coupled with the Virtual Services Switch 5000 (pictured), a new platform that consolidates network elements for flexible and dynamic network services on the fly with integration with server virtualization solutions.

The ERS 8600 features 10 Gig high port density, resiliency, Layer 3 routing virtualization and simplified VPN provisioning over the existing IP backbone to simplify network design and increase cost and reliability. It can serve multiple customers, departments or user groups on the LAN and across a campus or metro network. The VSS 5000 consolidates and virtualizes multiple functions onto a single device. It orchestrates and provisions services instantaneously. The product combines network services like firewalls, application switching and SSL acceleration onto one platform, resulting in an end-to-end solution that can maximize network resources while lowering capital expenses.

Bluesocket will release version 6.3 of its wireless LAN software platform, enabling users to maximize mobility while laying the groundwork for a next generation unified communications solution. Version 6.3 delivers full 802.11n support to the BlueSecure Controller and Access Point products, while improving the management, security and scalability of the overall WLAN infrastructure. The new software supports third party and Bluesocket access points, including Bluesocket's 802.11n BlueSecure 1800 Access Point (pictured), allowing users to cost effectively transition the WLAN to next-gen 802.11n without architectural changes or significant infrastructure upgrades. Bluesocket will also announce the general availability of the 11n BlueSecure 1800 Access Point at Interop.

With the new Exinda 7800 WAN optimization appliance, Exinda Networks hopes to address poor application performance between data centers and branch offices. The 7800 (pictured) can accelerate traffic at 155 Mbps full duplex and provide high-speed WAN optimization and monitoring throughput at up to 1 Gbps. It has a broad storage capacity for caching repetitive WAN traffic and its RAID 1.5 terabyte disk storage offers a broad capacity for storing data and ensures that cashed and monitoring data will not be lost.

The Exinda 7800 will be available May 31 for companies attempting to tackle server consolidation, disaster recovery planning and data storage initiatives.

U4EA will announce a new release to complement its existing Fusion Multi-Service Business Gateway product line. The Fusion 500 (pictured) jumbles together several commonly used appliances, including a PBX, Internet and data network access, LANs and firewall/security services, into one device for secure and reliable VoIP, data and video services for SMBs.

The Fusion 500 adds interfaces to legacy PBX systems enabling enterprises to preserve old investments while connecting existing telephone and PBX equipment to VoIP and SIP trunking. Like other U4EA gear, Fusion 500 integrates U4EA's Guarantee of Service (GoS) technology, a QoS solution that can delivery multiple, simultaneous real-time and non-real-time services while maximizing network utilization and wire speed.

Omnitron Systems Technology will announce the availability of the new iConverter xFF fiber-to-fiber media converter (pictured). The converter is a protocol-transparent media converter that provides conversion between different wavelengths, multimode and single-mode, and dual and single-fiber networks. Omnitron said xFF can optimize costs while adding functionality and speed.

Radvision is poised to release its Scopia Unified Communications offering, a video platform that delivers the scalability and device support enterprise need to leverage current standards based on video conferencing investments while evaluating and deploying emerging Unified Communications solutions. With high-definition endpoints brining better video quality to traditional room-based video conferencing systems and unified communications and collaboration solutions extending video to the desk top and mobile arenas, more organizations are looking to adopt and integrate emerging HD and UC technologies. The Scopia platform combines hardware and software to support media processing for advanced room system devices and delivers scalable and distributed processing for desktops and mobile deployments.

A10 Networks will debut VirtualN, a new feature within A10's AX Series of server load balancers. With VirtualN, the AX Series appliances can act like a single virtual load balancer, enabling the provisioning of a single Virtual IP (VIP) across multiple devices. Users can start out with two AX Series appliances in a VirtualN configuration and add more devices as application demands increase. Performance scales linearly with each additional AX. VirtualN performs at up to 4 million Layer 4 connections per second, up to 8 million Layer 7 transactions per second and up to 40 Gbps throughput with 4 AX devices.

Pictured here is the AX 3200 with VirtualN.

F5 Networks, along with IP performance testing systems provider Ixia, will be demonstrating its VIPRION on-demand Application Delivery Controller for high volume Web and video traffic.

VIPRION (pictured) is a modular, bladed chassis hardware system that enables organizations to deploy a flexible Application Delivery Network out of the box. Massive Web sites and service providers are seeing traffic double every six to nine months, increasing the need for more Application Delivery Controllers in the data center, ultimately creating monstrous management headaches. F5 said VIPRION lets enterprise pop in a new blade and be done with it. The solution is available with one or two blades, and as the infrastructure grows, VIPRION will grow with it.

F5 and Ixia will demonstrate their combined solutions' capacity to test and scale for next generation applications like IPTV and VoIP. VIPRION delivers 36 Gbps of Layer 7 throughput, one million connections per second and 200,000 SSL transactions per second. To validate the scalability, Ixia's IxLoad L7 test application and XM traffic generation platform will test it.

