10 Hot Networking, Cloud And Virtualization Launches

Eye On Networking

Hot trends like BYOD, mobile device management and software-defined networking were all top of mind at this year's installment of Interop New York, so it was little surprise some of the big vendor and supplier product and service announcements centered on those trends. Here's a look at 10 company launches -- from wireless access points to file transfer software and a new channel partner program -- that stuck out to our roving reporters.

Cisco Unified Access

Cisco's usual gaggle of Interop announcements this year focused on its unified access strategy, driving a simplified management framework for both wired and wireless infrastructure. The major updates include a new version of its well-received Identity Services Engine (ISE) platform, which streamlines how role-based access control is enforced across the network, and several new 802.11n wireless access points, as well as a new high-end wireless controller.

Cloudpath XpressConnect ES

Cloudpath copped a Best of Interop 2012 award this past spring at Interop Las Vegas, in the wireless and mobility category. Back for more at the New York installment, Cloudpath had an ideal demo setting as the vendor behind the conference's BYOD InteropNet wireless network. Key to Cloudpath's mojo is the XpresssConnect ES, which provides single point of entry onto the network for all non-domain devices, yet gives network administrators maximum control by creating a blend of traditional policies, such as Active Directory, with new policy capabilities like those found with Google or Facebook.

Endace Partner Program

Endace's big Interop launch wasn't a product, per se, but a full-blown channel program, marking the company's expansion into indirect sales following four years selling primarily direct to Fortune 100 enterprises, telcos and government agencies. Early sign-ons include well-known security and infrastructure solution providers like Accuvant and FishNet Security.

What they'll be selling is Endace's network visibility offering, the Endace Intelligent Network Recorders. Recorders can capture, index and record the whole of a company's network traffic while scaling from 1 Gbps to 100 Gbps, and Endace also offers a Web application, EndaceVision, for allowing engineers to search for and retrieve network traffic on any Recorder anywhere in a network.

HP SDN strategy

HP used Interop to take its biggest leap yet into the wild world of software-defined networking, confirming to CRN that it will broaden OpenFlow support for nine more HP switch models and that it plans to bring OpenFlow to the entire HP Networking line by the middle of 2013. HP's SDN strategy encompasses switches, infrastructure, services and management, including a new software platform called Virtual Cloud Networks through which customers can create isolated, virtual cloud networks using a self-service infrastructure off the public cloud.

Ixia Anue Advanced Feature Module 16

Ixia at Interop debuted the Anue Advanced Feature Module 16, a platform intended to boost network and application performance in large data centers using packet processing techniques to secure data and, as Ixia says, eliminate redundant network traffic. Combining the AFM16 with Ixia's Anue NTO 5288 high-density products means users can enable up to 640 Gbps of non-blocking advanced packet processing and keep compliant with regulatory standards such as HIPAA and SOX. AFM 16 is one of the major product releases since Ixia's $145 million acquisition of Anue Systems back in May -- a move that expanded IP and wireless network tester Ixia's purview into fuller network and data center visibility products.

Riverbed Steelhead EX

WAN optimization king Riverbed made a number of key platform updates, including the integration of VMware's vSphere into its Steelhead EX appliances. The thumbs-up there is that Riverbed Steelhead users can have centralized management and much easier configuration of the virtual machines across various physical locations -- the ability, in other words, to manage EX appliances from afar using the VMware platform they're familiar with.

Also new from Riverbed is an updated version of Steelhead Mobile, through which customers can manage and provision up to 120,000 mobile devices, and two new Steelhead WAN optimization appliances, which up their predecessors' connection capacity and throughput and include solid-state drives.

6Connect ProVision Suite

6Connect used Interop to roll out 6Connect ProVision suite, a SaaS offering that helps customers manage their integrated IPv4 and IPv6 infrastructure. Among other features, the platform automates how users manage various IP addressing schemes, as well as offers APIs for enabling customers to integrate ProVision with corporate resources like their CRM systems.

"Legacy DDI and automation solutions are no longer efficient. We've designed ProVision as a disruptive, next-generation platform for automated management control of complex IP address zones, virtual machines, mobile devices, and all types of corporate assets," said 6Connect CEO Bill Bien in a statement.

Unlimi-Tech FileCatalyst Direct v3.1

Ottawa-based Unlimi-Tech focuses on managed file transfer platform, and at Interop, it had a new version to show off while also playing up its recently debuted Partner Alliance program, which targets VARs, distributors and cloud service providers.

Unlimi-Tech's FileCatalyst Direct v3.1 adds virtual folders and the ability for administrators to more flexibly assign permission to different file sets, as well as let users access files from across directories and storage mediums from single accounts. Unlimi-Tech, which also offers mobile file transfer options for iOS and Android devices, is promoting FileCatalyst as the only file transfer technology that can send a single, large file at 10 Gbps.

Vidyo Expansion

Fast-growing videoconferencing startup Vidyo is fresh off the expansion of its developer program, and at Interop, it was also touting two other recent announcements. One is that Vidyo is contributing to the development of the next major videoconferencing standard, HEVC (H.265), and the other was that collaboration service provider Arkadin is now offering the Vidyo platform under a white label agreement.

WildPackets Omni Distributed Analysis Platform 7.0

WildPackets has made a good name for itself in the network and application performance analysis segment, and at Interop, it debuted its Omni Distributed Analysis Platform 7.0 with 40G support. As the name implies, the Platform, which offers everything from distributed network monitoring to analytics and network-forensic-targeted troubleshooting, supports 40G network environments and also has a number of other new features. Those include multisegment network analysis -- ideal for distributed and cloud-based architectures, WildPackets points out -- and the ability to collect data at end-user points and transmit it back to network engineers for deeper inspection without having to bring the network engineers out to remote sites.