Along with helping F5 test VIPRION, Ixia Networks will also release a data center performance testing solution, the eight-port 10 GbE IxYukon Load Module. The high density and high performance tool is designed to save companies space, energy and air conditioning costs. It offers four times the 10 GbE port density in the same lab space. With the IxYukon, 96 10 GbE test ports can fit in a standard 19-inch rack-mount Ixia XM12 chassis. Competitors require four fully loaded chassis to match 96 ports in the single chassis 10 GbE solution. It also requires half the electrical power of the nearest competitor, Ixia said.

Solera Networks will announce a comprehensive and intuitive search solution for data-in-motion crossing the network. DeepSee lets IT and executives locate and reconstruct specific communications or network activity from a complete historical record of all network traffic in their organization. Unlike analysis and forensics tools that require networking protocol expertise and packet analysis, DeepSee is a Google-like application so any authorized user can search, locate and view actual network communications in the way they were originally delivered.

Microsemi Corp. will announce the full production launch of a new lone of PowerDsine Gigabit midspans and splitters for upgrading existing network infrastructures for Power over Ethernet (PoE) access. The launch includes 6-, 12- and 24-port HiPoE midspans in the PD-7000G Series (pictured), the PD-7001G single-port HiPoE midspan, and the PD-AS-701 Splitter Series that offers a choice of 12-, 18- or 24-volt output.

The PowerDsine HiPoE midspans inject up to 32 watts of power over existing Cat 5 Ethernet cable, letting end devices receive safe power and data on the same line. The devices can double the power allowed under the existing 802.3af power standard and are compliant with the new pre-standard, 802.3at. Higher power boosts readiness for Gigabit Ethernet applications like 802.11n wireless, IP security cameras, WiMAX transmitters, thin clients and video phones. The new splitter service enables the addition of PowerDsine high power capabilities to devices that are not PoE compliant.

eTelemetry is unveiling a new plug-and-play network device to help enterprises tackle Internet bandwidth management. The Metron 2.0 (pictured) can help control access speeds to websites, including throttling down bandwidth available for sites that are not critical to ensure that necessary business applications get available bandwidth before sites that are not work related.

Metron additionally monitors instant messaging/chatting, frequency and amount of emails, top Websites visited and top bandwidth sites. It can be configured to alert IT when surfing and chatting exceeds a preset threshold or when employees remote desktop in or create a secure session.

Array Networks wants to take control of the WLAN with its new WIFIProtect appliance, a comprehensive, identity-based access control solution for wireless networks. Call it wireless NAC, if you will. WIFIProtect's virtualization technology automatically funnels all WLAN traffic through a scalable gateway that lets enterprises offer customized wireless access for partners, guests and employees. By using standard browsers present on virtually every client device, IT no longer has to intervene or pre-install a client every time a guest or partner requires wireless access.

Secure Computing Corp. will launch its new hosted Secure Web Protection Service, a software-as-a-service Web security solution that provides reputation-based protection from malware and other Web-borne threats. The new hosted service gives Web security protection through an SaaS deployment option. The solution does not require the installation or deployment of applications or software.

SEH Technology plans to introduce the PS56 Print Server, a new WLAN interface card for Hewlett-Packard printers. The new model supports IPv6 and connects to all HP output devices with EIO ports to 802.11g wireless networks. Its security features include support for the WPA and WPA2 WLAN encryption standards.

Agito Networks at Interop is launching the latest version of its fixed-mobile convergence technology for tying Wi-Fi and cellular calling together. The new RoamAnywhere Mobility Router now natively integrates with Cisco Systems' Unified Wireless Network portfolio of WLAN products. It also adds integration with Microsoft Active Directory and LDAP for identity-based mobility, as well as high availability features. The 2000 Series supports up to 100 simultaneous users and is priced starting at $10,000. The 4000 Series (shown), supports up to 1,000 simultaneous users and is priced starting at $28,000. The new functionality will be available in the second quarter.

Avocent Corp. is releasing a new power management software that lets users monitor and measure in real-time the power consumption and energy use of IT equipment in their data centers. Dubbed DSView 3 Power Manager, the software is an add-on plug-in to Avocent's DSView 3 management software. The Power Manager adds the ability to gather and aggregate power information, whether that is a power distribution unit, rack or row of racks, to help data center managers improve operating efficiencies, reduce outages and reduce overall energy consumption costs.

The software features consumption reports that track power and energy consumption for user-defined time periods for data centers, power source busses and racks. It also issues trend reports that track power consumption over time and aggregates data for customized usage reports. Additionally, the software enables the setting of thresholds and alarms to warn users when critical levels are being approached.

At Interop Mitel will announce the re-launch of its TotalSolutions managed services offering. Stemming from its acquisition of Inter-Tel, the TotalSolutions service has been revamped to include a focus on IP solutions and has been rolled out to the channel. Mitel Managed Services offers a complete end-to-end solution including hardware, software, applications, carrier services, maintenance and support for a fixed monthly fee.

Also at Interop, Mitel's CLEC arm, NetSolutions, will begin offering a SIP trunking service for medium and large enterprises looking to switch to VoIP. The service will be available through Mitel's channel. Mitel will also announce that the Sun Ray Unified IP Client (pictured) will be generally available in May. Mitel has taken the ultra thin client Sun Ray technology and created a slim module that snaps onto Mitel IP phones to create a unified communications desktop. Users can "hot desk" into both the Mitel IP phones and the Sun Ray thin client terminals using a personal, authenticated Java Card. The client offers voice and data services at any workstation on the network.

ATEN Technology Inc., maker of KVM (keyboard/video/mouse) and remote connectivity products to centrally managed servers, network devices and IT infrastructure, is set to release a new remote server management solution to give administrators remote access to KVM switches and servers via the LAN, WAN or Internet. The CN8000 KVM on the NET is an over-IP model that features dual interface support for both the server and console. The CN8000 Virtual Media USB support lets users remotely transfer out-of-band data through the connected switch to any server and perform diagnostic tests, download files and install programs or operating system patches from a Virtual Media connection. It also offers both PS/2 and USB connections, and includes a modem port that provides out-of "band connectivity for emergency access when the network is down. The box support the ATEN Power over the NET remote power distribution units; BIOS level access; 32 concurrent users; event logging; a multilingual user interface; RADIUS, LDAP and MS active directory; and a host of other functions. The CN8000 lists for $599.99.

Polycom will unveil the Video Border Proxy 200EW, an all-in-one home network router solution for teleworkers that combines NAT/firewall traversal, wired and wireless routing, gatekeeping, traffic shaping and bandwidth allocation. The box can prioritize video traffic and allocate bandwidth for higher quality video. The solution can serve as a firewall or will work with existing firewalls. It also works with all standards-based video conferencing systems. The Video Border Proxy 200EW lists for $1,299.

AirMagnet Inc. will announce new software products to properly deploy and managed new 802.11n networks or integrate 11n into existing networks. The new software includes AirMagnet Laptop Analyzer Pro 8.0 and AirMagnet Survey Pro 6.0. The solutions are available as a suite or standalone. Both tools have been updated for educating users on the impact 11n, simulating deployment scenarios and optimizing ongoing security and performance management associated with 11n networks.

LifeSize Communications will announce a high-definition video communication system with a list price below $5,000. LifeSize Express with the new LifeSize Focus integrated HD camera and microphone array offers high-def telepresence over existing broadband networks to bring telepresence capabilities to any room.

LifeSize Focus features a high-definition video camera that delivers HD 1280x720 video at 30 frames per second. An integrated two-microphone array with beam-forming technology is used for sound.

LifeSize will also unveil new released of core management and infrastructure solutions. LifeSize Control, GateKeeper, Multipoint, Gateway and Networker will offer enhanced management, remote policy enforcement and improved access to legacy video networks.

Neterion Inc. will announce that drivers for its 10 GbE adapters are embedded in the initial release of Windows Server 2008. Additionally, the vendor will reveal that the adapters are supported in the beta release of Microsoft Hyper-V, the hypervisor software for server virtualization that will be available within various version of Server 2008.

Windows Server 2008 is designed to boost reliability and flexibility of server infrastructures while consolidating applications with virtual licensing rights. Neterion 10 GbE adapters include advanced silicon-based I/O Virtualization capabilities that eliminate I/O bottlenecks within virtualized servers. Neterion's 10 GbE Xframe drivers and adapters are certified for native support for several Server 2008 configurations, such as Standard, Enterprise and Datacenter.

Aruba Networks Inc. will unveil a host of wireless gear at Interop 2008. First is RFprotect Wireless Intrusion Detection and Prevention System, which lets users define and load new threat signatures to immediately detect a new threat. It's a wizard-based software for creating expert modules that can detect an attack and be added dynamically without a software upgrade. Aruba will also release a Mobile Remote Access Point to for remote users. The plug-and-play solution features a VPN but without client software to load or manage. It includes a USP port for use with any 3G broadband modem which can be used with or in lieu of an Ethernet link for WAN connectivity the primary or back-up data center.

Aruba's AP 124ABG and AP-125ABG Access Points (pictured) will also be shown off. The new access points offer users considering 802.l1n to future-proof their investment by delivering 802.11 a/b/g connectivity today and allowing devices to be upgraded to 802.11n via a software key loaded into the wireless controllers. Lastly, Aruba will unveil the new AirWave Wireless Management Suite 6, building on its acquisition of AirWave earlier this year. The suite can manage 11n devices from leading suppliers like Aruba, Cisco, Motorola and ProCurve all from one console. The new suite also features an interface to BMC Ready support software, the ability to monitor wired routers and switches, RADIUS authentication servers and NMS servers to simplify end-to-end troubleshooting.